Electrical Engineer, ECAD Circuit Board Design
San Diego, California
Overview
General Atomics pioneers technologies with the potential to change the world. Behind a talented global team of engineers, GA delivers safe, sustainable, and economical solutions to meet growing global demands. Our Engineers have an opportunity to work on first of a kind product lines within an incredible, dynamic environment.
Engineering positions typically require a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience. Candidates from mechanical, electrical, and aerospace engineering backgrounds must know the fundamentals of engineering system developments, requirements, testing, and integration before getting to the final stages of customer interface and project management.
Schedule: Full-Time Salary
Job Level: Mid-Level (3-7 years)
Travel: 0 - 25
Success Profile
What makes a successful Electrical Engineer, ECAD Circuit Board Design at General Atomics? Check out the top traits we’re looking for and see if you have the right mix.
- Analytical
- Collaborative
- Inventive
- Problem Solver
- Team Player
- Creative
Job Summary General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies.
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA-EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.
We have an exciting opportunity for an Electrical Engineer (EE) to join our Electrical Technologies team located in Rancho Bernardo. We are looking for someone with drive, talent, and experience in circuit board design and layout using Electrical Computer Aided-Design (ECAD) tools like Altium Designer or Mentor Graphics PADS/Xpedition. This role supports projects at all lifecycle stages, encompassing R&D, proven designs that are being productized and released, and fielded products. The successful candidate will report to the Sr. Manager of Electrical-Mechanical Integration and, alongside high-caliber staff, will be engaged in the engineering support and new development of high-power electromagnetic systems, power conditioning systems, pulsed power systems, high-energy laser systems, battery systems, advanced airborne sensors, space-based laser and electro-optical systems, cutting-edge technology ventures into Defense and “NewSpace,” and a variety of other technologies in the expanding product portfolio of GA-EMS.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Work with GA-EMS Engineering staff in the design and development of complex and detailed layouts of printed circuit boards for all GA-EMS business areas and product lines. These encompass power conditioning systems, pulsed power systems, battery systems, high energy laser systems, advanced sensors, and space systems.
- Demonstrate prior experience in the improvement of legacy systems and development of new systems, specifically in applications where fast and agile but complex Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design and layout work and subject matter expertise is required in order to meet challenging technical performance and schedule objectives.
- Responsible for implementing the successful resolution of engineering problems associated with PCB design and manufacturing; supporting technical administration and use of ECAD tools, libraries, processes, and development strategies; applying engineering knowledge in PCB design; generating PCB design and manufacturing documentation; and supporting configuration and data management of PCB designs in the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system.
- Contribute to complex, electrical/optical/mechanical engineering efforts while exercising technical strategy and acumen in PCB design approach, implementation, and review.
- Grasp, understand, correlate, and apply concepts in electrical engineering to pieces in a complex system, specifically printed circuit boards.
- Plan and execute technical efforts quickly and strategically with general supervision and limited review.
- May represent the organization in providing solution to technical issues associated with specific projects.
- Provide creative technical solutions to working plans, detailed designs, and completed electrical drawings of PCB components and assemblies for a wide variety of complex products and components of products./
- Work from preliminary schematics, notes, part lists, rough or detailed sketches, basic descriptions of PCB functions, and configurations and arrangements defined by electrical design engineers.
- Support and uphold design standards and configurations.
- Verify completed design elements while checking dimensions, materials to be used and quantities.
- Provide Subject-Matter-Expert (SME) recommendations to electrical design engineers during PCB design and peer review.
- Validate conformity to design standards and specifications and identify design errors and other deficiencies and recommend changes.
- Make engineering computations and develop PCB designs utilizing Electrical Computer-Aided Design (ECAD) tools (Altium Designer, Mentor Graphics PADS and/or Xpedition), write specifications, and make adjustments in drawings and specifications.
- Provide documentation including schematics and PCB layouts, identify design issues, and prepare and present technical design presentations to engineering staff as required.
- Configuration manage and archive engineering data files per company configuration control procedures and interact with PCB vendors to coordinate the manufacturing of PCBs and PCB assemblies (PCBAs).
- Remain current in ECAD techniques, IPC Standards, as well as appropriate specialty design software and associated applications.
- Perform other duties as assigned or required.
We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.
Job Qualifications:
- Typically requires a bachelor's degree, master's degree, or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows; four (4) or more years of experience with a bachelor’s degree, two (2) or more years of experience with a master’s degree. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance is required.
- Demonstrate technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice with the ability to organize, plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate workloads to meet established deadlines or milestones.
- Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately throughout an evolving project environment.
- Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required to enable an effective interface with other departments and/or professionals.
- Must be able to work both independently on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment.
- Customer-focused and able to formulate plans based on the development of innovative new designs in resolving complex technical engineering problems.
- Must be able to determine the appropriate approach at the task level and project level to provide innovative solutions to a wide range of complex problems in PCB design.
- Must have detailed understanding of PCB design concepts, drawing principles, manufacturing methods, and PC board design trade-space for a wide range of PCB applications.
- Must demonstrate a high skill level using ECAD tools such as Altium Designer, Mentor Graphics PADS and/or Xpedition.
- Required Experience: Knowledge of PCB design for digital, analog, and power circuits and electronic assemblies; proven ability to plan and implement, at the design stage, electrical, mechanical, and cabling-interconnect features in the PCB design for optimal circuit performance; high-speed digital circuit board layout; mixed-signal digital/analog circuit board layout, including split and isolated reference/power planes; high-power or high-voltage circuit board layout, including high-voltage isolation and techniques for supporting pulse-power or high power dissipation; complex, multi-layer PC board design; thermal-clad PC board design (desired).
- Some travel and extended work schedules may be required.
- The submission of a cover letter with resume is desired.
Salary:$81,080 - $141,650
Benefits
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Healthcare
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Pension, 401(k)/Retirement Plans
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Competitive Pay
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Multiple product lines means a variety of work
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Paid Time Off

“The company is growing, has a very good reputation and had open positions in my area of expertise (aircraft design/design methodology development).”– Peter, Senior Staff Engineer

“We don't ascribe to quotas; we do ascribe to securing the BEST talent to enrich our culture toward healthy diversification and active/viable community service. We are STEM advocates.”– Debra, CSSBB: Staff Engineer

“Every day is different, with different problems to solve and many programs to support. I am a problem solver and have always been motivated by the tough questions.”– Scott, Laser Scientist

“I work in the Components Engineering and Obsolescence Management Dept. Our efforts are saving General Atomics several millions of dollars by proactively leading and informing the company of all these decisions which significantly impact production, sustainment and new designs.”– John, Staff Engineer
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