Engineer I – Focal Plane Electronics Systems

About the role

We are seeking an early‑career Focal Plane Electrical Systems Engineer to support the development of advanced electronics used in focal plane subsystems across ultraviolet, visible, near‑infrared, short‑wave infrared, mid‑wave infrared, and long‑wave infrared technologies. As a member of our specialized team, you will have the opportunity to build your electronics expertise while gaining exposure to a wide range of engineering disciplines. This role provides hands‑on experience in areas such as analog and digital hardware, FPGA design, software development, and system integration. Your contributions will help enable critical capabilities for Civil, Defense, and Tactical missions, giving you the opportunity to grow your skills while working on impactful, mission‑driven technology.

Responsibilities

• Dive into hands‑on design and debugging of analog and digital circuits using tools like oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers.
• Build software and scripts that bring hardware to life—configuring systems, automating tests, collecting data, and making sense of results.
• Create FPGA‑based solutions for next‑generation image sensors, tackling timing control, high‑speed data acquisition, and real‑time processing.
• Validate your FPGA designs through simulation, timing analysis, and hardware bring‑up.
• Support the testing and characterization of advanced focal plane image sensors, gaining exposure to cutting‑edge detector technologies.
• Work in a fast‑paced environment on R&D efforts, prototypes, and production programs—no two days look the same.
• Team up across disciplines to develop and test ultra‑low‑noise focal plane detectors used in scientific missions and high‑speed space‑based imaging.
• Maintain a regular and predictable work schedule.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department, the Strategic Business Units, Strategic Capabilities Units and the Company. Interact appropriately with others in order to maintain a positive and productive work environment.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

Working conditions

• Work is performed in an office, laboratory, production floor, or cleanroom, outdoors or remote research environment.
• May occasionally work in production work centers where use of protective equipment and gear is required.
• May access other facilities in various weather conditions.

Required qualifications

• BS degree or higher in Engineering or a related technical field is required. Each higher‑level degree, i.e., Master’s Degree or Ph.D., may substitute for two years of experience. Related technical experience may be considered in lieu of education. Degree must be from a university, college, or school which is accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education, US Department of Education.
• Understanding of digital logic fundamentals, synchronous design, and finite state machines.
• Experience in FPGA or digital logic design.
• Knowledge of electronic design automation process including synthesis/implementation, timing constraints and clock domain crossing strategies, I/O considerations.
• Experience reading and understanding schematics.
• Excellent troubleshooting skills, utilizing lab equipment (oscilloscope and probes, multimeters) and software debugging tools.
• Programming experience in one or more languages such as Python, Ruby, or MATLAB.
• A security clearance or access with Polygraph is not required to be eligible for this position. However, the applicant must be willing and eligible for submission, depending on program requirements, after an offer is accepted and must be able to maintain the applicable clearance/access.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience implementing functioning hardware in FPGAs in development environments such as Xilinx or Altera using VHDL, Verilog, or SystemVerilog.
• Ability to verify/simulate FPGA designs using test benches.
• Basic printed circuit board design skills using schematic capture tools and demonstrated interest in printed circuit board design.
• Experience working with focal plane sensors and related circuits.
• Understanding of signal integrity and multi‑gigabit transceivers.
• Exposure to software development or computer architecture.
• Ability to balance design work with laboratory testing and system integration.

Pay

Full‑Time Salary Range: $64926 – $110374. Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.

Benefits

At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well‑being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non‑monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.

Schedule

This position requires regular in‑person engagement by working on‑site five days each normally scheduled week in the primary work location. Travel and local commute between company campuses and other possible non‑company locations may be required.