Pcb Designer

About the role

This role focuses on the design, layout, and documentation of complex rigid, flex, and rigid-flex printed circuit boards that support advanced analog, digital, RF, and high-speed communication systems. You will lead PCB layout activities, create manufacturing documentation, and collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing teams to deliver robust, production-ready designs for demanding military and aerospace applications.

Responsibilities

• Layout and route rigid, flex, and rigid-flex PCBs that incorporate analog, digital, RF, and high-speed circuits and components.
• Modify electronic circuit schematics and lead PCB design and layout activities from concept through release.
• Create complete documentation packages to manufacture printed wiring assemblies and printed circuit assemblies.
• Work with external vendors to design and validate stackups for HDI (High-Density Interconnect) designs.
• Implement and maintain design rules within ECAD tools to ensure manufacturability and compliance with standards.
• Create, maintain, and administer PCB component libraries, including symbols, footprints, and parameters.
• Develop new library components as required to support new designs and technologies.
• Provide technical guidance, support, and mentoring to less experienced PCB designers to build team capability.
• Interface with fabrication and assembly partners to identify, resolve, and document PCB issues arising from board fabrication and manufacturing.
• Participate in continuous improvement activities to enhance design processes, quality, and productivity.
• Contribute to team building and maintain effective, collaborative working relationships with all team members.
• Complete assigned PCB design tasks with high quality and within schedule, working with minimal supervision.
• Communicate design status, risks, issues, and improvement ideas clearly and effectively to management and stakeholders.

Essential Skills

• ASEE or equivalent work experience in a related engineering discipline.
• 12+ years of electrical PCB layout design experience, including high-speed digital communication buses.
• Strong proficiency with Cadence OrCAD PCB Designer and related Cadence/Allegro tools for PCB design and schematic capture.
• Hands-on experience with high-speed design techniques, including routing and constraint management up to 25 GHz.
• Recent, demonstrated experience with rigid-flex PCB layout.
• Recent experience laying out DDR3 or DDR4 interfaces.
• Firm understanding of IPC standards for rigid and rigid-flex PCBs, including IPC-6011, IPC-6012 Class 3, IPC-6013 Class 3, IPC-2221, IPC-7351, and IPC-SM-840D Class 3.
• Ability to start and complete complex PCB designs based on direction from electrical and mechanical designers.
• Proficiency in designing both RF and digital layouts within a single design environment.
• Experience with HDI via structures and advanced stackup design.
• CAD library administration experience, including symbol creation, footprint generation, and component parameter management.
• Ability to analyze PCB designs to ensure they meet technical and performance requirements.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel, Word, and Visio.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with Altium Designer for PCB design and schematic capture.
• Experience with Mentor Graphics Expedition or similar enterprise-level PCB design tools.
• Familiarity with risk-reducing PCB design techniques for EMC/EMI to meet military and aerospace standards.
• Experience with Department of Defense standards and practices, including MIL-STD and ANSI standards.
• Ability to think creatively and develop innovative PCB design concepts for challenging requirements.
• Experience in designing electronics for tactical or mission-critical applications is beneficial.
• Experience working in environments that support military and law enforcement technologies is a plus.