Principal Design Engineer

About the role

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Design Engineer to lead the complete hardware development lifecycle—from concept through production—for advanced electronic products used in demanding oil‑and‑gas permanent completions. The role requires deep expertise in electronic design, analog signal conditioning, digital electronics, and embedded hardware, and involves close collaboration with mechanical engineers to create robust electro‑mechanical solutions for harsh downhole environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of complex electro‑mechanical systems from concept through production release.
• Define system architecture, hardware requirements, interface specifications, and design strategies.
• Perform trade‑off analysis and component selection to meet performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost objectives.
• Work closely with contract manufacturers and suppliers.
• Develop and maintain hardware design standards and best practices.
• Design, analyze, and validate advanced power electronic circuits.
• Support embedded firmware teams in hardware/software integration activities.
• Create comprehensive validation and qualification plans.
• Perform hardware debugging and root‑cause analysis.
• Support design verification, EMC testing, environmental testing, and regulatory certification activities.
• Lead technical reviews and engineering design reviews.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers and designers.
• Prepare and present technical reports and design‑review materials to engineering leadership and stakeholders.
• Contribute to engineering standards, design methodologies, and long‑term technology roadmaps.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from an accredited university.
• Minimum 15 years of industry experience in electronic hardware development.
• Proven experience in electronic product development programs from concept through production.
• Strong expertise in analog and digital circuit design, power electronics, and multilayer PCB layout.
• Hands‑on experience with microcontrollers, DSPs, FPGAs, and communication interfaces (Ethernet, SPI, I²C, UART, CAN, RS‑485, USB).
• Proficiency with PCB layout packages such as Altium.
• Valid work authorization for employment in the United States (the employer cannot sponsor work authorization).

Desired qualifications

• Experience with SolidWorks 3D CAD system.
• Experience with finite element analysis (FEA).
• Experience with product design including stress calculations and tolerance studies.
• Familiarity with qualification testing, test fixture design, and API standards.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and design for manufacturability.

Skills

• Altium Designer (PCB layout)
• SolidWorks (3D mechanical CAD)
• Finite Element Analysis tools
• Embedded firmware integration
• EMC and environmental testing methodologies

Benefits

• Contemporary work‑life balance policies and wellbeing activities.
• Comprehensive private medical care options.
• Life insurance and disability programs.
• Tailored financial programs, including a 401(k) Thrift Plan with company contributions.
• Additional elected or voluntary benefits.
• Eligibility for performance‑based bonuses subject to applicable plans.