PCB Technology Engineer

Aerospacelab; Mont-Saint-Guibert; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Aerospacelab in Belgium is seeking a PCB Technology Engineer to lead fabrication and assembly strategies for space-qualified boards. You will bridge PCB designers with the manufacturing supply base, ensuring designs are manufacturable and meet space-grade quality.

You will define DfM rules, review Gerber/ODB data, specify assembly techniques, support root-cause analyses, and contribute to IPC 3 compliance while coordinating with suppliers and internal teams.

Qualifications

• MSc in Electrical/Electronics Engineering or equivalent, or strong hands-on PCB experience.
• Solid understanding of PCB fabrication processes and SMT/through-hole assembly.
• Experience applying Design for Manufacturability principles to real designs.
• Ability to read PCB data (layout, stack-up, Gerbers) and communicate findings.
• Comfort negotiating with suppliers on technical topics.
• Familiarity with IPC standards (IPC-A-600, IPC-A-610, IPC-6012).
• Good English; French a plus.

Responsibilities

• Act as technical reference for PCB fabrication and assembly across avionics programs.
• Define and enforce Design for Manufacturability rules for PCB design teams.
• Review Gerber/ODB++ outputs before release, flagging manufacturability, reliability, or quality risks.
• Define and recommend component assembly techniques for space and high-reliability applications.
• Support root-cause analysis on fabrication or assembly non-conformances.
• Define inspection and acceptance criteria and support quality checks on bare boards and assembled PCBs.
• Contribute to internal standards, work instructions, and lessons-learned for PCB technology.
• Support new technology introduction from feasibility through qualification.

Skills

PCB fabrication

DFM principles

Supplier engagement

IPC standards

Reading PCB data

Communication

English proficiency

Education

MSc in Electrical/Electronics Engineering

Hands-on PCB fabrication/assembly experience

Tools

X-ray/AOI inspection

Job description

About Aerospacelab

Our mission is supported by an ambitious vertically integrated approach: design & manufacture of small satellites combined with development of earth observation services.

Since its creation in 2018, the company has grown substantially. Our team gathers more than 25 engineering expertise, from hardware design to software development & data science.

Aerospacelab counts offices in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), Toulouse (France), Lausanne (Switzerland) and US West Coast, with the ambition to position itself as the European leader in small satellites.

Role Overview

As PCB Technology Engineer, you will act as the technical reference for printed circuit board fabrication and assembly technology across Aerospacelab's avionics programs. You will bridge the gap between our PCB/electronics designers and our manufacturing supply base, ensuring boards are designed for manufacturability, reliably fabricated, and correctly assembled to space-grade quality standards.

• Act as primary technical point of contact with PCB fabrication and assembly suppliers (stack-up definition, material selection, capability alignment, technical qualification of new suppliers)
• Define, maintain, and enforce Design for Manufacturability (DfM) rules and guidelines for PCB design teams (trace/space, via structures, HDI/microvia strategy, controlled impedance, panelization, etc.)
• Review PCB designs and Gerber/ODB++ outputs prior to release, flagging manufacturability, reliability, or quality risks before they reach fabrication
• Define and recommend component assembly techniques (SMT, BGA/QFN reflow profiles, press-fit connectors, wire bonding interfaces, conformal coating, staking/bonding of components) suited to space and high-reliability applications
• Support root-cause analysis and corrective actions on fabrication or assembly non-conformances, working closely with Quality Assurance and suppliers
• Define inspection and acceptance criteria (AOI, X-ray, cross-section analysis) and support incoming/in-process quality checks on bare boards and assembled PCBs
• Contribute to internal standards, work instructions, and lessons-learned capture for PCB technology, in line with IPC Class 3 requirements
• Support new technology introduction (e.g. embedded components, advanced connector interfaces, high-density stacked assemblies) from feasibility through qualification

Must Have

• MSc in Electrical/Electronics Engineering or equivalent, or strong hands‑on experience in PCB fabrication/assembly technology
• Solid understanding of PCB fabrication processes (materials, stack-ups, multilayer/HDI construction) and SMT/through-hole assembly processes
• Practical knowledge of Design for Manufacturability principles and their application to real designs
• Ability to read and review PCB design data (layout, stack-up, Gerbers) and communicate findings clearly to designers and suppliers
• Comfortable interfacing directly with suppliers on technical topics, including in a negotiation/qualification context
• Familiarity with IPC standards (IPC-A-600, IPC-A-610, IPC-6012)
• Good communication skills, autonomous and rigorous
• Good English knowledge (French a plus)

Nice To Have

• Experience with space-grade or other high-reliability PCB applications (aerospace, defense, medical)
• Experience with X-ray/AOI inspection and failure analysis (cross-sectioning, TID/radiation-related inspection topics)
• Exposure to high-speed digital, RF, or high-density interconnect (HDI, board-to-board connector) PCB designs
• Experience qualifying new PCB or EMS suppliers