2027 Graduate - Electrical or Computer Engineer - Miniature Device Technologies

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory is seeking engineers to join the Miniature Device Technologies Group to develop miniature wireless systems, low-power ASICs, and embedded software, with board-level integration and testing.

You will collaborate across disciplines, perform prototype testing and field evaluations, and present findings to sponsors. A Bachelor's degree in EE/CE/Physics/Math is required, with travel and eligibility for a U.S. security clearance noted.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Physics, Math or similar major.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work independently and collaborate effectively.
• Hands-on experience with lab equipment (oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, logic analyzers).
• Experience in Analog/Digital ASIC, C/C++ development, Verilog/VHDL, DSP (MATLAB) and scripting (Python, LabView).
• Willing and able to travel.
• Able to analyze data, present findings, and solve moderately complex problems.
• Eligible for Secret clearance (U.S. citizenship).

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development of miniature wireless systems through design, implementation and test of low power ASICs, embedded software applications, and board-level integration.
• Support evaluation of prototype devices and systems through laboratory testing.
• Develop and execute test plans to verify system performance.
• Identify and resolve challenging issues through active debugging.
• Participate in field evaluation of applications.
• Rapidly modify relevant subsystem according to test results and evolving requirements.
• Document work in technical reports and memoranda.
• Present work to sponsors and the technical community.

Skills

C/C++ development

Verilog/VHDL

MATLAB

Python

Lab equipment

Team collaboration

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Physics, Math

Master's degree or PhD (preferred)

Tools

Cadence tools

Synopsys tools

Siemens tools

ARM Cortex-M assembly

FPGA tooling

GitLab

Jira

Jenkins

Job description

Do you want to apply your college experiences to solve hard problems with real-world applications?

Are you passionate about working with collaborative and dedicated teams to move ideas to prototypes and solving technical challenges with real impact?

If so, we are looking for someone like you to join the Miniature Device Technologies group at APL!

The Miniature Device Technologies Group develops highly customized tools and techniques required to carry out missions around the globe. We leverage our capabilities in mixed-signal application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), printed circuit board (PCB), embedded software, field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and signal processing design to create ultra-small, low-power solutions that exceed comparable commercial alternatives. This capability set provides the end user with a distinct advantage when conducting low-profile radio frequency (RF) communications, electronic countermeasures, and field-forward sensing. The boutique nature of these solutions, which reside between pure research and production, allow us to continually pursue new designs while still seeing our work used operationally.

In addition to a solid academic record and a strong resume, we value candidates with a demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively within a team environment. This includes the ability to convey technical concepts clearly and effectively in presentations and written documentation. As part of our interdisciplinary engineering team, you will use your skills to develop innovative, high-impact solutions to some of the most challenging issues facing the United States.

As a member of our team, you will:

• Assist in the development of miniature wireless systems through contributions to the design, implementation and test of low power ASICs, embedded software applications, and board-level integration.
• Support evaluation of prototype devices and systems through laboratory testing.
• Develop and execute test plans to verify system performance.
• Identify and resolve challenging issues through active debugging.
• Participate in field evaluation of applications.
• Rapidly modify relevant subsystem according to test results and also in response to evolving technical and operational requirements.
• Document work in formal technical reports and informal memoranda.
• Present work to sponsors and the technical community.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you:

• Have earned a Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Math, or a similar major.
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work independently, and to collaborate effectively.
• Have hands-on experience with lab equipment (oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, logic analyzers, etc).
• Have demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Analog/Digital ASIC (verification, layout, mixed-signal simulation, backend, design).
  • Hands-on experience in C and/or C++ development through coursework, internships, co-op projects, or open-source contribution.
  • Digital logic design using hardware description languages (Verilog, VHDL).
  • Digital signal processing (familiarity with MATLAB modeling, communication systems, detection and estimation theory).
  • Writing scripts for automated tests (Python, LabView, MATLAB).
• Are willing and able to support travel if necessary.
• Can analyze data, present findings, and solve moderately complex problems.
• Are able to obtain Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You will go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you:

• Have a Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Math, or a similar major.
• Are able to contribute in more than one place across the team in a vertically-integrated, end-to-end product development effort including hardware, signal processing, software development, prototyping, production and test.
• Have experience using AI-assisted development tools such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Codex, or agentic coding tools to improve productivity, code quality, and debugging.
• Have used automated test frameworks or infrastructure (e.g., GitLab CI-CD, Docker, GoogleTest, pytest, NI TestStand, CI-based hardware regression).
• Are able to read and interpret schematics.
• Have demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • ASIC design software from Cadence, Synopsys, Siemens.
  • Programming in assembly language for ARM Cortex-M or similar cores.
  • Designing and implementing real-time embedded firmware for ARM-based or comparable modern micro-controllers.
  • Software configuration management tools, bug tracking tools, and peer review tools, such as GitLab, Jira, and Jenkins.
  • Understand or have experience with a real-time operating system (RTOS).
  • FPGA-based implementation of signal processing algorithms for resource-constrained embedded systems.
  • Software-defined radio architectures and commercial transceiver chip interfaces.
  • Writing drivers for the following protocols: RS-232, SPI, CAN, I²C, UART, Ethernet, USB.
  • Common IOT communication frameworks LoRa, Bluetooth Classic or Low Energy, 802.11 family.
  • Memory safe languages like Rust on embedded platforms.

About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact [e-mail].

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate

• $85,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

• $165,000 Annually