Board Level Hardware Design Engineer

SAIC; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SAIC is seeking a hardware design engineer to lead board-level circuit design from concept to PCB layout, simulation, and lab validation. The role spans RF, analog, and digital domains, with integration into antennas, embedded software, RF subsystems, and mechanical interfaces.

Responsibilities include conceptual design, component selection, Altium layouts, signal integrity; test with scopes, VNAs, and spectrum analyzers; and vendor coordination for fabrication and assembly. U.S.

Qualifications

• Designs from concept to detailed circuit implementation.
• Experience with RF, analog and digital circuit design.
• Experience with board-level design and RF layout practices.

Responsibilities

• Perform conceptual circuit design and develop system block diagrams.
• Select components based on electrical, RF, thermal, and manufacturability requirements.
• Create detailed board layouts using Altium Designer with schematic capture and footprints.
• Place and route PCBs with attention to RF behavior and signal integrity.
• Conduct circuit simulations to validate performance before fabrication.
• Reverse engineer existing hardware to document and improve designs.
• Integrate electronics with antennas, embedded software, RF subsystems and mechanical assemblies.
• Perform laboratory testing using oscilloscopes, VNAs and spectrum analyzers.
• Light soldering, wiring and mechanical assembly for prototypes.
• Interface with vendors for component sourcing, PCB fabrication and assembly services.

Skills

Board‑level design

RF design

Analog & Digital

PCB layout

Altium Designer

Circuit simulation

Lab validation

System integration

Soldering

Vendor coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree + 14+ years

Master's degree + 12+ years

PhD/JD + 9+ years

Tools

Altium Designer

Oscilloscope

VNA/Spectrum Analyzer

PCB fabrication tooling

Job description

SAIC is seeking a highly skilled Hardware Design Engineer with expertise in board-level circuit design. The ideal candidate will be capable of taking concepts from initial requirements through detailed circuit design, PCB layout, simulation, system integration, and hands-on laboratory validation. This role requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and proficiency working across RF, analog, and digital domains.

Key Responsibilities:

• - Perform conceptual circuit design and develop system block diagrams.
• - Select key components based on electrical, RF, thermal, and manufacturability requirements.
• - Create detailed board layouts using Altium Designer, including schematic capture, component library creation, footprint definition, and fabrication documentation.
• - Place and route PCB designs with attention to RF behavior, signal integrity, grounding, and manufacturability.
• - Conduct circuit simulation using various engineering tools to validate performance prior to fabrication.
• - Reverse engineer electronic assemblies to document, diagnose, or improve existing hardware designs.
• - Integrate electronics with antennas, embedded software, RF subsystems, and mechanical assemblies to form a complete system.
• - Perform laboratory testing of circuits and systems using oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, VNAs, and other test equipment.
• - Conduct light soldering, wiring, and mechanical assembly as needed for prototype and test activities.
• - Interface with vendors for component sourcing, PCB fabrication, and assembly services to ensure quality, cost, and delivery targets are met.

Required Education:

• Bachelors and fourteen (14) years or more experience; Masters and twelve (12) years or more experience; PhD or JD and nine (9) years or more experience.

- Additional experience may be substituted for a degree

Clearance Requirement:

• - Must be a U.S. citizen with an active TS/SCI with Polygraph level clearance