Defense PCB Layout Engineer — High-Reliability ECAD

Kraken Kinetics Llc; Pinehurst, Northern (NC, KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO policy

Medical coverage

Vision & dental

Disability coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Life insurance

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Kraken Kinetics LLC in North Carolina is seeking a PCB Layout Designer to support development and release of printed circuit boards for advanced defense products. You will work with electrical, mechanical, firmware engineers and manufacturing partners to turn circuit designs into manufacturable, testable PCB assemblies.

The role focuses on ECAD practices, library management, layout standards, DFM/DFT reviews, and producing Gerbers and fabrication outputs.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional PCB layout or ECAD design experience.
• Proficiency with Altium Designer or similar professional PCB design tools.
• Experience laying out multi-layer printed circuit boards.
• Strong understanding of PCB fabrication, assembly processes, component footprints, and manufacturing documentation.
• Ability to interpret schematics and work closely with electrical engineers to implement design intent.
• Understanding of PCB design principles, including component placement, routing strategy, grounding, power distribution, and layer stack-up development.
• Understanding of signal integrity concepts including EMI/EMC considerations, coupling and crosstalk mitigation, impedance control, shielding, and isolation.
• Working knowledge of applicable IPC standards and guidelines, and the workmanship requirements associated with IPC Class 1, 2, and 3 electronic assemblies.
• Experience creating fabrication and assembly output packages.

Responsibilities

• Perform PCB layout for digital, analog, mixed-signal, power, and safety-critical electronics.
• Collaborate with electrical engineers to understand schematics, design intent, routing constraints, and critical circuit requirements.
• Work with mechanical engineers to define board outlines, connector placement, keep-in / keep-out zones, mounting features, and packaging constraints.
• Create and maintain PCB footprints, symbols, component libraries, and ECAD documentation.
• Support design-for-manufacturing (DFM), design-for-test (DFT), and design-for-assembly (DFA) reviews.
• Generate fabrication and assembly outputs, including Gerbers, ODB++, pick-and-place files, drawings, stackup notes, and assembly documentation.
• Interface with PCB fabrication and assembly vendors to resolve manufacturing questions and improve board quality.
• Participate in PCB design reviews and contribute to layout standards, checklist development, and release practices.
• Support ECOs, revision updates, and configuration-controlled release packages.
• Help improve Kraken's ECAD workflows, library discipline, and documentation practices as the team scales.

Skills

PCB layout

Schematic interpretation

Signal integrity / EMI

ECAD design

Routing multi-layer boards

Design-for-manufacturing (DFM)

Tools

Altium Designer

ECAD libraries

Job description

Kraken Kinetics LLC in North Carolina is seeking a PCB Layout Designer to support development and release of printed circuit boards for advanced defense products. You will work with electrical, mechanical, firmware engineers and manufacturing partners to turn circuit designs into manufacturable, testable PCB assemblies.

The role focuses on ECAD practices, library management, layout standards, DFM/DFT reviews, and producing Gerbers and fabrication outputs.