Electrical Engineer

3dB Labs, Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

3dB Labs, Inc. seeks an experienced Electrical Engineer to contribute to RF-adjacent hardware across the full development lifecycle. You will design, test, and verify analog and digital circuits while preparing documentation for formal reviews.

The role emphasizes collaboration with RF systems engineers and program managers, performing lab bring‑up, and ensuring designs meet system requirements and applicable standards. US citizenship and ability to be cleared are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 3–6 years of professional electrical engineering experience in defense/government or adjacent industry.
• Proficiency in schematic capture and PCB layout tools (Altium Designer, KiCad, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with RF systems concepts including signal chain design, link budgets, and RF component characteristics.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test analog and digital electronic circuits and subsystems, with an emphasis on RF-adjacent hardware including power distribution, signal conditioning, and hardware interfaces.
• Support and contribute to formal program milestones including System Requirements.
• Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), and Test Readiness Reviews (TRR).
• Develop and maintain hardware documentation including schematics, bills of materials (BOMs), interface control documents (ICDs), and design description documents in support of program deliverables.
• Collaborate with RF Systems Engineers on component selection, board-level integration, and lab bring‑up of RF hardware and subsystems.
• Plan and execute electrical testing and verification activities, including functional testing, environmental testing coordination, and performance characterization.
• Support prototype development and transition of designs from breadboard/proof‑of‑concept through EDM and into production.
• Work with cross‑functional teams to ensure electrical designs meet system‑level requirements, interface compatibility, and applicable standards.
• Identify and resolve hardware anomalies through root cause analysis and corrective action, both in the lab and in field environments.
• Assist in responding to customer technical inquiries and support proposal efforts with hardware design inputs and estimates.

Skills

Schematic capture

RF concepts

Hardware lifecycle

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

Altium Designer

KiCad

Oscilloscopes

Spectrum analyzers

Job description

3dB Labs is seeking a motivated and technically skilled Electrical Engineer to join our growing team. The ideal candidate brings hands‑on experience in electrical and RF hardware design, a solid understanding of government program development processes, and the drive to take ownership of complex engineering challenges. This is a mid-level role suited for an engineer who has moved beyond the basics and is ready to contribute meaningfully across the full hardware development lifecycle.

Our work environment is dynamic and fast‑paced, with a focus on delivering technically compelling, operationally relevant solutions deployed around the globe. You'll collaborate closely with RF systems engineers, DSP software engineers, and program managers to bring cutting‑edge systems from concept to fielded hardware.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test analog and digital electronic circuits and subsystems, with an emphasis on RF‑adjacent hardware including power distribution, signal conditioning, and hardware interfaces

• Support and contribute to formal program milestones including System Requirements

• Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), and Test Readiness Reviews (TRR)

• Develop and maintain hardware documentation including schematics, bills of materials (BOMs), interface control documents (ICDs), and design description documents in support of program deliverables

• Collaborate with RF Systems Engineers on component selection, board-level integration, and lab bring‑up of RF hardware and subsystems

• Plan and execute electrical testing and verification activities, including functional testing, environmental testing coordination, and performance characterization

• Support prototype development and transition of designs from breadboard/proof‑of‑concept through engineering development model (EDM) and into production

• Work with cross‑functional teams to ensure electrical designs meet system‑level requirements, interface compatibility, and applicable standards

• Identify and resolve hardware anomalies through root cause analysis and corrective action, both in the lab and in field environments

• Assist in responding to customer technical inquiries and support proposal efforts with hardware design inputs and estimates

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field

• 3-6 years of professional electrical engineering experience in a defense, government, or adjacent industry context

• Demonstrated experience supporting formal design reviews (PDR, CDR, etc.) on government contracts

• Proficiency in schematic capture and PCB layout tools (e.g., Altium Designer, KiCad, or equivalent)

• Familiarity with RF systems concepts including signal chain design, link budgets, and RF component characteristics (amplifiers, filters, mixers, antennas)

• Experience with lab test and measurement equipment including oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, power supplies, and multimeters

• Understanding of hardware development lifecycle from requirements through verification and validation

• Active Secret clearance or the ability to obtain one; TS/SCI preferred

Desired

• Familiarity with software defined radio (SDR) platforms and RF front‑end hardware

• Experience writing or contributing to government‑format deliverable documentation

• (CDRLs, SOWs, etc.)

• Knowledge of MIL-STD standards relevant to environmental, EMC, or power quality (e.g., MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810)

• Exposure to embedded systems hardware and hardware/software integration

• Experience working in Agile or hybrid development environments

• Strong analytical and communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate technical trade‑offs to both engineers and program stakeholders

US citizenship and ability to be cleared is required for all of our positions.

3dB Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status