Electrical Engineer

Actalent; Virginia; On-site; USD 83,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical & Vision

401(k) Plan

Life Insurance

Disability Coverage

HSA

Job summary

Actalent is seeking an Electrical Engineer to design and build electro-optical systems for NASA and DoD from our Herndon, VA location. You will work on PCB and firmware, including FPGA/CPU development, and participate in system integration and testing within a dynamic R&D team.

This onsite role requires hands-on experience with lab equipment, circuit design, and troubleshooting across multiple concurrent projects, balancing short- and long-term objectives.

Qualifications

• 3-8 years of electrical engineering experience.
• Strong circuit board design, integration, troubleshooting.
• Hands-on with tests and experiments.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop electro-optical systems for NASA/DoD.
• Circuit board and firmware (FPGA/CPU) development.
• Board/system-level integration, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects with varying scope.
• Collaborate with team and leadership for project success.

Skills

Circuit design & troubleshooting

Firmware development

System integration

LIDAR experience

FPGA/CPLD design

Tools

Altium Designer

Job description

Job Description

Electrical Engineer

Use your electrical engineering skills to design and build electro-optical systems to push boundaries for NASA and DoD. We are looking for an Electrical Engineer to join our Herndon, VA location and contribute to the development of laser products within our R&D team. By taking on both short and long-term projects, you will use your versatility to bring uncharted laser research to the aerospace industry. You will work within a collaborative environment while empowered to make decisions in your area of expertise. You will have a manageable workload and have the benefit of both your team and leadership support. In developing, verifying, and upgrading the electronics in our electro-optical systems, you will handle a wide range of engineering tasks, including circuit board development, firmware (FPGA & CPU) development, cable/harness design, and documentation. This will also include board and system-level integration and testing and troubleshooting. You will work on multiple concurrent projects, with a mix of small, short, quick-turn projects and more extensive, long-term projects.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop electro-optical systems for NASA and DoD projects.
• Handle circuit board development and firmware (FPGA & CPU) creation.
• Participate in board and system-level integration, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Engage in multiple concurrent projects, balancing short-term and long-term objectives.
• Collaborate with team members and leadership to ensure project success.

Essential Skills

• 3-8 years of applicable work experience in electrical engineering.
• Proficient in circuit board design, integration, and troubleshooting.
• Hands-on experience with field tests and experiments.
• Familiarity with electrical lab equipment as part of embedded system development.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with FPGA/CPLD design, simulation, and troubleshooting.
• Embedded CPU/Microcontroller firmware development expertise.
• Experience with LIDAR systems.
• Knowledge of PCB design using Altium.

Work Environment

With over 30 years of experience developing advanced fiber and bulk solid-state laser and lidar systems, we are a globally recognized leader and pioneer in our field. Our 50,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility includes 34 Class IV laser firing labs, electronics labs, wet labs, optical receiver labs, chemical labs, and a NASA-certified in-house printed circuit board assembly lab. The work environment is creative and relaxed, promoting professional challenge and personal growth.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Herndon, VA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $80.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Herndon,VA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 7, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or