Electrical Engineer

Leidos; Vista (CA); On-site; USD 87,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos Security Enterprise Solutions (SES) in Vista, CA is seeking an Electrical Engineer to join the Ports and Borders team. You will design electrical circuits and systems for next-generation X-ray based security equipment, including data acquisition, power, and interfaces with COTS devices.

You will perform sustaining engineering, design PCBs, generate specifications and wiring diagrams, and troubleshoot down to the component level.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering with at least 5 years of professional experience.
• Able to see a design through from R&D to production, including writing specifications and troubleshooting.
• Proficient in electrical machinery design and integration, and digital/analog circuit design.
• Familiar with schematic capture and PCB layout tools (Orcad, PADS, Altium).
• Knowledge of PCB design and fabrication processes; experience with radiation environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of a cross-functional engineering team to develop next-generation X-ray based security equipment.
• Design electrical circuits and systems including data acquisition, X-ray source controls, and power distribution.
• Perform sustaining engineering, device obsolescence issues, and feature updates.
• Design printed circuits and PCB layouts; produce design documentation and BOMs.
• Troubleshoot designs to component level and provide root-cause analysis.

Skills

Circuit design

Schematic capture

PCB layout

Programming (C, VHDL)

Test equipment

Cross-functional teamwork

X-ray safety

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Orcad

PADS

Altium

Job description

Description

The Security Enterprise Solutions (SES) operation at Leidos currently has an opening for an Electrical Engineer to work for the Ports and Borders (P&B) business unit in our Vista, CA facility. The P&B business unit at Leidos designs and manufactures highly complex security equipment for use at border crossings, airports, seaports, and other transportation mechanisms. Our products include radiation detectors and spectrometers, and Xray scanners for cars, trucks, and trains.

Primary Responsibilities

• Work as part of a cross-functional engineering team with Scientists, Mechanical and Software Engineers, and Test Engineers to develop next-generation X-ray based security equipment.
• Design electrical circuits and systems to support development of X-ray equipment including data acquisition systems, X-ray source controls, power supplies and distribution, networks, and integration of COTS devices.
• Perform sustaining engineering of existing products, including obsolescence issues and feature changes/updates.
• Design printed circuits and direct PCB layout, fabrication, and assembly.
• Produce Engineering documentation such as design specifications, interface control documents, schematics, wiring diagrams, and bills of material.
• Troubleshoot existing and new designs down to the component level, performing root cause analysis.
• Typically, we have no more than 2-3 Electrical Engineers working on any single project, and for smaller projects the Engineer will work on their own to develop solutions, present concepts and designs in a review, and complete the implementation.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering or similar with at least 5 years of professional experience.
• Able to see a design through from R&D to production, including writing specifications (system, subsystem, ICD’s, etc), developing design documentation, building prototypes, designing test fixtures, designing for production, and troubleshooting problems.
• Proficient in electrical machinery design and integration
• Proficient in digital and/or analog circuit design.
• Familiar with schematic capture and PCB layout tools (Orcad, PADS, Altium).
• Familiar with PCB design and fabrication processes.
• Knowledge of programming languages such as C, VHDL, IEC61131.
• Experience with electrical test equipment such as oscilloscopes, DMMs, function generators, bench supplies.
• Familiar with a product development process including design specifications, design reviews, Engineering drawings and documentation formats, and ECR processes.
• Comfortable working with and around Xray radiation producing machines, radioactive materials, high voltage, heavy machinery, electric and hydraulic power systems.
• Able to effectively work with a cross-functional team of scientists, engineers, and technicians, as well as handle a wide range of multidisciplinary tasks.
• Must be able to work safely and follow safety precautions in industrial environments (temperature, humidity, noise, confined spaces, etc.) and around industrial equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of radiation detection technologies and data acquisition systems.
• Knowledge of Xray producing machinery.
• Experience developing system architectures and designs for complex systems.

As a member of the Leidos Security Enterprise Solutions (SES) team, you will be joining a diverse and dedicated group who are excited about producing industry leading screening technology. Our team produces a comprehensive suite of fully automated and integrated products for aviation, shipping ports, border crossings, and critical infrastructure customers. These systems provide threat detection by screening baggage, cargo, and people at checkpoints around the world.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting

August 3, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay And Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.