Electrical Engineer – PCB Design

Catapult Federal Services; Manassas (VA); On-site; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible 9/80 schedule

401(k) matching

Healthcare benefits

Parental leave

PTO and wellness programs

Job summary

A defense contracting firm is seeking an Electrical Engineer with expertise in printed circuit board (PCB) design and hardware development. Applicants should possess a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and an active Secret clearance or eligibility to obtain one. The role includes designing PCBs, supporting simulations, and collaborating with engineering teams to enhance national security programs. Employees enjoy flexible work schedules, competitive compensation, and benefits including healthcare and retirement matching.

Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance or ability to obtain one.
• Ability to meet requirements for access to classified information.
• U.S. Citizenship required due to the nature of the work.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop printed circuit boards (PCBs) for power systems.
• Collaborate with PCB layout engineers for optimization.
• Support circuit simulation and analysis using SPICE.
• Assist with PCB bring-up, testing, debugging, and verification.
• Participate in design reviews and incorporate feedback.

Skills

Analog and digital circuit design fundamentals

PCB design and hardware engineering

Analytical troubleshooting and debugging

Effective technical communication

Collaboration and mentorship

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

SPICE circuit simulation tools

Schematic capture tools (Altium, OrCAD, KiCad)

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Function generators

Job description

Clearance Requirement: Active Secret clearance or ability to obtain one

Overview

We are seeking an Electrical Engineer with a strong interest in printed circuit board (PCB) design and hands‑on hardware development to support mission‑critical programs. This role offers the opportunity to work alongside experienced engineering teams designing, testing, and integrating electronic assemblies that support national security initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop printed circuit boards (PCBs) for power systems and electronic assemblies
• Create schematics, perform component selection, and generate bills of materials (BOMs)
• Collaborate with PCB layout engineers to optimize component placement, routing, signal integrity, and thermal performance
• Support circuit simulation and analysis using SPICE or similar tools
• Assist with PCB bring‑up, testing, debugging, and verification
• Produce technical design documentation including schematics, drawings, and specifications
• Participate in design reviews and incorporate engineering feedback
• Support system‑level integration and testing of circuit boards
• Apply IPC standards and PCB manufacturing best practices
• Work cross‑functionally with mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineering teams

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related Science, Engineering, or Mathematics field
• Active Department of Defense Secret clearance OR eligibility to obtain one
• Ability to meet requirements for access to classified information
• U.S. Citizenship required due to the nature of the work

What Sets You Apart

• Strong foundation in analog and digital circuit design fundamentals
• Demonstrated interest in PCB design and hardware engineering
• Analytical troubleshooting and hands‑on debugging ability
• Detail‑oriented mindset with commitment to design quality
• Effective written and verbal technical communication skills
• Collaborative team player who values mentorship and learning

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Academic, project, internship, or co‑op experience with custom PCB development
• Familiarity with schematic capture tools (Altium, OrCAD, KiCad, etc.)
• Understanding of trace width, impedance control, stack‑up, and signal integrity
• Experience with SPICE‑based circuit simulation
• Knowledge of power supply design and component selection
• Experience using oscilloscopes, multimeters, and function generators
• Familiarity with IPC standards, DFM, EMI/EMC, and thermal management
• Exposure to microcontrollers, embedded systems, and communication interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, USB)

Why Join Us

• Clear career growth and technical development path
• Opportunity to contribute to research‑driven national security programs
• Flexible 9/80 schedule with every other Friday off
• Competitive compensation, 401(k) matching, healthcare, parental leave, PTO, and wellness programs
• Collaborative environment with award‑winning engineering teams