Electronic Hardware Engineer New

Quest Defense; Wilmington, Northern (NC, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with employer match

Competitive pay

Professional development support

Job summary

Quest Defense Systems & Solutions seeks an Electronic Hardware Engineer to design and develop a next-generation control system for safety-critical applications. You will own end-to-end PCB design, from concept through production, with focus on signal integrity, EMI, and thermal performance for high-reliability systems.

You will collaborate with systems, software, and manufacturing teams, perform board bring-up and validation, and support manufacturing readiness with DFM/DFA considerations. U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in electronic hardware / PCB design.
• Proven experience owning full lifecycle PCB development (architecture, schematic capture, layout, validation, and production).
• Strong experience with component selection and BOM development, including lifecycle considerations.
• Proficiency with PCB design tools (Altium preferred or equivalent ECAD tools).
• Hands-on experience with board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation.
• Experience designing for manufacturability and assembly (DFM/DFA).
• Experience supporting production and sustaining engineering efforts.
• Ability to work across electrical and mechanical interfaces (enclosures, packaging, thermal constraints).
• Experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, or other safety-critical environments.

Responsibilities

• Own full lifecycle PCB design and development from concept through production and sustaining support.
• Define design approach, including requirements interpretation, architecture, and component selection.
• Develop schematic capture, PCB layout, routing, and placement using tools such as Altium.
• Establish board-level design considerations including signal integrity, power distribution, EMI, and thermal performance.
• Perform and support board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation activities.
• Develop and execute integration and system-level testing, documenting results and resolving issues.
• Create manufacturing test procedures and support production readiness, including DFM/DFA considerations.
• Troubleshoot and resolve hardware issues across development and production environments.
• Support mechanical integration, including enclosure, packaging, and thermal constraints.
• Provide production and sustaining engineering support, including issue resolution and design updates.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with systems, software, and manufacturing teams to ensure successful delivery.
• Engage with customers and internal stakeholders to define scope, review designs, and assess technical risks.

Skills

PCB design

Altium

Signal integrity

DFM/DFA

Board bring-up

Schematic capture

Hardware validation

Cross-functional collaboration

Thermal management

Nuclear/defense domain

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

ECAD tools

Job description

Embark on a journey with QDSS at the forefront of technological innovation as we seek talented Engineers to shape the future of cutting-edge projects and contribute to a culture of excellence and creativity.What we do matters.

Quest Defense Systems & Solutions is seeking an Electronic Hardware Engineer to support development of a next-generation control system for small modular nuclear reactors. This role focuses on PCB design and hardware development, contributing across the full lifecycle from schematic capture and layout through validation and production support.

You’ll work alongside other senior engineers on highly reliable, safety-and mission-critical systems, gaining exposure to real-world challenges including signal integrity, thermal performance, EMI, and manufacturability.

Location: Remote, though onsite/hybrid is preferred in Wilmington, NC.
Clearance: All applicants must be U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents.

Key Responsibilities

• Own full lifecycle PCB design and development from concept through production and sustaining support
• Define design approach, including requirements interpretation, architecture, and component selection
• Develop schematic capture, PCB layout, routing, and placement using tools such as Altium
• Establish board-level design considerations including signal integrity, power distribution, EMI, and thermal performance
• Perform and support board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation activities
• Develop and execute integration and system-level testing, documenting results and resolving issues
• Create manufacturing test procedures and support production readiness, including DFM/DFA considerations
• Troubleshoot and resolve hardware issues across development and production environments
• Support mechanical integration, including enclosure, packaging, and thermal constraints
• Provide production and sustaining engineering support, including issue resolution and design updates
• Collaborate cross-functionally with systems, software, and manufacturing teams to ensure successful delivery
• Engage with customers and internal stakeholders to define scope, review designs, and assess technical risks

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field
• 5+ years of experience in electronic hardware / PCB design
• Proven experience owning full lifecycle PCB development (architecture, schematic capture, layout, validation, and production)
• Strong experience with component selection and BOM development, including lifecycle and availability considerations
• Proficiency with PCB design tools (Altium preferred or equivalent ECAD tools)
• Hands-on experience with board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation
• Solid understanding of: Signal integrity, Power integrity, EMI/EMC considerations, Thermal design considerations
• Experience designing for manufacturability and assembly (DFM/DFA) and working with fabrication/assembly vendors
• Experience supporting production and sustaining engineering efforts
• Ability to work across electrical and mechanical interfaces (enclosures, packaging, thermal constraints)
• Experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, or other safety-critical/regulated environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in instrumentation & controls (I&C) or control systems hardware
• Exposure to DFM/DFA or working with manufacturing teams
• Experience supporting integration or system-level testing
• Familiarity with design documentation and engineering processes
• Experience working on complex or multi-board systems

The QDSS Advantage:

At QDSS, our advantage is purpose-driven work, collaborative teams, and complex challenges that push boundaries and build lasting impact.You’llgrow your career while contributing to mission-critical programs that demand excellence and shape the future.

WhatYou’llFind Here

• Work That Matters – Next-generation, safety-and mission-critical projects where your contributions have real-world impact.
• GrowthThat’sSupported – Competitive compensation, employer-matched 401(k), certification-assistance, and clear opportunities for advancement.
• A Culture That Works – A flexible, collaborative, and people-first environment where teamwork, innovation, and balance are valued.

Benefits Include

• Competitive pay, comprehensive medical/dental/lifeand disability coverage, 401(k) with employer match, professional development support, and a flexible, friendly workplace.

Full compensation package is based on candidate experience and certifications

Pay Ranges

$140,000 - $165,000 USD

At Quest Defense Systems and Solutions, we don’t just build technology — we engineer the future. From next-generation aerospace solutions to cutting-edge defense systems, we tackle the toughest, mission-critical challenges that keep people safe and push the boundaries of innovation. This is where problem-solvers, innovators, and visionary thinkers come together to shape the future. With over 25 years of aerospace and defense engineering expertise, our commitment to delivering high-quality, transformative solutions sets us apart — not just as an industry leader, but as a driving force for impactful change. Together, we’re not just leading the industry — we’re revolutionizing it.

Quest Defense provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Quest Defense Systems & Solutions, Inc.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.