Embedded Electronics Engineer II – Imaging Systems

Thorlabs; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 84,900 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Company paid life insurance

Generous PTO package

401(k) plan

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Thorlabs in Sterling, VA seeks an Electrical/Embedded Engineer II to design, develop, and support advanced electronic systems for scientific imaging, microscope systems, and research instrumentation. You will bridge hardware and low-level firmware, owning modules from concept through production release in a lean manufacturing environment.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate electrical, firmware, software, optical, and electromechanical subsystems, troubleshoot complex

Qualifications

• 4–8 years of experience designing electronic hardware and embedded systems for scientific instrumentation.
• Experience developing products from concept through prototype, validation, manufacturing release, and production support.
• Experience troubleshooting complex hardware, firmware, and integrated system issues.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary engineering teams in a product development environment.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop electronics for precision scientific instruments, microscope systems, and peripherals.
• Develop embedded firmware and hardware abstraction layers for microcontrollers and embedded processors using C/C++.
• Design low-noise analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuits for precision instrumentation, imaging systems, detectors, laser control, motion control, and data acquisition.
• Own electrical designs from concept through schematic capture, PCB layout, prototype validation, debugging, manufacturing release, and sustaining engineering.
• Develop electro-optical and electro-mechanical designs supporting new catalog products and custom systems.
• Integrate electrical, firmware, software, optical, and electromechanical subsystems into complete imaging systems.
• Troubleshoot complex system‑level issues involving hardware, firmware, software, optics, and electromechanical assemblies.
• Perform circuit simulation and electronic verification using industry‑standard simulation and laboratory tools.
• Design manufacturing test fixtures, validation procedures, and production test plans.
• Prepare and maintain engineering documentation including BOMs, schematics, PCB files, drawings, test procedures, manufacturing documentation, and material specifications.
• Support transfer of new products from R&D into Manufacturing emphasizing DFM and DFT.
• Manage project schedules, technical milestones, and engineering deliverables.
• Coordinate with component vendors, PCB fabricators, contract manufacturers, and suppliers.
• Participate in design reviews and mentor junior engineers and technicians.
• Assist Manufacturing and Production with troubleshooting.
• Occasionally participate in technical discussions with customers, Sales, Product Management, and Field Service.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Embedded systems design

Analog/digital circuit design

Low-noise analog design

PCB layout (Altium)

ARM Cortex processors

System integration

Troubleshooting complex systems

Hardware-software co-design

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Altium Designer

Oscilloscopes & lab instruments

SPICE simulation

Multilayer PCB layout

Job description

At Thorlabs, we design and manufacture components, instruments, and systems that transform the world by identifying, enabling, and accelerating key photonics (i.e., light-based) technologies. Backed by a dedicated workforce of more than 3,000 employees worldwide, Thorlabscontributes to cutting-edge research and real-world innovation.

Whether you're early in your career or bringing years of experience, you’ll find opportunities to grow, take ownership, and make meaningful contributions from day one. We know every employee brings unique talents and perspectives that fuel our success, and we seek driven individuals who are excited to make an impact in a fun, fast-moving culture.

The Electrical Engineer II is responsible for the research, design, development, prototyping, integration, and validation of advanced electronic systems used in scientific imaging products, microscope systems, and research instrumentation. This position works within cross-functional, global development teams to create innovative electrical hardware and system-level solutions for image acquisition, precision control, high-speed data processing, calibration, and instrumentation applications.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on R&D electrical engineer with strong experience in analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuit design, PCB development, embedded systems and board bring-up, prototyping, laboratory testing, system integration, and troubleshooting. The engineer will own electronic designs from initial requirements and architecture through prototype validation, production release, and manufacturing support.

The Electrical Engineer II will contribute to the successful transition of new products from concept to production and will occasionally participate in technical discussions with customers, sales, field service personnel, suppliers, and manufacturing teams.

• Design and develop electronic hardware for precision scientific instruments, microscope systems, imaging products, and peripherals in an R&D product-development environment.
• Develop or modify embedded firmware in C/C++ as needed to support hardware bring-up, device control, communications, testing, and system integration.
• Design low-noise analog, digital, and mixed-signal electronic circuits for precision instrumentation, imaging systems, detectors, laser control, motion control, and data acquisition.
• Own R&D electrical designs from requirements and architecture through component selection, schematic capture, PCB layout, prototyping, bench testing, design verification, manufacturing release, and sustaining engineering.
• Develop electro-optical and electro-mechanical designs supporting new catalog products, custom systems, and experimental prototypes.
• Integrate electrical hardware with firmware, software, optical, and electromechanical subsystems into complete imaging and instrumentation systems.
• Troubleshoot complex system-level issues involving electronic hardware, firmware, software, optics, and electromechanical assemblies.
• Perform circuit simulation, bench testing, characterization, and electronic verification using industry-standard simulation and laboratory tools.
• Design manufacturing test fixtures, engineering validation procedures, and production test plans.
• Prepare and maintain engineering documentation including BOMs, schematics, PCB files, drawings, test procedures, manufacturing documentation, and material specifications.
• Support transfer of new products from R&D into Manufacturing with emphasis on design for manufacturability (DFM), design for test (DFT), reliability, and repeatability.
• Manage project schedules, technical milestones, experiments, design reviews, and engineering deliverables.
• Coordinate with component vendors, PCB fabricators, contract manufacturers, and suppliers during prototype and production development.
• Participate in design reviews and provide technical guidance to junior engineers and technicians.
• Assist Manufacturing and Production with electrical troubleshooting and sustaining engineering support.
• Occasionally participate in technical discussions with customers, Sales, Product Management, and Field Service.

Qualifications:

• 4–8 years of professional electrical engineering experience, with significant hands-on R&D or product-development experience designing electronic hardware for scientific instrumentation, microscopy, biotechnology, medical devices, semiconductor equipment, precision motion control, or other complex electromechanical systems.
• Demonstrated experience independently developing electrical products or subsystems from requirements and concept through schematic design, PCB development, prototype build, laboratory validation, manufacturing release, and production support.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting and validating complex analog, digital, mixed-signal, and integrated electronic systems using standard laboratory instrumentation.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary R&D engineering teams and collaborating with mechanical, optical, software, firmware, manufacturing, and systems engineering functions.
• Practical embedded-systems experience, including the ability to develop, modify, or troubleshoot microcontroller firmware when needed for hardware bring-up, control, communications, and system integration.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline with substantial electronic hardware design experience required.
• Equivalent combination of education and directly applicable experience may be considered.

Specialized Knowledge and Skills:

• Analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuit design for R&D and product-development applications
• Low-noise analog design, signal conditioning, timing circuits, clock generation, and precision measurement electronics.
• Power supply, power distribution, grounding, protection, and power-management design.
• Advanced Altium Designer schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout.
• High-speed and impedance-controlled PCB routing, component selection, and design-for-manufacturability practices.
• Hands-on prototypes bring-up, bench testing, design verification, failure analysis, and root-cause troubleshooting.
• Working experience with embedded firmware development in C/C++ for microcontrollers or embedded processors as it relates to hardware control and integration.
• Familiarity with ARM Cortex or similar microcontrollers/processors and common hardware interfaces.
• I2C, SPI, UART, USB, Ethernet, and other common board-level communication interfaces.
• Integration of electrical, firmware, software, optical, and electromechanical subsystems
• Troubleshooting integrated imaging, instrumentation, or complex electromechanical systems.
• Optoelectronic circuit design, sensors, detectors, laser control electronics, and control systems.
• SPICE simulation and engineering analysis.
• Oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, digital multimeters, power supplies, and other laboratory instrumentation.
• Experience with one or more of the following is beneficial: scientific imaging, microscopy, FPGA/VHDL/Verilog, EMC/EMI, precision motion control, semiconductor equipment, medical devices, or biotechnology instrumentation.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong organization and project management.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced R&D environment.
• Initiative, problem solving, experimentation, and adaptability.

The estimated pay range for this role is $84,900 - $ 110,000 annually

Thorlabs values its diverse environment and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified individuals will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identify or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. The organization maintains its status as an at-will employer. Employees can be terminated for any reason not prohibited by law.

Thorlabs offers a complete benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance, company paid life insurance, a generous PTO package, a 401(k) plan, and tuition reimbursement just to name a few.