Lead Electrical Engineer

Acron Aviation; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Acron Aviation in Grand Rapids, MI, seeks a Lead Electrical Engineer - Recorders to own the design, analysis, and integration of CCAs containing analog, digital, power, and high-speed circuits for cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders. You will lead cross-disciplinary teams and drive documentation, testing, and risk mitigation throughout product lifecycle.

You will mentor junior engineers, develop test plans, and ensure rigorous compliance with industry standards while collaborating

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree with extensive relevant experience in avionics or aerospace hardware.
• 10+ years of prior relevant experience; advanced degree may reduce years requirement.
• Experience with DO-160 design assurance guidance for airborne hardware is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead circuit card assembly (CCA) design from concept through verification and sustainment.
• Create and review schematics; support CAD layout for complex PCBs.
• Design analog, digital, power and high-speed circuits and perform simulations.
• Produce design descriptions, bill of materials, and requirement traceability.
• Mentor junior engineers and conduct design reviews (PDRs/CDRs).
• Interface with software, FPGA firmware, test, and certification teams.

Skills

CCA design

Schematic capture

Altium

Xpedition

OrCAD

Analog design

Digital design

Power electronics

High-speed circuits

PCB layout

FPGA firmware

Documentation

Risk assessment

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Altium

Xpedition

OrCAD

Hyperlynx

Job description

About Acron Aviation (Avionics - Recorders):

Acron Aviation designs, engineers, and manufactures certified avionics systems that support safety-critical flight operations across commercial and military aviation. Within Avionics, the Recorders product line develops and sustains cockpit voice recorders, flight data recorders, and integrated data acquisition systems that enable regulatory compliance, safety insight, and operational performance across global fleets. These systems are deployed across commercial, military, and rotorcraft platforms and require deep expertise across systems, hardware, software, and lifecycle sustainment in highly regulated environments.

At Acron, our ambition is to relentlessly reimagine and reshape the value chains through which we deliver results to our customers, suppliers, and stakeholder communities-all in pursuit of innovations that create safer skies. Across the Avionics Business Unit, our employees strive to achieve world-class results by putting customers first, displaying ownership of outcomes, moving fast, and speaking candidly. To support this ambition, we are seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer - Recorders as part of the Acron Avionics Business Unit.

The Lead Electrical Engineer is experience-based responsibility across a broad range of electrical engineering disciplines including the design, test and integration of CCAs containing analog, digital, power and high-speed circuits, along with supporting cable assembly and design. The position supports the Recorders Product Line. The position will be responsible for electrical design tasks including requirements analysis, specification generation, interface definition, component selection, circuit simulation, schematic capture, board layout, and product testing.

Essential Functions:

• Circuit Card Assembly (CCA) design duties from concept to design implementation, verification, integration, sustainment, upgrades, and obsolescence management.
• Electrical schematic generation and review with support for and review of CAD layout (preferred skills with Altium, Xpedition, and OrCAD).
• Experience with analog, digital, power and high-speed circuit design
• Create all necessary documentation to provide design descriptions, trades, requirement traceability, bill of materials, PCB design, etc. for a complete data package
• Oversee layout activities for a range of simple to complex PCBs
• Devise and driving new approaches to technical problems
• Communicate needs/requirements/status to management, other engineering disciplines and parties external to the organization (e.g., customers, vendors, etc.)
• Conduct peer reviews, PDRs, CDRs, and other required design reviews
• Interface with software, mechanical, FPGA firmware, test, certification, project management, and program management teams
• Identify high risk circuit functions then plan and drive early prototyping and simulation for risk mitigation
• Develop board level test plans and procedures for electrical subsystems and all relevant documentation for design description and requirements
• Experience with Scheduling, costing, and technical responsibility at the board or major subsystem level
• Performing evaluation, simulation, bread-boarding, test and troubleshooting of electrical circuits and functions
• Support resolution of issues and part shortage/obsolescence efforts for production
• Conduct Root Cause Failure Investigations
• Mentor junior engineers
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree and minimum 10 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 8 years of prior related experience.

Additional Qualifications:

• Experience with RTCA DO-160 design assurance guidance for airborne electronic hardware
• Knowledge of engineering design standards for commercial aviation industry
• Experience with FPGA Firmware development, bonus if experience with DO-254
• Experience in proposal development and preparing defendable Basis of Estimates.
• Experience with product, system level, environmental and certification testing
• Experience with setting up layout constraints and simulation tools like Hyperlynx
• Experience working in a Continuous Improvement Culture
• Experience designing or troubleshooting high reliability electronics
• Outstanding communication skills (written, verbal, & presentation)
• Excellent people skills, with experience leading and collaborating in a multi-disciplinary, diverse, and dynamic team environment.
• Ability to support geographically dispersed teams, including through travel

Equal Opportunity Statement

Acron Aviation is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants with respect and dignity and to maintaining a workplace free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Additional Information:

Acron Aviation maintains a drug-free workplace and conducts pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where allowed by law. Acron Aviation is an E-Verify employer.