Lead PCB Designer: High-Speed RF & HDI Layout

Northwood; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 79,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company seeking a PCB Designer to establish our layout discipline and drive the design of next-generation, high-density boards powering complex compute and RF systems.

As the founding PCB Designer, you will set standards, select tools, and mentor engineers while partnering with Electrical, RF, and Antenna groups to ensure manufacturability and reliability across worldwide deployments.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional experience in complex, high-density PCB layout.
• Hands-on expertise in high-speed/high-frequency layout techniques (impedance control, differential pairs, length matching, crosstalk mitigation, RF-aware routing).
• Proven experience with advanced packaging technologies, including fine-pitch BGAs, high-pin-density components, and micro-vias (HDI).
• Strong command of PCB materials, dielectric properties, and developing multi-layer board stack-ups for high-frequency performance.
• Demonstrated experience applying EMI/EMC mitigation techniques and designing robust power delivery networks (PDN) at the board level.
• Track record of operating with significant autonomy, able to set direction and make final layout calls with minimal oversight.

Responsibilities

• Own the physical layout of complex, high-density PCBs featuring high-speed, high-frequency digital, RF, mixed-signal, and power distribution systems.
• Determine optimum layer stackups, perform component placement, routing feasibility studies, and manage strict high-speed/high-frequency constraint rules.
• Perform ECAD library creation, management, and maintenance for a wide array of active, passive, and high-pin-count components.
• Collaborate across hardware and production teams to ensure strict adherence to DFM, DFA, and DDT guidelines.
• Generate and release comprehensive documentation packages for fabrication and assembly (Gerbers, ODB++, IPC-2581, drill charts, fabrication drawings).
• Work closely with external PCB fabrication and assembly vendors to resolve technical queries and improve internal design rules.
• Evaluate, select, and champion advanced PCB design tools and automation scripts to establish the groundwork for scaling the layout function as the team grows.
• Serve as the internal authority on high-speed and high-frequency layout practices, mentoring engineers across disciplines on layout-aware design.

Skills

High-speed/high-frequency PCB design

HDI / fine-pitch BGAs

Impedance control

Differential pairs routing

EMI/EMC mitigation

Design for Manufacturability (DFM)

Scripting or automation (Python, Altiu

Autonomy in layout decisions

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Altium Designer

Cadence Allegro

Siemens Xpedition

Job description

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company seeking a PCB Designer to establish our layout discipline and drive the design of next-generation, high-density boards powering complex compute and RF systems.

As the founding PCB Designer, you will set standards, select tools, and mentor engineers while partnering with Electrical, RF, and Antenna groups to ensure manufacturability and reliability across worldwide deployments.