Parts Engineer II

Jet Propulsion Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental options

Vision coverage

Wellbeing programs

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Learning opportunities

Rideshare

Childcare support

Flexible schedule

Parental leave

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks a Microelectronics Engineer to evaluate, select, and qualify electronic parts for space missions, ensuring reliability and compliance. You will develop specifications, work with cross‑functional teams, and support part supplier audits.

The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related fields and 3+ years of experience in electronics design, testing, or evaluation, with strong knowledge of circuits and

Qualifications

• Experience with electronic parts in design, evaluation or testing.
• Good working knowledge of circuits and device function.
• Ability to design tests to verify functions and failure mechanisms.
• Ability to multi-task and meet milestones.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience with high reliability microelectronics for space-flight applications.
• Experience with commercial microelectronics including automotive for high reliability applications.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate, select and approve electronics from design, construction, quality and reliability perspectives for use in space missions.
• Advise project management on electronic part selections that maximize reliability within schedule and cost.
• Develop part engineering specifications and drawings.
• Interface with Mission Assurance Managers, Circuit Design Engineers, and part manufacturers.
• Work with manufacturers on new component development and lead resolution of technical issues for flight builds.
• Support technical surveys and audits of electronics part suppliers.
• Perform statistical data analysis and risk assessments.
• Disposition test and inspection failures during screening, DPA, lot qualification, and receiving inspection.
• Develop screening methods to reduce risk in space and manufacturing of digital microelectronics.
• Understand failure mechanisms and participate in reliability investigations.
• Review project parts lists with PARS and assess part compliance.
• Be an essential team member ensuring reviews, screening, testing, and procurement meet schedule.
• Develop, execute and analyze reliability testing for new devices and publish findings.

Skills

Electronic parts evaluation

Multi-tasking

Communication skills

Cross-functional teamwork

AI familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Master’s degree in related disciplines

PhD in related disciplines

Tools

PARS

Job description

Job Details New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL. Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

Responsibilities

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, based in Pasadena, CA is NASA’s lead center for robotic exploration of the solar system. We have an unmatched history creating groundbreaking advances in science and technology, and we’ve been in the space exploration business since the beginning. JPL builds rovers for Mars, landers for Europa, explorers for the Moon, and spacecraft to study our changing Earth. How would you like to be part of a team that wants to make a difference within the universe? Are you passionate about evaluating potential approaches and solutions to new and unusual problems? How would you like to be a member of JPL's Electronic Parts Reliability Engineering Group? This group is part of an organization responsible for reviewing all Electrical, Electronic and Electromechanical Parts (EEE) parts for reliability related performance and advises the projects on part selection, conducts scientific experiments or theoretical analysis to determine the physical behavior of parts in a space-like environment, oversees part procurement to ensure compliance with engineering requirements and maintains part inventories. Our work is especially dynamic in today’s environment where commercial and high reliability components are both being utilized to build spacecrafts and satellites. As a Microelectronics Engineer, you will be responsible for:

• Evaluate, select and approve electronics from design, construction, quality and reliability perspectives for use in space missions.
• Advise project management on electronic part selections that maximize reliability while considering schedule and cost constraints.
• Develop part engineering specifications and drawings.
• Interface with Mission Assurance Managers, Circuit Design Engineers, and part manufacturers.
• Work with manufacturers on new component development and lead resolution of technical issues to support project flight build.
• Support technical surveys and audits of electronics part suppliers.
• Perform statistical data analysis and risk assessments.
• Disposition test and inspection failures, including those during screening, destructive physical analysis (DPA), lot qualification, and receiving inspection.
• Develop screening methods that effectively reduce risk in space and during manufacturing of digital microelectronics.
• Understand potential failure mechanisms affecting electronics and participate in failure investigations and reliability assessments.
• Utilize the Part Acquisition and Review System (PARS) to review project parts lists and assess part compliance with project requirements.
• Serve as an essential team member within the Group, ensuring part reviews, screening and testing, and procurement meet project schedule.
• Develop, execute and analyze reliability testing for new devices and publish findings.

Qualifications

• This position typically requires a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Physics, Materials Science/Engineering, Applied Mathematics or related technical discipline with typically a minimum of 3 years of related experience; a master’s degree in similar disciplines with typically a minimum of 1 year of related experience; or a PhD in similar disciplines.
• Experience with electronic parts in design, evaluation or testing.
• Good working knowledge of circuits and device function.
• Understanding standard electronic device functions and failure mechanisms and able to design tests to verify those functions and mechanisms.
• Ability to multi-task with an established track record of meeting schedule milestones.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work well with cross-functional teams with design engineers, line management, and project management.
• Understanding and substantial use of common computer tools and AI.
• Understanding and experience in the selection, procurement, manufacture, use and testing/screening of high reliability microelectronics for space-flight applications.
• Understanding and experience in selection, procurement, manufacture, use and testing/screening of commercial microelectronics, including automotives for high reliability applications.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of experimental design and data analysis for electronic device reliability testing.
• Knowledge of MIL-STD-883, MIL-STD-1580 and MIL-PRF-38535 and relevant JEDEC and AEC specifications and requirements related to electronic parts.
• Strong working knowledge of packaging and wafer fabrication.
• Relevant experience in digital microelectronics manufacturing or design Knowledge of NASA parts requirements including EEE-INST-002, NASA- STD-87932.11 Some demonstrated Leadership skills include define deliverables, track deadlines for the team, and deliver final reports

Benefits & Perks

JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date. The hiring range displayed below is specifically for those who will work in or reside in the location listed.

The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California. $109,512 - $130,416

JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law. In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. EEO is the Law. EEO is the Law Supplement Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.

Formed in 1936, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech.) JPL joined NASA as an FFRDC when the agency was founded in 1958. JPL helped open the Space Age by developing America’s first Earth-orbiting science satellite, creating the first successful interplanetary spacecraft, and sending robotic missions to the solar system. Today JPL continues its world-leading innovation, implementing programs in planetary exploration, Earth science, space-based astronomy and technology development while applying its capabilities to technical and scientific problems of national significance. Above all, we are explorers. At JPL we promote collaboration, innovation, integrity, and excellence in distinct academic areas. We turn ideas for science investigation into the reality of groundbreaking space missions, partnering with our strategic business teams to guide JPL into the future.