Principal Design Engineer

Baker Hughes; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Baker Hughes in Houston, TX, seeks a Principal Design Engineer to lead the hardware development lifecycle for advanced electro-mechanical products used in demanding oil and gas completions. You will drive system architecture, component selection, and design verification from concept through production, partnering with mechanical and firmware teams.

The role requires deep electronics expertise in analog/digital design, power electronics, and multilayer PCBs, plus hands-on experience with MCUs,

Qualifications

• 15+ years in electronic hardware development.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• Experience delivering from concept to production.

Responsibilities

• Lead hardware development across concept to production.
• Define architecture, requirements, interfaces, and design strategies.
• Perform tradeoffs for performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost.
• Collaborate with contract manufacturers and suppliers.
• Develop and maintain hardware design standards.
• Lead design reviews and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Electronic hardware design

Analog and digital circuits

Power electronics

PCB layout (Altium)

MCUs / DSPs / FPGAs

Interfaces (Ethernet, SPI, I2C, UART,

Embedded hardware development

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

Job description

Baker Hughes Incorporated has an opening for a Principal Design Engineer in Houston, TX. As a leader in the oilfield services industry, Baker Hughes offers opportunities for qualified people who want to grow in our high-performance organization. Our leading technologies and our ability to apply them safely and effectively create value for our customers and our shareholders. Baker Hughes is an Equal Employment Affirmative Action Employer.

About This Job

We are seeking a highly experienced principal Design Engineer with a minimum of 15 years of hands‑on product development experience with electro‑mechanical systems. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the complete hardware development lifecycle from concept through production for advanced electronic products operating in demanding oil and gas permanent completions.

This role requires deep technical expertise, particularly in electronic design; analog signal conditioning, digital electronics, and embedded hardware design. The engineer will collaborate with mechanical engineers on the teams to develop robust electro‑mechanical solutions for harsh downhole environments.

As a Principal Design Engineer, you will be responsible for

• Leading the design and development of complex electro‑mechanical systems from concept through production release.
• Defining system architecture, hardware requirements, interface specifications, and design strategies.
• Performing tradeoff analysis and component selection to meet performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost objectives.
• Working closely with contract manufacturers and suppliers.
• Developing and maintaining hardware design standards and best practices.
• Designing, analyzing, and validating advanced power electronic circuits.
• Supporting embedded firmware teams in hardware/software integration activities.
• Creating comprehensive validation and qualification plans.
• Performing hardware debugging and root cause analysis.
• Supporting design verification, EMC testing, environmental testing, and regulatory certification activities.
• Leading technical reviews and engineering design reviews.
• Mentoring and guiding junior engineers and designers.
• Preparing and presenting technical reports and design review materials to engineering leadership and stakeholders.
• Contributing to engineering standards, design methodologies, and long‑term technology roadmaps.

Fuel your passion

To be successful in this role you will:

• Have a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from an accredited university.
• Have 15 years of industry experience in electronic hardware development.
• Display proven experience in electronic product development programs from concept through production.
• Show strong expertise in analog and digital circuit design, power electronics and multilayer PCB layout.
• Have hands‑on experience with microcontrollers, DSPs, FPGAs, Communication interfaces (Ethernet, SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, RS‑485, USB)
• Display proficiency in the use of PCB layout packages such as Altium.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with SolidWorks 3D CAD system.
• Experience with FEA (finite element analysis).
• Experience with product design including stress calculations, tolerances studies.
• Familiarity with qualification testing and test fixture design and API standards.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes/design for manufacturability.

Work in a way that works for you

We recognize that everyone is different and that the way in which people want to work and deliver at their best is different for everyone.

Working with us

Our people are at the heart of what we do at Baker Hughes. We know we are better when all of our people are developed, engaged and able to bring their whole authentic selves to work. We invest in the health and well‑being of our workforce, train and reward talent and develop leaders at all levels to bring out the best in each other.

Working for you

Our inventions have revolutionized energy for over a century. But to keep going forward tomorrow, we know we have to push the boundaries today. We prioritize rewarding those who embrace change with a package that reflects how much we value their input.

Join us, and you can expect:

• Contemporary work‑life balance policies and wellbeing activities
• Comprehensive private medical care options
• Safety net of life insurance and disability programs
• Tailored financial programs
• Additional elected or voluntary benefits

You will be eligible to participate in Company-sponsored benefit programs, including health & welfare programs and the Thrift Plan (401k). You will have a choice of coverage options that best suit your needs. Coverage options and contribution amounts are related to your benefit elections, base salary level, and specific requirements of each of these plans.

This position is eligible for our comprehensive and competitive benefits package, which can be found here, and is further eligible for additional forms of compensation such as bonuses subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plans or policies.

This position requires valid work authorization in the country of employment. The employer is unable to sponsor work authorization for this role at any time.

You will be eligible to participate in Company-sponsored benefit programs, including health & welfare programs and the Thrift Plan (401k). You will have a choice of coverage options that best suit your needs. Coverage options and contribution amounts are related to your benefit elections, base salary level, and specific requirements of each of these plans.

This position is eligible for our comprehensive and competitive benefits package, which can be found here, and is further eligible for additional forms of compensation such as bonuses subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plans or policies.

The Baker Hughes internal title for this role is: Principal, Mechanical, Product Design and Engineering

About Us:

We are an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet.

Join Us:

Are you seeking an opportunity to make a real difference in a company that values innovation and progress? Join us and become part of a team of people who will challenge and inspire you! Let’s come together and take energy forward.

Baker Hughes Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

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