Principal PCB Design Engineer

Powerus; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Powerus in Charlotte, NC is seeking a Principal PCB Design Engineer to define and execute the board design methodology across active programs. The role leads complex multi-board systems including rigid-flex and HDI, mentors engineers, and drives design-to-production cycle time.

You will establish stackup standards, impedance control, and material guidelines, direct SI/PI analysis, and coordinate cross-functional reviews with hardware, firmware, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineering.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years designing printed circuit boards with multiple production programs.
• Expert-level proficiency in Altium Designer or Cadence Allegro.
• Deep experience with signal integrity and power integrity.
• Experience with HDI, rigid-flex, and high-layer-count boards.
• Experience establishing design standards and mentoring staff.
• Familiarity with IPC standards for board design and fabrication.
• Experience in defense/aerospace or other regulated industries with config-controlled processes.
• U.S. Person status required (ITAR/EAR data access).

Responsibilities

• Define PCB design methodology, standards, and best practices across programs.
• Lead design of complex multi-board assemblies including rigid-flex and HDI.
• Establish stackup standards, impedance control, and material guidelines.
• Direct signal integrity and power integrity analysis across the team.
• Own design-to-production handoff and drive cycle time reduction.
• Mentor PCB design engineers at all levels.
• Evaluate and qualify new EDA tools and fabrication processes.
• Coordinate cross-functional design reviews with hardware, firmware, mech, manufacturing, test.
• Resolve producibility, reliability, and field failure issues related to board design.
• Represent PCB design engineering in program technical reviews.

Skills

Mentoring

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Design infrastructure

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Cadence Allegro

EDA toolchain

Job description

Powerus is building a next-generation American autonomous systems platform designed to move, protect, and sustain critical assets in high-consequence environments. The company combines advanced autonomy, manufacturing capability, operational expertise, and strategic acquisitions to support defense, national security, critical infrastructure, and commercial operations globally.

Mission

Our mission is to deliver resilient autonomous technologies that strengthen national security, improve operational safety, and expand the capabilities of organizations operating in complex environments.

Why Join Powerus

Powerus is scaling production of autonomous aerial systems across defense, national security, and commercial programs. The number of unique board designs in active production and development is growing with each platform variant and payload integration.

This role owns printed circuit board design from schematic capture through production release. The position sits within the engineering organization and works directly with hardware, firmware, and manufacturing engineering.

Position Overview

Powerus is seeking a Principal PCB Design Engineer to define and execute the company's board design methodology across all active programs. The role involves establishing design standards, mentoring junior engineers, leading complex multi-board system designs, and driving continuous improvement in design-to-production cycle time. Reports to the Head of Engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Define PCB design methodology, standards, and best practices across all programs
• Lead design of complex, high-density, multi-board assemblies including rigid-flex and HDI constructions
• Establish stackup standards, impedance control requirements, and material selection guidelines
• Direct signal integrity and power integrity analysis across the engineering team
• Own the design-to-production handoff process and drive cycle time reduction
• Mentor and technically direct PCB design engineers at all levels
• Evaluate and qualify new EDA tools, fabrication processes, and assembly technologies
• Coordinate cross-functional design reviews involving hardware, firmware, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineering
• Resolve escalated producibility, reliability, and field failure issues related to board design
• Represent PCB design engineering in program technical reviews and design authority decisions

Qualifications

• Must be located in the United States, within commuting distance of Charlotte, NC
• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience
• 10+ years of experience designing printed circuit boards, with multiple production programs delivered
• Expert-level proficiency in Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro, or equivalent EDA toolchain
• Deep experience with signal integrity, power integrity, and EMC design techniques
• Experience with HDI, rigid-flex, and high-layer-count board constructions
• Track record of establishing design standards and mentoring engineering staff
• Experience with board-level reliability analysis, failure modes, and qualification testing
• Familiarity with IPC standards and industry specifications for board design and fabrication
• Experience in defense, aerospace, or other regulated industries with configuration-controlled design processes
• U.S. Person status required (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)); this role involves access to ITAR- and EAR-controlled technical data

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing boards for UAS, autonomous vehicles, or flight-critical systems
• Experience with DO-254 or equivalent hardware design assurance processes
• IPC CID+ certification or equivalent industry credential
• Experience evaluating and deploying EDA tool automation and scripted design checks
• Experience with contract manufacturer qualification and process auditing
• Active or prior U.S. security clearance

What We Look For

The right candidate has built the design infrastructure for an engineering team - standards, libraries, review processes - and has enough production history to know which rules matter and which are ceremony. The ability to mentor junior engineers and maintain design quality across multiple concurrent programs is the differentiator at this level.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Powerus is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and mission-driven workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.