Pulsed Power Engineer

Leidos Inc; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 87,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos in Albuquerque is seeking a Pulsed Power Engineer to contribute to R&D of next-generation pulsed power devices and high-power microwave sources. You will work with scientists, engineers, and technicians to build and test new concepts in lab and field settings.

The role requires a degree in electrical engineering with 4+ years of hands-on experience in pulsed-power, high-voltage systems, and data analysis; clear communication skills are essential for reporting results and collaborating

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field with 4+ years of experience or a Master's with 2+ years.
• Hands-on experience designing, testing, or operating pulsed-power devices and systems.
• Experience with high-voltage and high-current pulsed systems (PFN/lines, switches, triggers, etc.).
• Experience with laboratory testing and characterization of pulsed-power and HPM systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and characterize pulsed-power devices and HPM sources and systems.
• Plan and execute laboratory and field tests, define objectives, develop procedures, and analyze results.
• Design and develop high-speed diagnostic and data-acquisition systems.
• Develop measurement techniques for HV, HC, and fast-transient systems.
• Analyze data to characterize performance, identify failures, and guide design iterations.
• Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, RF/microwave, and test engineers to integrate systems.
• Support laboratory and field operations, including setup, checkout, and test execution.
• Document designs, tests, results, and recommendations in reports and presentations.

Skills

Pulsed-power design

High voltage handling

Lab data analysis

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's degree in related field

Tools

Oscilloscopes

MATLAB

Python

LabVIEW

Job description

Description

Our Directed Energy team inAlbuquerqueis looking for aexperienced Pulsed Power Engineer to contribute to the research and development of game changing, next-generation technologies. This is an exciting opportunity to work with modern equipment in cutting-edge laboratories at the Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) on Kirtland AFB, where you will see designs and ideas transformed into state-of-the art pulsed power devices and high power microwave (HPM) sources and systems. Working alongside our scientists, engineers, and technicians, our successful candidate will be afforded the satisfaction of building and testing new and novel creations in both laboratory and field settings.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and characterize novel pulsed-power devices and high-power microwave (HPM) sources and systems, including pulsed-power generators, trigger systems, high-voltage switches, field coils, nonlinear transmission lines, HPM amplifiers, and antennas.
• Plan and execute laboratory and field tests, including defining test objectives, developing test procedures, configuring experimental systems, conducting tests, analyzing data, and documenting results.
• Design and develop high-speed diagnostic and data-acquisition systems required to characterize pulsed-power and HPM devices and systems.
• Develop and implement measurement techniques for high-voltage, high-current, high-frequency, and fast-transient systems.
• Analyze experimental data to characterize system performance, identify failure modes, and guide subsequent design iterations.
• Work closely with electrical, mechanical, RF/microwave, and test engineers to integrate and troubleshoot complex pulsed-power systems.
• Support laboratory and field operations, including experimental setup, system checkout, troubleshooting, and test execution.
• Document designs, test procedures, results, and technical recommendations through engineering reports and presentations.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field with 4+ years of relevant experience, or Master's degree with 2+ years of relevant experience.
• Hands-on experience designing, testing, or operating pulsed-power devices and systems.
• Experience with high-voltage and/or high-current pulsed systems, including one or more of the following: pulse-forming networks or lines, Marx generators, high-voltage switches, trigger systems, pulse transformers, pulsed magnetic-field systems, or related technologies.
• Experience with laboratory testing and characterization of pulsed-power and/or HPM systems.
• Experience with high-speed data acquisition and analysis of transient electrical signals.
• Proficiency with data acquisition and analysis tools such as oscilloscopes/digitizers, MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW, or equivalent tools.
• Ability to develop experimental methods, troubleshoot complex hardware, interpret test data, and independently drive technical investigations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a laboratory environment with engineers, managers, technicians, and other technical personnel.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-power microwave (HPM) sources, amplifiers, antennas, or microwave measurement systems.
• Experience with nonlinear transmission lines (NLTLs).
• Experience with high-voltage/high-current switching and triggering.
• Experience with pulsed-power diagnostics, including voltage/current probes, D-dot/E-field probes, B-dot/H-field probes, Rogowski coils, or equivalent diagnostics.
• Experience designing systems for low-jitter synchronization and timing.
• Experience with high-voltage insulation, energy storage, pulse transmission, or high-power RF systems.
• Experience conducting outdoor or field testing of pulsed-power or HPM systems.
• Experience analyzing fast transient data and correlating experimental results with circuit, electromagnetic, or system-level models.

About Our Team

Our Directed Energy team in Albuquerque consists of approximately 100 scientists, engineers, technicians, drafters, fabricators and support staff with backgrounds in advanced physics, electrical and mechanical engineering, electromagnetics, lasers, and high-power microwaves. For over three decades our team has worked with government laboratories to push the limits of the state-of-the-art in several high-tech fields, and continue to do so on several programs.

Pay Range

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.