RESEARCH ENGINEER - SR. RESEARCH ENGINEER - Avionics Hardware Design & Analysis - Oklahoma City, OK

Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwest Research Institute seeks an experienced avionics hardware engineer to design, analyze, and integrate hardware for aerospace systems. The role focuses on schematics, hardware modeling with PSpice, and verification across high-reliability environments.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to mature requirements through qualification and data delivery. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of aerospace electronics experience, strong skills in analog/digital/mixed-signal design, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering is required.
• 5+ years of progressive electrical engineering experience designing, analyzing, integrating, and testing electronic hardware.

Responsibilities

• Develop and review detailed schematics, component selections, interface circuits, grounding approaches, and power architectures for avionics hardware.
• Perform PSpice or equivalent simulations and develop circuit/signal integrity and power distribution models.
• Analyze aircraft and subsystem electrical interfaces, including margins, grounding, impedance, noise, and transient behavior.
• Support prototype bring-up, bench testing, HIL/SIL integration, troubleshooting, and verification of circuit card assemblies and avionics subsystems.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to resolve integration issues and ensure hardware meets performance requirements.

Skills

Schematic development

PSpice

Circuit analysis

Analog design

Digital design

Mixed-signal design

Power electronics

Embedded electronics

Avionics experience

Electrical interfaces

Signal integrity

Grounding

Power distribution

Transient analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Tools

PSpice

SPICE

Job description

Who We Are:

The Embedded Systems Section within the Strategic Aerospace Department delivers comprehensive engineering solutions for the aerospace community, specializing in system engineering, technology insertion, requirements generation, cybersecurity, trade studies, and full lifecycle support. Our expertise encompasses the design, development, maintenance, and production of advanced hardware and software systems, supporting everything from microcircuits to major subsystems for aircraft and ground support equipment, ensuring mission-critical performance and innovation.

Objectives of this Role:

Design, analyze, and integrate avionics electronic hardware, circuit card assemblies, and electrical interfaces for aerospace and defense systems requiring high reliability and rigorous verification. Develop schematics and perform detailed circuit, signal, power distribution, loading, transient, and interface analyses using PSpice or equivalent electrical modeling and simulation tools. Develop electrical models that predict circuit and interface behavior across operating conditions, component tolerances, loads, power states, and system-level electrical environments. Lead hardware troubleshooting, design verification, laboratory integration, and root-cause analysis for analog, digital, mixed-signal, power, and embedded avionics electronics. Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to mature avionics hardware from requirements and analysis through design, prototype, integration, qualification, and technical data delivery.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

Develop and review detailed schematics, component selections, interface circuits, grounding approaches, power architectures, and electrical design documentation for avionics hardware. Perform PSpice or equivalent simulations and develop circuit, signal integrity, power distribution, loading, transient, tolerance, and worst-case electrical models and analyses. Analyze aircraft and subsystem electrical interfaces, including voltage/current margins, grounding, impedance, noise, transients, power quality, distribution, and signal behavior. Support prototype bring-up, bench testing, HIL/SIL integration, troubleshooting, failure analysis, and verification of circuit card assemblies and avionics electronic subsystems. Work with systems, software, firmware, mechanical, test, manufacturing, and qualification engineers to resolve integration issues and ensure hardware meets performance requirements.

Requirements:

Requires a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering. Advanced training or graduate study in electronics, signal integrity, power electronics, embedded systems, controls, or avionics is preferred.

• 5+ years: Progressive electrical engineering experience designing, analyzing, integrating, and testing electronic hardware, preferably for aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability systems.
• 4+ years: Hands-on schematic development and circuit analysis experience covering analog, digital, mixed-signal, power, interface, protection, and embedded electronic designs.
• 4 years: Using PSpice, SPICE, or equivalent tools to model and analyze circuits, electrical signals, loads, power distribution, transients, tolerances, and system/interface behavior.
• 4+ years: Avionics or aerospace electronics experience involving aircraft electrical interfaces, embedded hardware, laboratory integration, troubleshooting, verification, or qualification.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.

Special Requirements:

Work assignment is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

Job Locations:

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Or San Antonio, Texas

For more information about this division, visit the Defense & Intelligence Solutions home page.

For benefits information at our San Antonio location, click here.

For benefits information at all other locations, click here.

An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and veteran status.