Senior Electrical Engineer

The Visual Group; Goleta (CA); Hybrid; USD 108,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Staff Electrical Engineer in Goleta, CA, to lead hardware and power electronics design and analysis of complex systems. You will guide engineers, ensure design-to-cost objectives, and support proposals in a largely autonomous R&D environment.

The role requires 5+ years of experience, ICD maintenance, and strong CAD/ECAD skills (ALTIUM/CANVAS). The job operates on a 9/80 schedule with three onsite days (Tue–Thu) and optional remote Monday/Friday.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of electrical engineering experience.
• Experience with ICDs and hardware compatibility within complex systems.
• Ability to obtain a DOD security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead a group of engineers on technical activities and budgets.
• Design, analyze, document, and support testing of products and systems with emphasis on power electronics.
• Troubleshoot malfunctions and implement modifications.
• Use CAD/CA tools to develop/refine designs and maintain ICDs.
• Review customer specs and develop design approaches considering cost.
• Provide input for budgets, schedules, and supplier evaluations.
• Mentor less-experienced engineers and lead technical work.
• Communicate with internal teams and customers and participate in proposals.

Skills

Power electronics

Circuit simulation

Circuit Card CAD

ALTIUM

CANVAS

Technical leadership

Mentoring

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Circuit Card CAD

PCB design

ECAD tools

Job description

The Staff Electrical Engineer leads the design, development, modification, and analysis of complex electronic systems and products. This role focuses on hardware and power electronics, including power supply design and system integration, while ensuring designs meet performance, cost, manufacturability, and customer requirements. The engineer serves as a technical leader, guiding less-experienced engineers, resolving issues in existing systems, and supporting proposal and R&D activities in a largely self-directed environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead a group of engineers on technical activities, ensuring completion of work on time and within budget.
• Design, develop, analyze, document, and support testing of products, systems, and subsystems, with emphasis on power electronics and electrical systems.
• Troubleshoot and diagnose malfunctions in existing products or systems, and implement modifications or improvements as needed.
• Use computer-aided engineering and other design and analysis software, including circuit simulation and Circuit Card CAD tools, to develop and refine designs.
• Review customer specifications and requirements and develop design approaches that best support them, explicitly considering cost as a key design variable.
• Provide budget, cost, and schedule input for assigned design activities and contribute to program planning.
• Specify and evaluate supplier components, subsystems, and services to ensure technical suitability and cost-effectiveness.
• Drive program designs to meet design-to-cost and design-for-manufacture requirements, balancing performance, reliability, and producibility.
• Develop prototypes to retire key development risks and validate design concepts.
• Compile and evaluate design and test data to support design decisions and continuous improvement.
• Analyze, develop, and recommend design approaches for new and existing products, systems, and subsystems.
• Design and maintain system Interface Control Documents (ICDs) to ensure clear and accurate definition of system interfaces and hardware compatibility.
• Determine hardware compatibility within systems and ensure proper integration of electrical and electronic components.
• Communicate clearly in written and oral form with internal teams and customers as required, including participation in engineering and business meetings.
• Participate in the preparation of technical proposals, providing engineering input and estimates as needed.
• Provide technical knowledge and assistance to other engineers and support personnel, serving as a subject matter resource.
• Lead and direct the work of others, including mentoring and guiding less-experienced engineers.
• Support, communicate, reinforce, and defend the mission, values, and culture of the organization.
• Attend appropriate engineering, customer, or business meetings to represent the technical team and support program objectives.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of relevant electrical engineering experience.
• Experience designing and maintaining system Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Ability to determine hardware compatibility within complex systems.
• Hands-on experience with engineering drawing applications; experience with CANVAS is a plus.
• Knowledge of and experience with circuit simulation applications.
• Knowledge of and experience with Circuit Card CAD applications; experience with ALTIUM is a plus.
• Experience with circuit design, circuit analysis, circuit board design, and PCB design.
• Experience with electrical systems design, with strong mechanical aptitude considered a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a technical group independently and manage engineering activities.
• Eligibility for and ability to obtain a DOD security clearance within a reasonable time after hire.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with power supply design, including AC-DC, DC-DC, and DC-AC converters.
• Experience in hardware, power engineering, power electronic engineering, electromagnetic engineering, integrated circuit engineering, or component-level design.
• Experience working in R&D-focused environments with limited direction and high autonomy.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams and customers.
• Ability to contribute to proposal development, including technical content and cost/schedule estimates.
• Experience specifying and evaluating supplier components, subsystems, and services.
• Familiarity with design-to-cost and design-for-manufacture principles.
• Experience developing prototypes to mitigate technical risks.

This role operates in a research and development environment where engineering teams work with a high degree of independence and minimal day-to-day direction. The position follows a 9/80 schedule and typically requires three days onsite (Tuesday through Thursday), with the option to work from home on Monday and Friday. Work involves modern engineering tools such as circuit simulation software, Circuit Card CAD applications like ALTIUM, and engineering drawing tools such as CANVAS. The culture emphasizes autonomy, technical excellence, collaboration, and alignment with the organization’s mission and values, offering a setting where experienced engineers can take ownership of complex designs and lead innovative projects.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Goleta, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $108000.00 - $144570.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Goleta,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 30, 2026.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

Contact Information Collection

We collect your phone number and email so that an Actalent representative can reach out to you regarding potential job opportunities. Please ensure that the phone number and email you provide are accurate, as an incorrect phone number or email may affect our ability to contact you.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.