Senior Electrical Engineer (Systems)

Industrious Ventures; Torrance (CA); Hybrid; USD 122,000 - 255,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwood Space in Torrance, CA is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer (Systems) to drive the definition and architecture of digital compute and power electronics systems for high-rate antenna workflows worldwide. As Electrical Architect, you will own system-level decisions, coordinate across FPGA, firmware, RF, and mechanical teams, and ensure manufacturability and reliability from concept to production.

The role requires 5+ years in electrical design at the system level and strong EMI/EMC

Qualifications

• 5+ years of electrical design at the system or architecture level.
• Experience with high-density, high-speed design and multi-layer PCBs.
• Proficient in schematic capture and PCB layout.
• Experience with EMI/EMC troubleshooting.
• Lifecycle experience from concept to production, owning architecture-level decisions.

Responsibilities

• Own the electrical architecture and system-level design for high-speed digital communication systems.
• Define system-level architecture for multi-gigabit networking and power trees, driving system trades across the product.
• Review schematic capture, layout and bring-up for FPGAs, microcontrollers, and peripherals.
• Collaborate across hardware and software teams (RF, antenna, FPGA, firmware) to optimize performance.
• Lead prototype testing and performance assessment, focusing on root-cause analysis and risk.
• Partner with production to ensure testable and manufacturable products.

Skills

High-speed design

FPGAs

SerDes

10/100 GigE

Schematic capture

PCB layout

EMI/EMC

Architecture-level decisions

Job description

About Northwood:

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. We are building a global network of phased array ground stations that enable real-time, reliable communication for satellite missions such as national security, global connectivity, and disaster response. With a vertically integrated approach, Northwood designs, builds, and rapidly deploys scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions. If you like solving complex challenges and seeing your work deployed around the world with real impact, Northwood is the place to do it.

Role:

Northwood is looking for a Senior Electrical Engineer (Systems) to help drive the definition and architecture of our digital compute and power electronics systems. These complex digital systems ensure that our antennas can meet high-rate processing needs no matter where they are deployed around the world.

As an Electrical Architect, you will act as the Responsible Engineer for the electrical system, owning architecture decisions, driving system-level trades, and ensuring coherence across boards, subsystems, and disciplines. Our hardware team prioritizes excellent engineering, building end products that are known for their reliability, scalability, and cost.

Responsibilities:

• Own the electrical architecture and system-level design for high-speed digital communication systems, defining how RF and mixed-signal designs, complex multi-layer PCBs, and subsystems fit together
• Define system-level architecture for multi-gigabit networking and complex digital power trees, and drive system trades that shape architecture decisions across the product
• Set technical direction and review schematic capture, layout, and bring-up across a variety of digital systems including FPGAs, microcontrollers, and their associated peripherals
• Collaborate across hardware and software teams with RF engineers, antenna engineers, FPGA engineers, and firmware engineers to optimize system performance and overall design
• Guide prototype testing and performance assessment in the lab and in the field, with an eye towards system-level root cause and risk
• Partner with production teams to ensure the overall system architecture supports testable and manufacturable products that we can integrate in-house

Basic Qualifications:

• 5-7+ years of professional experience in electrical design, including experience operating at the system or architecture level
• Proficient in high-density/high-speed design (including FPGAs, high speed data converters, SerDes, 10/100 GigE, networking, JESD204C)
• Proficient in schematic capture and good PCB layout design
• Experience with troubleshooting EMI/EMC, either conducted or radiated
• Knowledge of PCB materials and developing board stack-up definition
• Experience with full product lifecycle (concept through production), including owning architecture-level decisions across that lifecycle

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience designing high-speed mixed-signal electronics and complex multilayer PCBs for FPGA- or processor-based systems
• Strong expertise in high-speed interfaces and networking technologies such as multi-gigabit SerDes, DDR, JESD204B/C, and 10/100G Ethernet
• Deep understanding of signal integrity, power integrity, EMI/EMC mitigation, PCB stack-up definition, and high-performance board layout practices
• Proven experience leading hardware development from architecture and prototype bring-up through validation, manufacturing, and production ramp
• Hands-on experience debugging complex hardware systems using advanced lab instrumentation and driving root-cause analysis across board and system levels
• Ability to lead cross-functional technical efforts, mentor junior engineers, and make sound engineering tradeoffs in fast-paced development environments

Additional Requirements:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed

Compensation:

Electrical Engineer/Level 3: $122,400 - $153,000 per year

Electrical Engineer/Level 4: $144,000 - $180,000 per year

Electrical Engineer/Level 5: $180,000 - $225,000 per year

Electrical Engineer/Level 6: $204,000 - $255,000 per year

Additional Information:

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Northwood Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.