Component Engineer I

Aitech•Los Angeles, CA

8d•$80,000 - $100,000•Onsite

About The Position

Aitech Defense Systems is seeking a motivated Electrical/Electronic Component Engineer with 1–3 years of experience to support component selection, product data integrity, and cross-functional design execution for electronic products used in military, aerospace, and space environments. The role spans Component Engineering, Configuration/Data Management (CM/DM), and collaboration with EE, ME, and Systems Engineering. It supports reliability, manufacturability, and delivery objectives across long-lifecycle programs, with an expectation that the successful candidate can contribute with minimal ramp-up. The position evaluates and approves electronic components, reviews technical documentation, supports qualification and validation testing, and manages lifecycle and obsolescence risks. It also maintains component and BOM data in PLM systems, supports configuration control and engineering changes, and coordinates product-data alignment among engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain. The engineer contributes to design trade-offs and component-related issue resolution, supports regulatory compliance and cost-reduction efforts, and works in an office/lab environment across development and production teams. The role requires a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field; 1–3 years of relevant experience; knowledge of electronic components and circuit fundamentals; the ability to interpret datasheets, schematics, and BOMs; familiarity with lab tools; and proficiency in Microsoft Office. Applicants must meet the stated ITAR U.S.-person requirement. The expected annual salary range is $80,000–$100,000. The role offers a foundation for growth into component, design, systems, or reliability engineering.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field.
1–3 years of experience in electronic components, hardware design support, or a related role.
Strong understanding of electronic components and circuit fundamentals.
Ability to interpret datasheets, schematics, and BOMs.
Familiarity with lab tools such as a multimeter and oscilloscope.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools.
Must be a U.S. person within the meaning of ITAR: a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident, Political Asylee, or Refugee.
Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
High attention to detail and data accuracy.
Effective cross-functional communication.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive tasks to closure.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with PLM systems such as Arena, Agile, or similar.
Familiarity with PCB design tools such as Altium, KiCad, or Cadence.
Exposure to signal integrity, power integrity, or EMI/EMC concepts.
Experience with component intelligence tools such as SiliconExpert, IHS, or Octopart.
Basic understanding of reliability engineering and derating practices.

Responsibilities

Evaluate, select, and approve electronic components for new and sustaining designs.
Review specifications, datasheets, and application notes to assess component suitability, performance, and reliability in harsh environments.
Perform component qualification and validation testing as required.
Manage component lifecycle and obsolescence risks, assess impacts to existing designs, and coordinate mitigation strategies such as alternates, redesigns, and last-time buys.
Work with suppliers, distributors, and supply chain teams to resolve technical issues and maintain component availability aligned with program needs.
Maintain and update component and BOM data in PLM systems, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and traceability.
Support configuration control, including engineering changes (ECOs/ECRs) and product structure updates.
Coordinate across engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain to keep product data aligned with design intent and build requirements.
Ensure alignment between design outputs, BOMs, and production configurations.
Contribute to EE, ME, and Systems teams through component-driven design trade-offs and technical decisions.
Participate in schematic, BOM, and system-level discussions to ensure component selections support design intent, integration, and manufacturability.
Provide input on reliability, availability, and lifecycle considerations during design development.
Support resolution of component-related issues during development, build, and test phases.
Ensure compliance with regulatory and environmental standards, including RoHS and REACH.
Support cost reduction, part standardization, and preferred-component strategies.