Electrical Engineer – Embedded Circuit Design Engineer

CFD Research Corporation•Dayton, OH

9d•Onsite

About The Position

CFD Research is seeking an Electrical Engineer with expertise in embedded hardware design, microcontroller-based circuit development, communication interfaces, and multilayer PCB design. The role involves architecting and implementing electronic hardware for aerospace and military systems while meeting environmental, reliability, and quality standards, including AS9100, MIL-STD-810, and MIL-STD-461. The engineer will work in a fast-paced R&D environment, integrating hardware and firmware and applying practical engineering skills, simulation, modeling, and problem solving to develop robust electronics for mission-critical applications. The position is 100% onsite and may be based at CFD Research’s Dayton, Ohio office (preferred), or its Huntsville or Hollywood, Alabama locations. The candidate must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Strong understanding of microcontroller-based hardware design, digital logic, mixed-signal circuit design, and embedded-system power distribution.
Experience designing multilayer PCBs, with attention to signal integrity, return paths, EMI/ESD, and DFM/DFT principles.
Proficiency with schematic capture and PCB layout tools such as Altium, Mentor, or KiCad.
Understanding of high-speed and low-speed communication interfaces and their electrical requirements.
Familiarity with aerospace or military documentation, traceability, and structured engineering workflows.
Hands-on experience testing and verifying electronics with lab equipment, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, electronic loads, network analyzers, multimeters, function generators, and soldering/rework tools.
U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering specializing in embedded systems, electronics design, or digital hardware.
Experience with electromagnetic and thermal simulation tools such as Ansys or similar.
Experience with SolidWorks or similar MCAD design tools.
Background in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability product development.
Experience in high-speed digital design, controlled-impedance routing, and signal-integrity analysis.
Embedded firmware experience, including C/C++, RTOS development, driver development, and hardware-software integration.
Experience bringing up microcontroller boards, configuring peripherals, writing bootloaders, or developing test firmware.
Familiarity with AS9100 quality processes, configuration management systems, and structured documentation workflows.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
High attention to detail and commitment to quality.
Clear communication and technical writing ability.
Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams.
Passion for innovation and mission-oriented engineering.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and development of embedded electronic circuits using microcontrollers, processors, and mixed-signal components.
Architect and implement communication interfaces, including SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, RS-485, Ethernet, and USB.
Perform schematic capture and guide multilayer PCB layout for signal integrity, controlled impedance, noise mitigation, and manufacturability.
Use SPICE-based tools for early-stage circuit simulation and validation.
Implement EMI/ESD controls aligned with aerospace and military specifications.
Prepare engineering documentation consistent with AS9100 quality expectations, including design reports, bills of materials, test procedures, and configuration-controlled artifacts.
Support compliance and qualification to military and aerospace standards, including AS9100, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-464, MIL-STD-810, and MIL-STD-704.
Conduct design reviews, debug hardware issues, perform root-cause analyses, and support prototype builds.
Collaborate with embedded firmware engineers to support hardware-software integration.
Support wire harness design, including connector pinouts, routing considerations, and electrical interface documentation.
Interface with mechanical teams and occasionally use SolidWorks for enclosure integration or mechanical-electrical interface considerations.

Benefits

Employer matching 401(k).
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Medical, vision, and dental insurance for full-time permanent employee-owners.
Company-paid leave and compensation time.
Parental leave.
Long-term and short-term disability insurance.
Accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
Life insurance.
Performance appraisals twice a year.
Annual pay increases based on corporate goals, personal development, performance, and achievements.
Group and individual bonuses for exceptional performance.