Electrical Hardware Design Engineer 4

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

About The Position

The Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), a research unit at the University of Washington, is seeking an Electrical Hardware Design Engineer 4 for its Ocean Engineering Department. Reporting to the Ocean Engineering Department Head, the engineer supports Principal Investigators by creating specialized electrical systems for observing the natural and physical world. Systems serve oceanographic, ocean acoustic, marine renewable energy, autonomous vehicle, and marine robotics research and operations. The engineer leads the full lifecycle development of research instrumentation and electrical systems, from concept development and requirements definition through design, integration, testing, deployment, and long-term operational support. Working under broad objectives, the engineer independently plans and executes complex assignments, manages concurrent projects, evaluates alternatives and risks, and develops solutions for research and operational challenges where standard approaches may not be available. The role collaborates with Principal Investigators, department leadership, and multidisciplinary software, mechanical, and field engineering teams, while independently defining technical approaches and making engineering decisions. The position is regular, full-time (100% FTE), and first shift. It includes supporting at-sea installation, operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting aboard ships, and requires the physical ability and willingness to work at sea on small to large vessels for extended periods. The annual pay range is $102,000 to $164,328.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Ocean Engineering, or a related field, and four years of relevant experience; equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications unless legal requirements apply.
Ability to independently develop and implement electronic system architectures from requirements through design, prototyping, testing, field deployment, and lifecycle support.
Proficiency in electronic schematic capture, PCB design, and layout using industry-standard ECAD tools such as Altium Designer, KiCad, or equivalent.
Experience managing PCB fabrication, assembly, vendor relationships, and manufacturing workflows, including design-for-manufacturing and design-for-test considerations.
Ability to independently perform hardware bring-up, hand soldering, debugging, troubleshooting, and integration of complex electronic systems and custom PCBs.
Experience designing, documenting, fabricating, and validating custom electrical harnesses, cable assemblies, and interconnect solutions for demanding environments.
Ability to diagnose, document, and resolve electronic hardware failures through systematic root-cause analysis and corrective action development.
Ability to independently plan, coordinate, and execute system-level integration and verification involving electrical, mechanical, and software subsystems.
Experience leading or facilitating technical design reviews, providing peer review, evaluating engineering trade-offs, and contributing to multidisciplinary engineering decisions.
Ability to exercise independent judgment, evaluate technical alternatives, identify project risks, and develop solutions to complex engineering challenges.
Experience managing multiple concurrent projects and priorities with minimal supervision while balancing performance, schedules, operational constraints, and budget.
Ability to collaborate with Principal Investigators, project managers, software and mechanical engineers, technicians, and external partners, serving as a technical resource and subject-matter expert.
Experience developing solutions for remote, harsh, or high-reliability environments, incorporating reliability, maintainability, operational challenges, and risk mitigation into designs.
Ability to work independently and as part of a research team, cooperating with people from diverse backgrounds, academic levels, and nationalities.
Must meet physical requirements for working at sea aboard small to large vessels for extended periods and be willing to perform required duties aboard ships.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing electrical systems for ocean engineering, acoustic systems, marine renewable energy, ocean physics, and/or marine robotics.
Experience with mixed-signal or analog electronic design.
Experience with power electronics, high-speed digital design, or RF design.
Experience with digital protocols such as RS-232, RS-485, SPI, CAN, or Ethernet.
Experience working with autonomous or high-reliability systems.
Experience with C, C++, and Python programming for electrical bring-up and testing.
Ability to acquire and maintain a Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance.

Responsibilities

Independently lead electrical hardware engineering across project phases, from concept development and requirements definition through design, integration, testing, deployment, and lifecycle support.
Gather electrical system requirements from Principal Investigators and propose system architectures.
Establish design approaches that balance performance, reliability, schedule, and cost.
Design circuit schematics and PCB layouts using Altium software or other applicable ECAD tools.
Design for scientific sensor data acquisition, low-power system power management, hardware/software interfaces, and reliability.
Specify and procure electrical components.
Coordinate with APL technicians and external vendors on fabrication, assembly, and bench testing of electrical components.
Hand-solder, debug, and integrate PCBs and electrical systems.
Design, document, and build custom electrical harnesses.
Diagnose, document, and resolve electronic hardware problems, including through root-cause analysis and corrective action.
Present technical approaches, design reviews, and project status to team members, Principal Investigators, and Department Heads.
Follow APL Ocean Engineering documentation standards.
Plan and support at-sea system installation, operation, and maintenance.
Troubleshoot real-time problems at sea under time and resource constraints and propose solutions.
Coordinate system-level integration and verification involving electrical, mechanical, and software subsystems.
Manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities, balancing technical requirements, schedules, operational constraints, and budgets.
Collaborate with research and engineering partners and provide technical expertise and subject-matter support.