Principal Electrical Engineer

SAIC • San Diego, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

SAIC is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to support Department of Defense communications systems at a Navy facility in San Diego, California. This hands-on role leads troubleshooting, repair, installation, and sustainment of communications hardware down to the board and component level. The position is onsite in San Diego, and candidates must be local to the area. Up to 25% travel is involved.

The engineer will diagnose hardware faults, interpret system- and board-level documentation, test equipment, and support installation and integration of new or upgraded systems. The role also includes field engineering at government sites, development and maintenance of engineering documentation, and reporting findings and recommendations to stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline and nine or more years of experience; or a master’s degree and seven or more years of experience; or a PhD or JD and four or more years of experience.
• Demonstrated experience troubleshooting and repairing hardware to the board level, including soldering and rework, and using oscilloscopes, multimeters, or similar test equipment.
• Experience reading and analyzing system- and board-level diagrams and technical documents.
• Hands-on experience in hardware testing, evaluation, and integration.
• Experience performing system installations.
• Prior supervisory experience leading or supervising technical staff.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must have an active Secret clearance to start and be able to obtain a Top Secret clearance after starting.
• Must be local to the San Diego area.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with NIWC Pacific or other Navy-related programs.
• Familiarity with DoD and strategic communications systems and standards.
• IPC-A-610 or J-STD-001 certification.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot, isolate faults, and repair communications hardware to the board and component level.
• Read and interpret system-level and board-level schematics, wiring diagrams, and technical manuals.
• Conduct functional equipment tests and evaluate results to ensure system integrity and compliance with standards.
• Plan and perform installation, configuration, integration, and testing of new and upgraded systems.
• Provide field engineering support at government sites as needed.
• Develop and update design diagrams, engineering specifications, and build procedures.
• Prepare reports summarizing findings, progress, and recommendations for stakeholders.
• Lead or supervise technical staff.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior