Principal Electrical Engineer

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. • Billerica, MA

39d • $149,988 - $191,652 • Hybrid

About The Position

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. (TDSI) is a U.S. defense company headquartered in Clarksburg, Maryland, with more than 1,000 employees. TDSI supports U.S. Joint Services, special operations forces, and multinational partners across air, land, and sea domains. The Principal Electrical Engineer opening is based in the company’s Billerica, Massachusetts office and reports to the Engineering and Site Manager in Billerica.

The Principal Electrical Engineer performs electrical design for small, lightweight helmet-mounted display equipment. As part of a design team, the engineer develops quality designs using advanced electrical engineering principles, creates detailed designs using Altium, supports prototype builds and verification testing, maintains bills of material, and provides supplier support during material procurement. The role may lead project meetings and coordinate product development from product inception through production handoff.

The engineer designs, analyzes, simulates, and tests analog and digital circuits and components; develops schematics and leads PCB design and layout; and may lead small electrical engineering teams or work independently. The work can involve electro-optics, video systems and processing, display light engines, programmable and processing devices, high-speed and low-EMI data distribution, and motion sensing. The role also covers technical trade studies, design documentation, manufacturing test coverage, troubleshooting, product verification, component obsolescence, firmware-related activities, and manufacturing support. The position is in a hybrid working environment and offers a 9/80 schedule.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required; selected applicants may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
• BSEE or MSEE in Electrical Engineering.
• At least 8 years of experience in detailed circuit design, physical board design and layout, board-level schematic design and capture, analysis, and test.
• At least 8 years of experience in new product development, taking designs from concept through detailed design and implementation to production launch.
• Extensive hands-on laboratory experience, including design optimization, debugging, board bring-up, and testing prototype and production designs.
• Ability to analyze designs against technical requirements.
• Experience with DoD standards related to electronics, such as MIL-STD, ASTM, ANSI, and DO-160.
• Knowledge of industry practices, manufacturing methods, and PCBA test coverage through fabrication and assembly.
• Proficiency with schematic capture tools; Altium Designer, Siemens/Mentor Xpedition, or OrCAD are identified as examples.
• Experience with Microsoft Office tools such as Excel, Word, Visio, and Project.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to comply with company guidelines, policies, and procedures and embrace company core values.

Nice To Haves

• Digital design experience, particularly with PSoCs, microprocessors, FPGAs, CPLDs, CODECs, USB drivers/switches and hubs, RS-232/RS-485 drivers and switches, and low-EMI and high-speed data distribution.
• Experience with motion tracking and measurement using IMUs, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and associated circuit design.
• Experience with electro-optics, video signal pipelines, light engines, video sensors, and video signal processing.

Responsibilities

• Design, simulate, analyze, and test analog and digital circuits and components used in helmet-mounted display equipment.
• Create electronic circuit schematics and lead physical PCB design and layout activities.
• Lead small electrical engineering teams and/or independently define requirements and develop new electronic designs.
• Perform technical trade studies and analyses, define design approaches, develop functional diagrams and architectures, and select key components.
• Write technical documents, including test procedures, test datasheets, and technical memoranda.
• Coordinate with manufacturing partners to ensure effective PCBA and module test coverage through fabrication and assembly.
• Generate design packages for documentation and manufacturing, including schematics, BOMs, Gerber files, libraries, PCB data, interface control documents, design descriptions, functional diagrams, theory of operation, test specifications, test requirements, test plans, and test reports.
• Analyze product failure data and malfunction-testing trends, troubleshoot yield issues, and recommend product and test improvements.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical oversight.
• Verify prototype and hardware product performance against predictions.
• Participate in continuous improvement and team-building activities and maintain productive working relationships.
• Generate documentation for programming components and loading firmware onto circuit card assemblies and fully assembled products.
• Troubleshoot problems by defining the issue, collecting facts and data, drawing conclusions, and implementing solutions.
• Identify alternate components and conduct qualification testing to replace obsolete components.
• Plan, design, and manage PWB re-layout activities to replace obsolete components.
• Support test-yield improvement activities in a manufacturing environment.
• Liaise between manufacturing diagnostic technicians and engineers on existing products and during transfers of new products to manufacturing.
• Evaluate the effects of modified firmware on existing hardware platforms.
• Support research and development efforts and continuous process improvements.
• Complete assigned tasks accurately and on time with minimal supervision.
• Communicate status, issues, needs, and ideas effectively to management.
• Potentially lead project meetings and coordinate product development from inception through production handoff.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Yearly incentive compensation plan; the stated target incentive compensation plan is 5%.
• Medical insurance for the employee and eligible family members.
• 401(k) program with up to 7% company contribution and 100% immediate vesting.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Paid wellness, vacation, and holiday leave.
• Paid maternity, paternity, and parental leave.
• 9/80 work schedule with every other Friday off.
• Hybrid working environment.

What This Job Offers

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