Principal PCB Design Engineer

Echodyne Corp•Kirkland, WA

3h•$164,594 - $246,788

About The Position

Echodyne is seeking a Principal PCB Design Engineer to lead physical design for demanding RF, high-speed digital, mixed-signal, and power electronics used in rapid radar prototypes and future products. The role is part of the Advanced Technology Development team and supports prototype development, including tiled-aperture electronics, distributed beam control, modular RF and compute hardware, and calibration and test infrastructure. The engineer will contribute technical ownership in a cross-disciplinary environment, carrying out fast experiments and helping proven work transition into future radar products. The position calls for deep PCB design expertise, sound technical judgment, supplier engagement, and the ability to balance electrical performance with reliable, repeatable manufacturing.

Requirements

Strong hands-on experience designing complex multilayer PCBs for RF, high-speed digital, mixed-signal, analog, or power applications.
Advanced proficiency with Altium Designer or an equivalent PCB design platform, including constraint management, library use, fabrication outputs, and design review.
Strong knowledge of stackups, controlled impedance, return paths, via structures, interconnects, laminates, finishes, tolerances, and PCB fabrication processes.
Practical command of signal integrity, power integrity, EMI and EMC, thermal behavior, reliability, design for manufacturing, design for assembly, and design for test.
Experience translating schematics, performance budgets, and interface requirements into manufacturable placement and routing decisions.
Experience working directly with PCB fabricators, assembly suppliers, materials and process engineers, and prototype build teams.
Ability to communicate design decisions, constraints, and risks clearly.
BS in Electronics, Electrical Engineering Technology, or a related technical field and at least 12 years of relevant PCB design experience, or equivalent experience.
Eligibility to handle export-controlled technical data, including ITAR- and EAR-controlled information.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing PCB technologies for radar, phased arrays, aerospace, defense, sensing, or other high-reliability and mission-critical products.
Experience in advanced technology development, applied research, rapid prototyping, or early hardware technology maturation.
Experience with antenna or RF-aperture PCB implementation, HDI, high-layer-count boards, rigid-flex, flex circuits, PTFE, mixed-material stackups, or metal-backed boards.
Experience laying out high-speed data converters, clock and frequency-synthesizer circuits, downconversion chains, FPGA or SoC interfaces, or high-current power distribution.
Competence with analysis tools such as Ansys Electronics Desktop, SIwave, HFSS, HyperLynx, Sigrity, or equivalent signal, power, and electromagnetic analysis tools.
Experience with supplier capability studies, qualification builds, design of experiments, yield analysis, failure analysis, or corrective action.
IPC CID, CID+, or another relevant PCB design certification.

Responsibilities

Lead PCB physical design for advanced technology prototypes, advanced test vehicles, and future high-performance radar platforms.
Translate RF, antenna, analog, high-speed digital, power, mechanical, and manufacturing requirements into practical stackups, constraints, placement, routing, and interconnect solutions.
Create prototype boards, coupons, and test vehicles to prove new materials, structures, fabrication methods, and assembly approaches.
Collaborate with RF, electrical, mechanical, systems, manufacturing, suppliers, and key stakeholders to deliver hardware within demanding engineering constraints.
Apply modern best practices and establish reusable guidance for DFM, DFA, DFT, reliability, stackups, and known layout limits.
Provide Principal-level leadership through design reviews, supplier collaboration, mentoring, hands-on prototype bring-up, and transition of proven PCB solutions into product development.