Senior Electrical Engineer - Defense

nLIGHT•Camas, WA

5d•$110,000 - $145,000

About The Position

nLIGHT is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer to join its Directed Energy Electronics team and contribute expertise in power electronics development and production. The role supports existing low-SWaP, multi-kilowatt, high-voltage designs and develops next-generation switched-mode power supply (SMPS) laser diode driver technologies. The engineer will help build high-reliability hardware for deployment in harsh environments and support production and new product introduction of complex laser systems. The engineer will model and simulate converter and analog circuit designs, evaluate design concepts, conduct engineering experiments, and characterize electrical and thermal performance. The role also includes designing PCB assemblies, custom magnetics, power delivery systems, and safety circuits; producing complete electrical design packages; managing certification and compliance testing; and promoting safe high-voltage practices in designs and laboratory work.

Requirements

At least 7 years of experience as an Electrical Engineer or equivalent educational background.
Bachelor's or master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a similar discipline.
Experience creating meaningful SPICE simulations that drive design decisions.
Experience calculating thermal losses for magnetics and semiconductor devices and collaborating with mechanical teams on cooling strategies.
Experience using SIMPLIS models to compensate converters and guide loop-shaping in analog and digital domains.
Experience designing galvanic isolation for high-voltage topologies.
Familiarity with power systems and high-voltage harness design.
Experience in power systems and batteries, including power electronics and power conditioning.
Strong troubleshooting skills related to complex electro-optic systems.
Experience with schematic capture and layout tools; Altium Designer is preferred.
Proficiency with test and measurement equipment, including oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, power supplies, LC meters, DC biased spectroscopy measurements, loop characterization, Bode plots, and HIL tools.
Ability to manage schedules and priorities with minimal daily direction.
Strong organization, attention to detail, workmanship, and written and oral communication skills.
Must be a US Person, defined as a US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual granted asylum or refugee status.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience designing electronics deployed in harsh environments, including space, and working with extreme temperature, radiation, and moisture ingress.
Familiarity with conductive electronics cooling techniques.
Vendor management experience.
Development experience with high-power laser and optical assemblies.
Experience qualifying systems to complex MIL-STDs.

Responsibilities

Create functional SIMPLIS circuit analysis models of existing SMPS converters.
Create SPICE simulations for analog circuitry and device equivalent circuits.
Propose suggestions, execute trade studies, and develop concept models for next-generation converter designs.
Conduct engineering experiments to qualify new designs or processes.
Characterize and benchmark electrical and thermal performance of existing converter designs and identify areas for improvement.
Participate in peer design reviews.
Design PCB assemblies, custom magnetics, power delivery systems, and safety circuits for directed-energy laser products.
Produce complete electrical design packages, including schematics, PCB layouts, cable routing diagrams, panel layouts, bills of materials, and material requisition forms.
Manage certification and compliance testing to international safety and EMC standards, including IEC/UL-61010, MIL-STD 461, MIL-STD 704, and MIL-STD 1275.
Help establish safe high-voltage practices in designs and laboratory work.

Benefits

Target cash bonus of 6% of earned wages.
Eligible for Restricted Stock Unit grants.
Four weeks of paid time off per year.
Ten paid holidays.
Eligible for health benefits on the first day of the month after the start date.
Medical, dental, and vision benefits, including prescription and orthodontia coverage.
Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
401(k) with company match and immediate vesting.
Company-paid short-term and long-term disability, and life and AD&D insurance.
Employee Assistance Program.
Aflac supplemental insurance.
Paid bereavement leave and jury duty.
Tuition Assistance Program.
Pet insurance.