Senior PCB Designer

Viasat, Inc.•Tempe, AZ

About The Position

As a Senior PCB Designer on the Space Infrastructure team, you will design and deliver complex, high‑reliability printed circuit boards that enable next‑generation space systems and ground infrastructure. You will own PCB layout from early architectural trade studies through fabrication release, working closely with hardware, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineers to translate demanding system requirements into robust, manufacturable designs. This role focuses on multi‑layer, high‑speed, mixed‑signal, and power‑dense boards that operate in challenging environments and support fast development cycles. You will help set design standards, improve workflows, and raise the overall quality and efficiency of PCB development across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or equivalent professional experience
5 - 8 years of professional PCB layout experience, including ownership of complex, multilayer designs
Demonstrated experience with high‑speed digital, mixed‑signal, and power electronics layouts
Strong understanding of signal integrity, power integrity, EMI/EMC, and manufacturability
Experience producing fabrication and assembly packages and working directly with board houses and assemblers
Proficiency with Altium Designer or Siemens Xpedition
Ability to visualize component placement, routing strategies, and mechanical integration early in the design process
Strong communication skills and comfort working in fast‑paced, cross‑functional engineering environments
Ability to travel up to 10%
US Citizenship required

Nice To Haves

Experience with Siemens Xpedition (strong plus)
Experience with very high‑density designs, BGAs, fine‑pitch components, and advanced packaging
Familiarity with SI/PI simulation tools, constraint‑driven design, and automation or scripting
Experience supporting rapid development cycles, prototype iteration, and production ramp‑up
Exposure to space, aerospace, automotive, or other high‑reliability hardware environments
A practical, detail‑oriented mindset with a bias toward clean layouts, fast iteration, and manufacturable solutions

Responsibilities

Own PCB layout for complex designs, including component placement, routing, stack‑up definition, and constraint management for digital, analog, RF, and power circuits
Design and route high‑layer‑count boards (10+ layers) with controlled impedance, differential pairs, length matching, power integrity, and signal integrity considerations
Collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, RF, thermal, manufacturing, and test engineers during schematic development and design reviews
Perform pre‑ and post‑layout SI/PI analysis, EMI/EMC risk mitigation, and layout trade studies to de‑risk designs early
Generate and release complete fabrication and assembly deliverables (Gerber, ODB++, IPC‑2581, drill files, stack‑ups, drawings, and assembly outputs)
Apply DFM/DFA/DFT best practices, incorporating feedback from fabrication and assembly partners to improve yield, cost, and schedule
Create, validate, and maintain symbols, footprints, and 3D models, and work with libraries to ensure accuracy and reuse
Support prototype bring‑up, debug, and iteration by working alongside hardware and test teams
Help define and improve PCB design standards, constraints, and workflows across the Space Infrastructure organization
Mentor junior designers and contribute to raising the technical bar for layout quality and execution speed