Sr. Principal/Staff PCB Layout Designer

DPP•Cincinnati, OH

2d•Onsite

About The Position

DPP is seeking a Sr. Principal/Staff PCB Layout Designer for a client in the aerospace and defense manufacturing industry. The position is onsite in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a six-month W2 contract. The role requires U.S. citizenship and an active Top Secret–SCI clearance. The designer executes placement and routing for complex, high-density, multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs), including high-speed digital, RF, mixed-signal, and power circuits. The role interprets schematics, electrical constraints, and mechanical boundaries to produce layouts that meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements. It also produces complete PCB and circuit card assembly (CCA) fabrication and assembly documentation for procurement and manufacturing partners. The position applies IPC and other high-reliability standards, along with relevant military and aerospace criteria. The designer collaborates with electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, and signal integrity engineers; performs DFM, DFA, and DFT reviews; works with suppliers to account for manufacturing constraints; and supports PCB library management. The designer independently owns layout work from concept through fabrication data release. Advanced work may involve HDI, microvias, via-in-pad, backdrilling, and specialized substrate materials, with technical guidance and mentoring provided to other designers. The requisition may be filled at either the Sr. Principal or Staff level, or at a higher grade based on qualifications. The stated experience thresholds vary by level and degree: Sr. Principal requires 8 years with a bachelor’s, 6 with a master’s, or 4 with a Ph.D.; Staff requires 12 years with a bachelor’s, 10 with a master’s, or 8 with a Ph.D. The listed qualifications also require, respectively, at least 8 years (Sr. Principal) or 12 years (Staff) of PCB engineering/layout experience using Xpedition.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship and a current, active Top Secret–SCI clearance are required by the posting; the Sr. Principal qualifications separately specify an active Top Secret clearance.
Willingness and ability to work onsite full-time in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sr. Principal level: minimum 8 years of PCB engineering/layout experience using Xpedition; education-and-experience threshold of 8 years with a bachelor’s in science, 6 years with a master’s, or 4 years with a Ph.D.
Staff level: minimum 12 years of PCB engineering/layout experience using Xpedition; education-and-experience threshold of 12 years with a bachelor’s in science, 10 years with a master’s, or 8 years with a Ph.D.
Experience laying out multilayer, high-density PCBs and CCAs, including placement and routing of high-speed digital, RF, and/or mixed-signal circuits.
Experience collaborating with stakeholders across organizations and programs, including electrical design, mechanical design, manufacturing, test, and/or signal integrity.
Working knowledge of PCB fabrication and assembly processes, including common manufacturability and yield considerations.
Familiarity with IPC standards for PCB design and fabrication and current understanding of high-reliability criteria.
Experience generating artwork and PCB/CCA documentation for procurement and assembly houses.
Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills, with demonstrated ability to adapt effectively to changing requirements.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in defense or space flight programs with stringent reliability, documentation, and traceability requirements.
Demonstrated expertise laying out advanced, high-density, multilayer PCBs combining RF, high-speed digital, and high-power circuit sections.
Knowledge of PCB process workflows and library management, including creation and governance of symbols, footprints, and reusable layout elements.
Ability to translate complex mechanical boundaries and electrical constraints into optimized physical PCB layouts across multiple boards or modules.
Deep knowledge of high-reliability military and aerospace hardware criteria, such as MIL-PRF-31032, MIL-STD-883, and IPC Class 3/3A, or comparable experience demonstrating equivalent rigor.

Responsibilities

Execute placement and routing of complex, high-density, multilayer PCBs, including high-speed digital, RF, mixed-signal, and power circuits.
Interpret electrical schematics, constraints, and mechanical boundaries to develop optimized PCB layouts that meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements.
Generate and maintain PCB and CCA fabrication and assembly documentation packages, including artwork, drawings, fabrication notes, and data outputs for procurement and assembly partners.
Apply IPC and other high-reliability industry standards, and applicable military and aerospace criteria, in PCB and CCA design and verification.
Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, and signal integrity engineers to resolve layout challenges involving signal integrity, power integrity, thermal management, and packaging.
Support and perform DFM, DFA, and DFT reviews using automated and manual checks to improve yield, test coverage, and product robustness.
Work with fabrication and assembly suppliers to understand manufacturing capabilities and constraints and incorporate them into PCB designs.
Support PCB library management, ensuring correct use of symbols, footprints, and parameter data in accordance with internal workflows.
Independently own PCB layout tasks from concept through fabrication data release in support of program cost, schedule, and technical requirements.
Lead advanced PCB layout efforts using HDI, microvias, via-in-pad, backdrilling, and specialized substrate materials.
Provide technical guidance, peer reviews, and mentoring to other layout designers.