Staff Electrical Engineer (High Speed Digital)

Second Order Effects•El Segundo, CA

12d•$155,000 - $270,000•Onsite

About The Position

SOE is an engineering consulting firm specializing in electrical, electromechanical, and embedded systems, with offices in El Segundo, CA, and Redmond, WA. Founded in 2016, the company has grown to over 30 engineers and has completed over 250 projects for more than 100 clients. SOE focuses on solving problems from first principles and building teams to tackle them, emphasizing training and empowerment. The company has also started incubating its own internal concepts into separate companies, with two currently in stealth mode in nuclear energy and space telecommunications. This role is for a High Speed Digital Electrical Engineer to work on client programs requiring cutting-edge hardware performance.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree (Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Math, or related field)
5+ years of applied experience with a demonstrated passion for engineering and technology development
Experience with high-speed test equipment and debug tools: BERT, VNA, TDR, high-bandwidth oscilloscopes (20 GHz+), and logic analyzers.
Excellent written and verbal technical communication skills; ability to explain technical concepts and their implications to non-technical audiences
A systems-thinking approach, with the ability to connect engineering execution to business strategy.
A proven track record of leading technical initiatives, mentoring engineers, and driving process improvements.
A bias for action, thriving in a fast-paced consulting environment where priorities can shift quickly.
Willingness to be deeply involved in both high-level strategy and hands-on technical execution.
Applicant must be willing to work 40 hours a week on-site in El Segundo, California, USA
Applicant must be eligible to work on ITAR projects
Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Nice To Haves

10+ years of relevant experience
Experience designing electronics for space-qualified or radiation-tolerant applications, including component derating, single-event effects (SEE) analysis, or environmental test campaigns (thermal vacuum, vibration, shock)
Familiarity with 400G/800G Ethernet architectures, PAM4 signaling, or co-packaged optics interfaces
Experience with power integrity analysis tools and multi-phase VRM design for high-current, fast-transient loads
Background in optical communication systems or the electrical interface between high-speed digital hardware and analog RF or opto-electronic signal chains
EMI/EMC test experience to MIL-STD-461 or DO-160
Experience with business development, sales engineering, or technical sales to support the CEO in client engagements.
Prior work in an engineering consulting or services-based firm, understanding the nuances of client-driven project work.
Understanding of operations, finance, or project management, helping streamline engineering execution at a business level.
A history of patents, publications, or open-source contributions, demonstrating thought leadership in the field.

Responsibilities

Support high speed electrical architecture from concept generation through investigation including key trades, requirement definition, investigations and component selection.
Own signal integrity from component selection and schematic capture through layout and post-route simulation: impedance control, differential pair routing, crosstalk analysis, and eye diagram verification.
Work with power electronics engineers to inform and design power delivery networks for high-performance ASICs, FPGAs, and multi-channel memory; close power budgets from system architecture through regulator selection and decoupling strategy.
Develop and execute high-speed board bring-up: BERT testing, TDR characterization, eye mask compliance, and EMC pre-compliance.
Design in Altium; produce layout-ready packages with full design rule documentation for contract manufacturing.
Incorporate environmental requirements across programs: radiation tolerance, thermal cycling, vibration, shock, and vacuum outgassing where applicable.
Select and qualify components for space-grade or radiation-tolerant operation; manage parts lists and evaluate COTS mitigation strategies.
Select and implement best design practices that minimize the down-stream risk of test failures from EMI/EMC. Familiar with industry standards such as STD-461, DO-160, and MIL-STD-461.
Author and maintain design specifications, interface control documents, and test procedures at the level demanding programs require.
Work directly with clients to translate system requirements into board-level hardware specifications.
Contribute to technical reviews (PDR, CDR) as both a presenter and reviewer across programs.
Support junior engineers through design reviews and hands-on mentorship.
Contribute to SOE's internal body of knowledge: reusable design patterns, documentation standards, and lessons learned.

Benefits

Salary range dependent on leveling
Senior Engineer: $155,00- $200,000
Staff Engineer: $195,000 - $235,000
Principal Engineer: $235,000 - $270,000
Equity (via ISOs) in Second Order Effects, Inc.
Equity (via PIUs) in our incubated companies (through our holding company, Second Order Holdings, LLC)
100% employer-paid health insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision) for employees + 50% dependent coverage
Flexible paid time off policy + 11 paid holidays + 12 paid sick days
401(k) retirement account and employer matching (Safe Harbor 4%)
Up to 22 weeks of paid parental leave dedicated to new child bonding
Relocation assistance available if 50+ miles away from the office
Electric Vehicle (EV) charging ports
Daily catered lunches, snacks, and accessible kitchen