Senior Electrical Engineer, Manufacturing Test Systems
Job Description
Performance Drone Works (PDW) builds technologies for the warfighter, by the warfighter. Born out of the Drone Racing League, our roots are competitive, our mindset is tactical, and our mission is clear: deliver purpose-built unmanned systems to those who serve. We are not here to sell vapor; we build and ship real capabilities for real missions.
Position Overview
PDW seeks a skilled
Senior Electrical Engineer, Manufacturing Test Systems
to join our team, contributing to the next wave of system and tool development for our upcoming product lines.
The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in
assisting
in architectural design, parts selection, validation test design, overseeing hardware and software
New Product Introduction
enabling reliable, high-volume deployment for
our
advanced sUAS systems.
What You'll Do
The ideal candidate will thrive working in an innovative and fast-paced environment, able to
problem-solve dynamically, deliver
and sustain
thoughtfully designed and highly adaptable
and
scalable
systems.
Partner with Hardware and Manufacturing Engineering to architect, design, and deploy electrical test systems for PCBAs, wiring harnesses, and subsystem-level validation in both internal production and contract manufacturing (CM) environments.
Own the full lifecycle of test fixtures, including design, fabrication, validation, deployment, maintenance, and continuous improvement.
Develop
manufacturing test specification requirements,
testing
criteria, plans, and test fixtures for design verification
and validation by
production
and
contract manufacturing.
Perform hardware design tasks such as architecture design,
component
selection, schematic capture, schematic review, PCBA layout, PCBA layout review, and coordination of fabrication and assembly with contract manufacturers.
Support
emplacement,
qualification,
usage, technical
support
and repair of PCBA test fixtures
for Production
and contract manufacturers.
Support facilitation of outside processes for PCBA
manufacturing processes
including conformal coating and other forms of secondary processing.
Support of PCBA part availability risk identification and mitigation, part
obsolesce
and piece-part risk
purchasing
program with Procurement Team.
Work directly with the Manufacturing Team on the validation of PCBA release packages,
quoting with
contract manufacturers,
identifying
part substitutions, working with
Contract
Manufacturers on the quality program for those PCBAs and ensuring a stable PCBA manufacturing pipeline at the
Contract
Manufacturer level.
Analyze production data to drive yield improvements,
identify
failure trends, and implement corrective actions to improve test system performance and reliability.
Contribute to the development and scaling of internal hardware quality systems and test infrastructure as production volume increases.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives to
optimize
test systems for throughput, reliability, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
Requirements
Bachelor’s
in Electrical Engineering
or
related field
and
5+
years
of
experience designing
electrical test
systems
for
production
contract manufacturing environments.
Strong experience with electronic test hardware design, including embedded systems.
Experience developing,
releasing
and implementing
electronic
test
solutions
and processes including bed-of-nails, flying probe,
and in-circuit test.
Experience with microcontrollers and their bootstrapping processes (such as flashing via SWD, JTAG USB, or similar interfaces).
Knowledge of common communication buses, such as I2C, USB, CAN, Serial, and SPI – along with their debugging and test procedures.
Strong skills in
electrical CAD software (such as Altium Designer,
CircuitStudio, Cadence,
etc.)
performing schematic capture and PCBA layout.
Experience with MES/PLM systems and integrating those processes into
an
electronics manufacturing
test
fixtures.
Experience developing custom Altium jobs,
draftsman
fabrication, and
draftsman
assembly documents.
Preferred
Experience with
PLCs and
industrial communication control systems protocols (i.e.: OPC UA, SCADA) a plus.
Soldering experience down to imperial 0402 components and fine pitch ICs.
Experience with MIPI-CSI, MIPI-DSI, Gigabit Ethernet and other high-speed signals along with knowledge of implementation including controlled impedance, length matching, crosstalk isolation, and other signal integrity considerations.
Candidates with experience in UAV
aircrafts, robotics development, and/or hobby drones are highly preferred.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, climb, and move about regularly throughout the day and lift / carry up to 50 pounds. Must have manual dexterity to
operate
standard machine
shop equipment as well as standard office equipment.
Work Environment
This position typically
operates
in a standard office and manufacturing environment. This role requires use of standard engineering and manufacturing equipment and may require occasional travel to customer locations or facilities. This position may have exposure to outdoor weather conditions, noise, and non-climate-controlled environments. May require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) depending on the environment. This is a fast-paced work environment and requires
cross departmental
collaboration with independent and team-based responsibilities. Standard
works
hours for this position are 8:30am-5:00pm with occasional overtime as operational needs demand.
ITAR Requirement
In compliance with International Traffic Arms Regulations (ITAR), candidates must be U.S. Citizens, U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) or individuals granted asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).
Benefits
PDW values our team, and we offer a compensation package reflective of your experience and capabilities. Benefits include:
Comprehensive BCBS medical, dental, and vision coverage; 80% sponsored by the company.
Safe Harbor 401(K) with company match.
Paid Parental Leave.
A work environment that encourages teamwork and innovation.
On-site gym
Employer provided life insurance.
Robust Employee Assistant Program (EAP).
Competitive salary, generous paid time off (PTO), and flexible leave options.
EEO Statement
PDW is an equal opportunity employer that upholds all federal and state non-discrimination laws. We ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation for employment for all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, medical condition, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
