Principal Electrical Engineer

Performance Drone Works (PDW) is building the next generation of tactical robotic systems used across defense, national security, and public safety missions. We are building a new center of engineering excellence to design our new category of tactical robotic systems and the industrial capacity to deliver them, bringing decisive airpower into the hands of every operator. We are not here to make promises; we are here to deliver real systems with real capabilities for real missions.  
 
You will join a team of operators, engineers, and builders who solve hard problems with humility and focus. We design and produce multi-mission aerial systems that operators trust to perform in real-world conditions, reliably, repeatedly, and at scale. Our approach is grounded in operator-centered design, rapid iteration from field use, and U.S.-based manufacturing. We operate by a clear set of values: Mission First, Aim Farther, Own It, Win Together. This is how we build advantage and how we help protect our service members, our communities, and our country. 

What You’ll Do

• Take ownership of and provide technical leadership for complex multi-board electrical systems across the full electrical development lifecycle including architecture design, schematic capture, PCB layout, bring up and roll out.
• Drive high-impact initiatives across multiple products, to break hard problems down into actionable solutions.
• Help identify and tailor industry standards to develop light weight processes to support design, test, quality.
• Lead technical discussions and design reviews, ensuring architectural integrity, quality, alignment with product and platform strategy and meeting process needs.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional stakeholders, including Engineering leadership, Product, Design, production and supply chain.
• Work closely with manufactures to quote, fabricate, and assemble PCB assemblies and develop relationships to help make production successful.
• Mentor engineers, working with the team to help develop a lightweight processes based on industry standards and takes engineering to the next level.
• Support deployments in the field, including hands-on involvement with product testing, demonstrations and live debugging of real-world issues.
• Continuously improve system performance, identifying bottlenecks, optimizing electrical designs and closing physical security vulnerabilities.
• Contribute to the evolution of the engineering culture, championing responsibility, ownership, innovation, quality, and engineering excellence across the organization.

Requirements

• Strong skills in Altium Designer, including schematic drafting, PCB layout, fabrication and assembly notes, and manufacturing outputs.
• Expert level knowledge of electronic hardware and system design experience in analog circuit design with a focus on power electronics.
• Experience designing high-speed digital systems including processor, memory and comms interfaces such as I2C, SPI, RS232, MIPI-CSI, Gigabit etc.
• Extensive experience with designing PCB stack ups and design constraints to meet the needs for power distribution, signal integrity, interface standards, EMI controls and manufacturability.
• Significant hands experience in the lab with lab equipment, soldering, debugging and bring-up.
• Experience designing products for manufacturability, testability, reliability, and high-rate production.
• Experience performing root cause analysis and corrective actions for complex hardware failures.
• Proficiency in MS Office tools, including Project.
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, or related field, with 10+ years of professional electronics development experience, including 2+ years in technical leadership or architectural role.

Preferred

• Hands-on experience with UAVs, aircraft, robotics, or hobby drones.
• Extensive hands-on experience with the highly integrated high power PCBAs designed for demanding and dynamic environments.
• Demonstrated experience with rapid and successful new product introduction with successful transition to high-rate production.
• Experience with AS9100, ISO9001 or similar quality management standards, as well as significant tailoring of industry standards.
• Fluency in using version control (such as Git) and experience with branching strategies, tagging, and collaborative workflows.
• Experience with small teams rapidly growing into large teams with the ambiguity it may entail.
• Master’s degree in electrical engineering, or related field, with 12+ years of professional electronics development experience, including 5+ years in a technical leadership or architectural role.

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 25 pounds. Must have manual dexterity to operate standard office or manufacturing equipment as well as various electronic power supplies and test equipment. Must be physically capable of the assigned duties.

Work Environment

This position typically operates in a standard office setting and manufacturing environment. This role requires use of standard office 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. This position may require working outside of core business hours as needed to support business and operational requirements.

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 at our Huntsville, AL and Denver, CO locations.
• 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.

This position will have an annual salary, equity, and benefits. The salary range provided is a guideline rather than a fixed limit. Individual pay is determined by factors including geography, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.