PCB Design Engineer

Job Title: PCB Design Engineer Job Description
We are seeking a PCB Design Engineer with at least 2 years of hands-on PCB and circuit card assembly (CCA) design experience to support the development of electronics for spacecraft and other mission-critical aerospace and defense systems. In this role, you participate in the full PCB design lifecycle, including schematic capture, PCB layout, component selection, board bring-up, troubleshooting, integration, and test. You work closely with cross-functional engineering teams to deliver reliable, high-performance electronic hardware for demanding environments. Experience with Altium Designer and a strong foundation in electrical hardware design are essential, while prior aerospace, defense, satellite, or other high-reliability electronics experience is highly beneficial.
Responsibilities
- Design and develop printed circuit boards (PCBs) and circuit card assemblies (CCAs) for mission-critical electronic systems.
- Perform schematic capture and PCB layout using Altium Designer and other professional PCB design tools as needed.
- Support new PCB designs as well as modifications and improvements to existing electronic hardware.
- Assist with component selection and the development of electrical interfaces for power, digital, analog, and mixed-signal circuitry.
- Work with power, digital, analog, and mixed-signal circuits to meet performance, reliability, and environmental requirements.
- Support and participate in PCB design reviews, verification activities, and release of designs to manufacturing.
- Develop and maintain engineering documentation, including schematics, PCB layouts, bills of materials, specifications, and test documentation.
- Support PCB fabrication and assembly processes, including board bring-up and initial hardware validation.
- Use standard electrical laboratory test equipment to troubleshoot board-level electrical issues and verify design performance.
- Support integration and testing of PCBs and CCAs into larger electrical and spacecraft systems.
- Collaborate closely with mechanical, systems, manufacturing, quality, and test engineering teams to ensure successful product development.
- Review test results, identify issues, and assist with troubleshooting and corrective actions to improve design robustness.
- Participate in environmental, qualification, and acceptance testing activities for mission-critical hardware as needed.
- Contribute to transitioning products from prototype through production, ensuring design intent and manufacturability are maintained.
- Apply relevant industry standards, such as IPC Class 3 and mission-critical hardware requirements, during design and documentation.
Essential Skills
- At least 2 years of professional electrical hardware or PCB design experience.
- Hands-on experience with schematic capture, PCB design and layout, component selection, board bring-up, hardware troubleshooting, and testing.
- Proficiency with Altium Designer or a similar professional PCB design tool for schematic capture and PCB layout.
- Strong understanding of fundamental analog and digital circuit design concepts.
- Familiarity with power electronics and/or high-speed digital design.
- Experience using standard electrical laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, and logic analyzers.
- Ability to read, interpret, and develop electrical schematics and technical documentation.
- Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Ability to work effectively with cross-functional engineering teams and communicate technical information clearly.
- Attention to detail and commitment to producing reliable, high-quality electronic hardware for mission-critical applications.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Experience with additional PCB design tools such as Cadence Allegro/OrCAD or Siemens Xpedition (Mentor Graphics).
- Experience supporting space, aerospace, defense, satellite, launch vehicle, or other high-reliability electronics programs.
- Working knowledge of RF front ends, antenna systems, GNSS, telemetry, communications, radar, or electronic warfare systems.
- Familiarity with RF shielding techniques and EMI/EMC mitigation methods.
- Exposure to thermal analysis, power integrity analysis, and the use of signal integrity tools.
- Familiarity with IPC Class 3 standards and mission-critical hardware requirements.
- Experience transitioning products from prototype through production, including design for manufacturability and test.
- Ability to contribute to environmental, qualification, and acceptance testing strategies for electronic hardware.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot complex board-level issues in a laboratory environment.
Work Environment
You work in a collaborative engineering environment focused on developing high-reliability electronics for spacecraft and other mission-critical aerospace and defense systems. The role involves regular use of professional PCB design tools such as Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, or Siemens Xpedition, as well as standard electrical laboratory equipment including oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, and logic analyzers. You participate in design reviews, integration activities, and test campaigns that may include environmental, qualification, and acceptance testing. The setting emphasizes rigorous documentation, adherence to standards such as IPC Class 3, and close collaboration with mechanical, systems, manufacturing, quality, and test engineering teams. Work is typically performed in office and lab environments with appropriate technical attire suitable for electronics design and hands-on lab work.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Merritt Island, FL.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $55.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Merritt Island, FL.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 31, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Merritt Island,FL. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or
adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,
please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law
shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,
including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications
and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you
acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.