SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 170,000 - 210,000 / annual
Terran Orbital, a leading satellite manufacturer serving aerospace and defense industries, is seeking a Principal PCB Design Engineer to join their team in Irvine, CA. Reporting to the Manager of PCB Design, you will lead complex board-level design efforts, drive best practices, and shape the long-term technical direction of the PCB design team. This is a critical role supporting current program needs while building future leadership capability as the organization scales.
You will serve as the technical subject matter expert for PCB design, guiding architecture, layout strategies, component selection, stackups, routing constraints, and overall design integrity. You will lead the design and execution of complex, high-density, mixed-signal, RF, and power electronics circuit boards used in space and aerospace applications. Key responsibilities include collaborating with Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, and Reliability teams to ensure designs meet performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule targets; driving design reviews including schematic, layout, DFM, DFA, and signal/power integrity assessments; developing and enforcing PCB design standards, workflows, libraries, and best practices; providing mentorship and technical support to junior and mid-level designers; partnering with leadership on organizational structure and staffing; managing vendor interactions for fabrication and assembly; supporting failure analysis and root cause investigations; and maintaining documentation discipline for flight hardware traceability and audit requirements.
This role is ideal for an experienced engineer with deep expertise in high-reliability PCB design for aerospace and space environments. You will have the opportunity to influence technical strategy, mentor a growing team, and work on mission-critical satellite systems.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or related technical field
- 12+ years of experience in PCB design, including ownership of complex, multi-layer, high-reliability board designs
- Deep proficiency with industry-standard ECAD tools (Altium Designer preferred)
- Demonstrated expertise in high-speed digital design, power distribution design, RF considerations, and signal/power integrity principles
- Experience driving PCB designs from concept through fabrication, assembly, validation, and release to production
- Strong understanding of DFM/DFA principles and working with PCB fabrication and assembly vendors
- Ability to lead technical decision-making, mentor others, and influence cross-functional design outcomes
- Excellent communication skills and comfort presenting technical content to engineering leadership
- Must be a U.S. Person or lawful permanent resident to comply with U.S. government space technology export regulations
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience designing electronics for space or aerospace environments (radiation considerations, thermal constraints, reliability requirements, derating standards)
- Experience with IPC standards (IPC-2221/2222, IPC-6012)
- Familiarity with ECSS, NASA, or MIL standards related to electronic hardware
- Experience developing or managing PCB libraries and design processes
- Prior experience providing informal leadership or mentorship within an engineering team
