Lead Electrical Engineering Hardware Design Engineer

Lead, Electrical Engineering – Hardware Design
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Employment Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: 4/10 Schedule – Four 10-hour shifts per week
Security Clearance: Ability to obtain a U.S. DoD Secret clearance required

We are seeking an experienced Lead Electrical Engineer – Hardware Design to lead the design, development, testing, and qualification of ruggedized analog and digital electronic systems for ordnance applications.

This position operates in a fast-paced engineering environment requiring technical leadership, independent problem-solving, cross-functional collaboration, and flexibility to support changing customer requirements.

The successful candidate will lead hardware design activities throughout the product development lifecycle, including requirements development, circuit design, tolerance analysis, verification, qualification, failure investigation, and design reviews.

The role also serves as a primary technical interface for internal and external customers, provides technical inputs for proposals, prepares engineering change documentation, and mentors electrical engineering staff.

Required Qualifications


Education and Experience

Candidates must meet one of the following pathways:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, with at least 9 years of relevant experience.
  
  
• Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field, with at least 7 years of relevant experience.
  
  
• In lieu of a degree, at least 13 years of relevant experience.
  
  

Technical Area Minimum Experience
Analog circuit design and basic analog building blocks | 5+ years
Digital circuit design and basic digital building blocks | 5+ years
Power conversion: AC/DC, DC/DC, DC/AC, linear and switching supplies | 4+ years
Hardware troubleshooting using standard laboratory equipment | 5+ years
Schematic capture and/or PCB layout tools such as Altium or PADS | 4+ years
Leading large-scale technical projects from start to completion | 4+ years
Preparing and participating in internal/external design reviews | 4+ years
Creating technical documentation, including test plans and reports | 4+ years

Preferred Qualifications


Candidates with the following additional experience will receive strong consideration:

Sensors and Instrumentation

• 4+ years working with temperature sensors, MEMS accelerometers, differential pressure sensors, and gyroscopes.
  
  

Serial Communication

• 5+ years working with communication buses such as:
  
  
  • UART
    
    
  • SPI
    
    
  • I2C
    
    

Root Cause and Reliability

• 5+ years of experience with root cause analysis.
  
  
• Experience using structured failure investigation and corrective action methodologies.
  
  

Electrical Design Best Practices

• 4+ years of experience applying:
  
  
  • EMI suppression
    
    
  • ESD protection
    
    
  • Short-circuit protection
    
    

Power Electronics

• 5+ years of power supply and power conditioning design experience.
  
  

Defense and Safety-Critical Electronics

• 5+ years designing Electronic Safety and Arming Devices (ESADs) and Ignition Safety Devices in accordance with:
  
  
  • MIL-STD-1316
    
    
  • MIL-STD-1901A
    
    
• 5+ years presenting ESAD / ESAF / ISD designs to Safety Review Boards, including:
  
  
  • AFSRB
    
    
  • FISTRP
    
    
  • NNMSB
    
    
• 3+ years of experience with energetic materials interfacing and testing, including EFDIs, LEEFIs, lead charges, and boosters.
  
  

Ruggedized and Extreme-Environment Design

• 5+ years designing electronic systems for extreme environments, including:
  
  
  • Vibration
    
    
  • Mechanical shock
    
    
  • Temperature extremes
    
    
  • Temperature and humidity exposure
    
    

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a senior electrical hardware design engineer with strong analog and digital circuit design experience, power electronics knowledge, and a proven record of leading complex technical projects.

A particularly strong candidate will have:

• Extensive hands-on analog and digital hardware design experience.
  
  
• Experience with power supply and power conditioning circuits.
  
  
• Strong schematic capture and PCB design tool experience.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to lead hardware testing, qualification, and design reviews.
  
  
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills.
  
  
• Experience with ruggedized or safety-critical electronics.
  
  
• Defense ordnance, ESAD, ESAF, or Ignition Safety Device experience.
  
  
• Ability to mentor engineers and communicate effectively with customers and technical teams.