Lead Electrical Engineer – Hardware Design | Cincinnati, OH

Lead Electrical Engineer – Hardware Design

📍 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
🏢 Work Arrangement: Onsite
💼 Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
🕒 Schedule: 4/10 – Four 10-Hour Days Per Week
🛡️ Security Clearance: Active Clearance Not Required; Ability to Obtain a Secret Clearance Required
✈️ Travel: Occasional
🚚 Relocation Assistance: May Be Considered for an Exceptional Candidate
🚫 Visa Sponsorship: Not Available
👥 People Management: Not Required

Design Mission-Critical Electronics for Extreme Environments

A leading aerospace and defense organization is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer – Hardware Design to lead the design, development, testing and qualification of ruggedized electronic systems for advanced ordnance applications.

This is a hands-on senior technical leadership position operating in a fast-paced product-development environment. The successful candidate will combine strong analog, digital and power-electronics design capabilities with technical project leadership, structured problem-solving and the ability to guide products from requirements definition through design, qualification and production support.

The role requires someone capable of working independently with minimal supervision while also collaborating across multidisciplinary engineering teams. The Lead Electrical Engineer will manage several technical priorities simultaneously, mentor other engineers and serve as a primary technical interface with internal and external customers.

Key Responsibilities

Analog and Digital Hardware Design

• Design analog and digital circuitry for ruggedized aerospace and defense electronics.

• Develop circuits using analog building blocks such as:

• Differential amplifiers

• Operational amplifiers

• Low-dropout regulators

• Analog filters

• Data converters

• Signal-conditioning circuits

• Design with digital building blocks such as logic gates, flip-flops, timers and related components.

• Develop power-conversion and power-conditioning solutions involving:

• AC/DC conversion

• DC/DC conversion

• DC/AC conversion

• Linear power supplies

• Switching power supplies

• Apply sound engineering practices for EMI suppression, ESD protection and short-circuit protection.

• Support component selection, design trade studies and hardware architecture decisions.

• Ensure designs can perform reliably in demanding vibration, shock, temperature and humidity conditions.

Circuit Analysis and Verification

• Perform circuit-tolerance analyses using hand calculations and SPICE-based simulation tools.

• Evaluate component tolerances, environmental effects and worst-case operating conditions.

• Define verification methods and acceptance criteria for electrical performance.

• Analyse test data and determine whether hardware meets requirements.

• Identify technical risks early and develop appropriate mitigation strategies.

• Document analysis methods, assumptions, results and engineering recommendations.

Requirements and Compliance

• Develop, refine and manage electrical and hardware requirements.

• Translate customer and system-level requirements into implementable hardware designs.

• Maintain traceability between requirements, design outputs and verification activities.

• Assess technical compliance throughout the development lifecycle.

• Support internal and customer reviews of requirements and compliance evidence.

• Ensure design decisions and changes are appropriately documented.

Testing and Qualification

• Develop comprehensive test plans, procedures and reports covering:

• Brassboard testing

• Design verification

• Environmental qualification

• Product-performance testing

• Firing-properties testing

• Failure investigation and corrective-action verification

• Lead and direct laboratory and field-test activities throughout the product-development lifecycle.

• Coordinate testing with systems, mechanical, manufacturing, quality and test-engineering teams.

• Troubleshoot hardware using oscilloscopes, function generators, digital multimeters and other standard laboratory equipment.

• Review test results, investigate anomalies and recommend corrective actions.

• Ensure testing is appropriately controlled, repeatable and thoroughly documented.

Technical Project Leadership

• Lead large-scale technical projects from initial concept through completion with minimal supervision.

• Coordinate technical activities across multiple engineering disciplines.

• Manage several projects and priorities simultaneously.

• Establish technical plans, milestones, risks and resource requirements.

• Track engineering progress and communicate concerns before they affect cost, schedule or performance.

• Provide technical direction without requiring formal people-management authority.

• Make well-supported engineering decisions in a dynamic environment with changing customer priorities.

Design Reviews and Customer Interface

• Prepare materials for and lead formal design reviews throughout the product-development lifecycle.

• Present technical designs, analyses, risks, verification results and recommendations.

• Serve as a primary technical interface for internal stakeholders and external customers.

• Respond clearly and professionally to technical questions and design concerns.

• Coordinate the resolution of review actions and technical issues.

• Support final technical presentations and customer acceptance activities.

Failure Investigation and Root-Cause Analysis

• Lead investigations into hardware failures, nonconformances and test anomalies.

• Apply structured problem-solving tools such as:

• 8D

• Fishbone diagrams

• Cause-and-effect analysis

• Fault isolation

• Corrective and preventive action methodologies

• Reproduce failures, analyse evidence and identify defensible root causes.

• Develop, implement and verify effective corrective actions.

• Communicate investigation findings to engineering teams, customers and leadership.

• Capture lessons learned and incorporate improvements into future designs.

Engineering Documentation and Change Control

• Develop clear and accurate technical documentation, including:

• Test plans

• Test reports

• Engineering drawings

• Design analyses

• Requirements and compliance documentation

• Design-review materials

• Failure-investigation reports

• Create and process Engineering Orders and Engineering Change Proposals.

• Support configuration management and formal change-control activities.

• Maintain appropriate documentation throughout the product lifecycle.

• Ensure technical records meet internal, contractual and regulatory expectations.

Proposal and Team Support

• Provide material, labour and technical estimates for Requests for Proposals.

• Contribute to technical approaches, schedules, risks and assumptions.

• Support programme planning and new-business activities.

• Mentor electrical engineers and support their technical development.

• Promote effective collaboration, engineering discipline and knowledge sharing.

Required Qualifications

Candidates must meet one of the following education and experience combinations:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a related technical discipline with at least nine years of relevant experience.

• Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline with at least seven years of relevant experience.

• At least 13 years of directly relevant professional experience in place of a degree.

Additional required experience includes:

• At least five years of experience designing with basic analog building blocks, including differential amplifiers, operational amplifiers, LDOs, filters and data converters.

• At least five years of experience designing with digital building blocks, including logic gates, flip-flops and timers.

• At least four years of experience with power-conversion concepts, including AC/DC, DC/DC, DC/AC, linear and switching supplies.

• At least five years of experience troubleshooting electronic hardware using standard laboratory equipment.

• At least four years of experience with schematic-capture or PCB-layout tools such as Altium or PADS.

• At least four years of experience leading a large-scale technical project from beginning to completion with minimal guidance.

• At least four years of experience preparing for and participating in internal or external design reviews.

• At least four years of experience producing formal technical documentation such as test plans, test reports and engineering drawings.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work both independently and within a multidisciplinary team.

• Ability to manage several technical priorities simultaneously.

• Ability to meet all eligibility requirements for a US Secret security clearance.

• Current authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

An active security clearance is not required at the time of application.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing ruggedized electronics for aerospace, defense or ordnance applications.

• At least four years of experience working with:

• Temperature sensors

• MEMS accelerometers

• Differential-pressure sensors

• Gyroscopes

• At least five years of experience with serial communication interfaces such as UART, SPI and I²C.

• At least five years of structured root-cause analysis experience.

• Experience applying design practices for EMI suppression, ESD protection and short-circuit protection.

• At least five years of power-supply and power-conditioning design experience.

• Experience designing electronic systems for extreme vibration, shock, temperature and humidity environments.

• Experience with energetic-material interfaces and associated testing.

• Experience supporting firing-device interfaces, including exploding-foil and low-energy exploding-foil initiators.

• Experience working with lead charges, boosters or related energetic components.

Safety and Arming Systems Experience

Highly desirable experience includes:

• Designing Electronic Safety and Arming Devices or Ignition Safety Devices.

• Applying MIL-STD-1316 and MIL-STD-1901A.

• Developing ESAD, ESAF or ISD solutions for defense applications.

• Presenting safety-device designs to formal review boards such as:

• Air Force Safety Review Board

• Fuze and Ignition System Technical Review Panel

• Navy Nuclear Weapons System Safety Board

• Supporting qualification, compliance and safety-review activities for ordnance electronics.

The Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• End-to-end ownership of complex electrical hardware designs.

• Strong analog, digital and power-electronics expertise.

• Hands-on circuit analysis, laboratory testing and troubleshooting capabilities.

• Experience designing electronics for harsh or extreme environments.

• Leadership of multidisciplinary technical projects from concept through qualification.

• Confidence leading formal internal and customer design reviews.

• Structured investigation and resolution of difficult hardware failures.

• Strong technical writing and documentation skills.

• Experience mentoring engineers without requiring formal supervisory authority.

• The ability to communicate effectively with engineering teams, programme leadership and customers.

• Flexibility to respond to changing technical and programme priorities.

Work Environment and Benefits

The position operates within a fast-paced aerospace and defense engineering environment and requires close collaboration across electrical, mechanical, systems, test, manufacturing, quality and programme teams.

Employees work a 4/10 schedule, completing four 10-hour shifts each week. The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package and may consider relocation support for an exceptional candidate.

Equal Opportunity

The organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants without discrimination based on any status protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Senior FPGA Hardware Engineer – Verilog & SystemVerilog | Cincinnati, OH

Senior FPGA Hardware Engineer – Electrical Engineering

📍 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
🏢 Work Arrangement: Onsite
💼 Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
🕒 Schedule: 4/10 – Four 10-Hour Days Per Week
🛡️ Security Clearance: Not Required
✈️ Travel: Occasional
🚚 Relocation Assistance: May Be Considered for an Exceptional Candidate
🚫 Visa Sponsorship: Not Available
👥 People Management: Not Required

Develop the Next Generation of FPGA-Based Defense Electronics

A leading aerospace and defense organization is seeking a talented Senior FPGA Hardware Engineer to support the architecture, design, development and verification of next-generation Electronic Safe and Arm Devices for advanced defense systems.

This is a hands-on engineering position focused primarily on Verilog FPGA design, SystemVerilog verification and embedded microcontroller development. The successful candidate will develop highly reliable digital hardware and firmware used within safety-critical fuzing solutions.

FPGA and ASIC designs may include sensor interfaces, sequence-verification logic, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog interfaces, communication protocols, state machines, timer chains and other safety-critical functions.

This opportunity is ideally suited to an engineer who enjoys solving complex hardware and firmware problems, working with laboratory equipment and developing innovative solutions in a dynamic product-development environment.

Key Responsibilities

FPGA Architecture and Design

• Analyse system and product requirements and translate them into FPGA and digital-hardware architectures.

• Define FPGA functionality, interfaces, state machines and verification requirements.

• Develop synthesizable Verilog HDL for antifuse and enhanced-flash FPGA technologies.

• Design FPGA logic supporting:

• Sensor interfaces

• Sequence verification

• Analog-to-digital interfaces

• Digital-to-analog interfaces

• Serial communication protocols

• State machines

• Timer chains

• Safety-critical control functions

• Support architecture trade studies and component-selection decisions.

• Ensure FPGA designs meet functional, performance, reliability and safety requirements.

• Contribute throughout the complete design lifecycle, from early concept through product testing.

FPGA Verification

• Develop and execute verification strategies for complex FPGA designs.

• Create simulation environments, testbenches and verification plans.

• Perform functional simulation and timing-related analysis.

• Support SystemVerilog-based verification using methodologies such as:

• Universal Verification Methodology

• Open Verification Methodology

• Verification Methodology Manual

• Advanced Verification Methodology

• Use simulation tools to identify functional defects before hardware integration.

• Document test results, coverage, anomalies and corrective actions.

• Participate in design and code reviews to strengthen FPGA quality.

Embedded Firmware Development

• Develop embedded C software for microcontroller-based systems.

• Implement algorithms, manipulate data structures and produce highly optimized code.

• Develop firmware supporting communication, sequencing, monitoring and hardware-control functions.

• Support C# development targeting enhanced-flash microcontrollers when required.

• Integrate FPGA logic, microcontrollers and associated hardware.

• Diagnose hardware-firmware interaction issues in laboratory and target-system environments.

• Support firmware reviews, unit testing and configuration control.

Hardware Development and Integration

• Support the design and debugging of FPGA-associated electrical hardware.

• Review digital schematics and assess device interfaces.

• Participate in hardware bring-up and prototype evaluation.

• Verify interfaces between FPGAs, microcontrollers, sensors, converters and other electronic components.

• Support the integration of digital hardware and firmware into Electronic Safe and Arm Devices.

• Evaluate system performance under representative operating conditions.

• Work closely with electrical, systems, test, mechanical and software engineers.

Laboratory Testing and Troubleshooting

• Perform hands-on debugging using standard laboratory equipment, including:

• Logic analysers

• Oscilloscopes

• JTAG and in-circuit emulation debuggers

• Protocol analysers

• Digital multimeters

• Development and evaluation boards

• Analyse functional failures and performance issues in test environments and target systems.

• Isolate defects across FPGA logic, firmware and electrical hardware.

• Develop corrective actions and verify the effectiveness of design changes.

• Document troubleshooting methods, findings and final resolutions.

• Support prototype, design-verification and product-level testing.

Requirements and Technical Documentation

• Analyse, clarify and refine hardware and firmware requirements.

• Maintain traceability between requirements, design elements and verification evidence.

• Produce design descriptions, verification documentation and technical reports.

• Document FPGA architectures, interfaces, state-machine behaviour and firmware functionality.

• Support internal and customer design reviews.

• Ensure engineering records are complete, accurate and configuration controlled.

Quality and Process Improvement

• Apply disciplined hardware, firmware and software-development methodologies.

• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, unit testing, prototyping and product testing.

• Identify opportunities to improve development efficiency, product quality and time to market.

• Contribute to FPGA coding standards, reusable design practices and verification processes.

• Support defect prevention and lessons-learned activities.

• Maintain source code and design files within approved version-control systems.

Required Qualifications

Candidates must meet one of the following education and experience combinations:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a related technical discipline with at least six years of relevant experience.

• Graduate degree in a related technical discipline with at least four years of relevant experience.

• At least 10 years of directly relevant professional experience in place of a degree.

Additional required experience includes:

• Practical knowledge of Verilog for FPGA or digital logic design.

• Experience with digital-design practices, logic architecture and hardware-description languages such as Verilog or VHDL.

• Embedded C programming experience, including:

• Algorithm development

• Data-structure manipulation

• Hardware-control programming

• Development of highly optimized code

• Hands-on experience using laboratory equipment such as logic analysers, oscilloscopes, JTAG/ICE debuggers and protocol analysers.

• Familiarity with hardware, software and firmware development methodologies.

• Experience participating in design verification, code reviews, unit testing, prototyping or product testing.

• Experience using source-code and configuration-management tools such as Git, Subversion or Team Foundation Server.

• Strong problem-solving and debugging abilities.

• Clear written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines.

• Ability to respond to changing technical priorities and short-notice requests.

• Current authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

• FPGA development experience with Microchip/Microsemi or Actel devices.

• Experience targeting antifuse or enhanced-flash FPGA technologies.

• Experience using QuestaSim or comparable HDL simulation tools.

• SystemVerilog verification experience.

• Experience applying UVM, OVM, VMM or AVM verification methodologies.

• Experience developing reusable verification components and testbenches.

• C# development experience targeting enhanced-flash microcontrollers.

• Experience developing FPGA interfaces for:

• Sensors

• ADCs and DACs

• Serial communications

• State machines

• Timing and sequencing functions

• Familiarity with ASIC development or verification.

• Experience developing safety-critical or high-reliability electronics.

• Previous experience with Electronic Safe and Arm Devices, fuzing systems or defense electronics.

• Experience integrating FPGA logic with microcontrollers and embedded firmware.

• Strong organizational skills and an action-oriented approach.

The Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Ownership of FPGA designs from requirements through implementation and verification.

• Strong Verilog and digital-logic design capabilities.

• Hands-on embedded C development experience.

• Practical SystemVerilog verification knowledge.

• Experience debugging interactions between FPGA logic, firmware and electrical hardware.

• Confidence using laboratory tools to isolate complex technical problems.

• Familiarity with Microsemi/Actel FPGA technology and QuestaSim.

• Experience developing reliable electronics for safety-critical applications.

• An ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across engineering disciplines.

• Strong documentation, organization and communication skills.

Work Environment and Benefits

The position operates within a highly dynamic aerospace and defense engineering environment where product quality, technical discipline and responsiveness are essential.

Employees work a 4/10 schedule, completing four 10-hour workdays each week. The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

• Medical and disability insurance

• Retirement plan with employer match

• Flexible spending accounts

• Employee assistance program

• Education assistance

• Parental leave

• Paid time off

• Company-paid holidays

Relocation assistance may be considered for an exceptional candidate.

Equal Opportunity

The organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants without discrimination based on any status protected under applicable federal, state or local law.