Hardware Design Engineer

Job Title: Principal Electrical Engineer

Job Description

The Principal Electrical Engineer is a technical leader responsible for defining, developing, and guiding the execution of complex embedded hardware solutions used in demanding operational environments. This role provides deep technical expertise and architectural leadership across the full product lifecycle, from early concept and requirements development through detailed design, integration, verification, and release to production. The Principal Electrical Engineer serves as both a hands-on engineer and a strategic technical advisor, shaping design approaches, establishing technical direction, and supporting engineering teams in delivering robust, high-performance hardware solutions. This individual plays a key role in balancing technical innovation with practical considerations such as risk management, manufacturability, cost, and schedule, while ensuring compliance with rigorous performance and reliability expectations. The position works closely with cross-functional partners and engineering leadership to resolve complex challenges, mature new technologies, and continuously improve development practices.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the architecture and development of sophisticated embedded electronic systems for use in high-reliability applications.
• Provide technical oversight across requirements definition, circuit design, board-level implementation, integration, test, and environmental qualification.
• Ensure hardware designs meet demanding performance, durability, and operational constraints appropriate for mission-critical environments.
• Act as a technical authority during design reviews, technical trade studies, and risk evaluations.
• Establish and promote sound engineering practices, design standards, and documentation quality.
• Mentor and support engineers across experience levels, contributing to technical growth and organizational capability.
• Collaborate with systems, software, mechanical, manufacturing, and quality teams to ensure cohesive, end-to-end solutions.
• Assist program leadership by diagnosing and resolving critical technical issues that impact execution or delivery.
• Contribute to customer engagements, proposal development, and technical assessments in support of new opportunities.
• Influence longer-term technology direction by identifying emerging capabilities and guiding future product development efforts.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or related technical degree.
• 9+ years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree OR 7+ years with a Master’s degree.
• Experience with mixed-signal PCA development, utilizing High Density Interconnect (HDI) PCBs and high speed (> 1 GHz) components/circuits.
• Experience with FPGA and microprocessor development, including hardware descriptor languages (i.e. Verilog, VHDL).
• Experience with hardware integration, test, and debug tools such as logic analyzers, scopes, emulators.
• Demonstrated experience implementing PCI, PCIe, cPCI, VME, or VPX standards (VITA 46, VITA 65).

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Proficiency in PCB design, high speed digital, Altium, electronics, and hardware design.
• Experience in schematic capture, PCB layout, and electrical design.
• Familiarity with microcontrollers and FPGA.

Work Environment

The role offers the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, R&D environment with product development cycles ranging from 8 to 12 months. You will be part of a medium-sized, flat organization comprised of highly technical-minded engineers solving customer problems. The work environment fosters innovation and collaboration, ensuring the delivery of high-quality solutions.

This is a Permanent position based out of Fairfax, VA.

The pay range for this position is $160000.00 - $185000.00/yr.

- 6% 401k Match- Cigna Health Insurance: Cigna HDHP (HSA) and Cigna PPO. Trident pays 100% of the premium cost of HDHP plan.- 20 days of PTO, 7 holidays, and company shut down from December 25th-December 31st

This is a hybrid position in Fairfax,VA.

This position is anticipated to close on Mar 23, 2026.

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 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

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 due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.