PCB Designer
Join Northwood Space as a PCB Designer to establish PCB layout standards and collaborate on next-generation space communication hardware.
Posted by employer 4 hours ago
First seen on Joblaze 1 hour ago
Last verified on the company career page 1 hour ago
Skills & Technologies
What you'll build
- Own the physical layout of complex PCBs
- Determine optimum layer stackups
- Perform ECAD library creation and management
- Collaborate across hardware and production teams
- Generate and release documentation packages
Must have
- 2+ years of professional experience in complex PCB layout
- Hands-on expertise in high-speed and high-frequency layout techniques
- Proven experience with advanced packaging technologies
- Strong command of PCB materials and dielectric properties
- Demonstrated experience applying EMI/EMC mitigation techniques
Nice to have
- 2+ years of experience designing high-speed, high-frequency PCBs
- Experience with routing high-speed interfaces
- Proficiency in industry-standard ECAD tools
- Strong understanding of IPC standards
- Experience with ECAD/MCAD co-design and integration workflows
Practical constraints
- Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
Requirements
- Experience
- 2–6 years
- Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Visa
- Sponsorship available
Not disclosed in this posting: compensation, work arrangement.
Joblaze summary
The PCB Designer at Northwood Space will establish the company's PCB layout discipline, focusing on the design of complex, high-density boards that support advanced communication technologies. This role requires expertise in high-speed and high-frequency layout techniques, as well as proficiency with industry-standard ECAD tools. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in electrical engineering and experience in high-performance PCB design, particularly in environments that demand autonomy and collaboration across teams. As the first dedicated hire in this area, the designer will play a crucial role in shaping the future of Northwood's hardware capabilities.
Joblaze insights
Quick facts
- How much experience is required?
- 2–6 years of relevant experience for this PCB Designer role.
- What's the tech stack?
- Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: ECAD, Mixed-Signal, PCB, RF, high-frequency, high-speed.
- Does Northwood Space sponsor work visas for this role?
- Yes — the posting indicates visa sponsorship is available for the right candidate.
- What seniority level is this role?
- Northwood Space targets mid-level candidates for this position.
- Is this full-time or contract?
- Full-time for this PCB Designer role at Northwood Space.
From the original posting
Role:
Northwood is looking for a PCB Designer to be our first dedicated PCB layout hire, establishing the discipline from the ground up. You will define the standards, tools, and workflows that our physical design practice is built on, while driving the layout of our next-generation digital compute and power electronics. These complex boards ensure that our antennas can meet high-rate processing needs no matter where they are deployed around the world. As our founding PCB Designer, you won't just be routing traces; you will partner closely with our Electrical, RF, and Antenna engineers from concept to production, setting the technical bar for layout expertise and building the foundation for a team that delivers hardware known for its reliability, scalability, and cost.
Responsibilities:
Own the physical layout of complex, high-density, high-layer-count PCBs featuring high-speed, high-frequency digital, RF, mixed-signal, and power distribution systems.
Determine optimum layer stackups, perform component placement, routing feasibility studies, and manage strict high-speed/high-frequency constraint rules.
Perform ECAD library creation, management, and maintenance for a wide array of active, passive, and high-pin-count components.
Collaborate across hardware and production teams to ensure strict adherence to Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Test (DFT) guidelines.
Generate and release comprehensive documentation packages for fabrication and assembly (Gerbers, ODB++, IPC-2581, drill charts, fabrication drawings).
Work closely with external PCB fabrication and assembly vendors to resolve technical queries (EQs) and continuously improve internal design rules.
Evaluate, select, and champion advanced PCB design tools and automation scripts to establish the technical groundwork for scaling the layout function as the team grows.
Serve as the internal authority on high-speed and high-frequency layout practices, mentoring engineers across disciplines on layout-aware design.
Basic Qualifications:
2+ years of professional experience in complex, high-density PCB layout, with demonstrated ownership of high-speed and high-frequency designs end-to-end (or a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering/related field with 6+ years of relevant experience).
Hands-on expertise in high-speed and high-frequency layout techniques (impedance control, differential pairs, length matching, crosstalk mitigation, and RF-aware routing).
Proven experience with advanced packaging technologies, including fine-pitch BGAs, high-pin-density components, and micro-vias (HDI).
Strong command of PCB materials, dielectric properties, and developing multi-layer board stack-ups for high-frequency performance.
Demonstrated experience applying EMI/EMC mitigation techniques and designing robust power delivery networks (PDN) at the board level.
Track record of operating with significant autonomy, able to set direction and make final layout calls with minimal oversight.
Preferred Qualifications:
2+ years of experience designing high-speed, high-frequency, mixed-signal PCBs for FPGA, processor, RF/antenna, or high-performance networking systems.
Experience with routing high-speed interfaces such as multi-gigabit SerDes, DDR memory, JESD204B/C, and 10/100G Ethernet.
Proficiency in industry-standard ECAD tools (Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro, or Siemens Xpedition).
Strong understanding of IPC standards (e.g., IPC-2221, IPC-7351) and commercial manufacturing tolerances.
Experience with ECAD/MCAD co-design and integration workflows (e.g., SolidWorks, STEP files) for tight mechanical constraints.
Experience with scripting or automation (e.g., Python, Skill, or Altium scripts) to optimize layout workflows.
Prior experience building or scaling a PCB layout function, standards library, or design process from scratch.
Excellent communication skills and a proven ability to make sound layout tradeoffs in a fast-paced, collaborative hardware environment.
Additional Information:
Standard company text repeated across Northwood Space's postings is omitted here.