Hardware Engineer - Munition System

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionExperience Level: Mid‑Senior

Experience Required: 5 Years

Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Function: Engineering

Industry: Defense & SpaceRecruiter NoteCandidate must be comfortable completing an initial 1‑month onsite training period in Kearneysville, WV, after which they will relocate back to work from San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Washington, DC.About the ProjectOur client is developing a small, safety‑critical kinetic munition deployed via an FPV‑class airframe. At the core of the system is an Electro‑Mechanical Safe and Arm Device (EMSAD) responsible for compute, safety, and arming logic.

This role owns the entire electronics stack — from schematic architecture through PCB layout, bring‑up, validation, and qualification.What You’ll DoEMSAD Architecture — Architect and design the main EMSAD board and all auxiliary boards.Schematic & PCB Design — Lead schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout for mixed‑signal, low‑power, and RF‑adjacent systems.Safety Architecture — Define hardware safety architecture with redundant interlocks and fail‑safe defaults.Bring‑Up & Validation — Build bring‑up benches, execute first‑article validation, and document results.Firmware Collaboration — Work closely with firmware engineers on drivers, timing, and hardware‑software integration.Environmental Qualification — Drive thermal, vibration, EMC, ESD, and drop‑test qualification.Manufacturing Readiness — Own BOM management, DFM/DFT, and factory tester development.Lab Debugging — Perform hands‑on debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs, and soldering tools.Required Qualifications5+ years of professional electronics design experienceStrong knowledge of low‑power MCUs, mixed‑signal systems, power supplies, sensors, and RF‑adjacent layoutExpertise with PCB layout tools such as Altium, KiCad, or CadenceHands‑on lab debugging experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs, and soldering toolsExperience debugging complex hardware issues including EMC, brown‑out, and edge‑case failuresStrong written and verbal English communicationNice to HaveSafety‑critical hardware or fail‑safe design experienceExperience with S&A or fuzing electronicsFamiliarity with MIL‑STD‑810 / MIL‑STD‑461 testingFPV or small‑UAV electronics experienceDFT experience for high‑mix, low‑volume manufacturingHow We WorkA small, fast‑moving engineering team with weekly hardware iterations and constant prototyping. Engineers are expected to:Drive electrical decisionsDocument design choices clearlyStand behind their work during qualification and field validationIf you want, I can also generate a screening rubric, technical interview scorecard, or a candidate submittal summarytailored to this role.

Choose one: screening rubric, interview scorecard, or candidate summary template.