Digital Design Engineer jobs in Washington, DC

The Space Science Electronics group at APL builds instruments and electronics systems that generate data used in scientific research. We're a group of about 40 engineers with technical experience that span across all aspects of instrument production including systems engineering, digital and analog electronics design, FPGA design, and software design. We work very closely with other groups of engineers and scientists who contribute their technical experience to the development of the instruments.

Some examples of our work includes: the PEPSSI and LORRI instruments on the New Horizons Spacecraft, most of the instrument suite on the MESSENGER Spacecraft, the CRISM instrument on the MRO Spacecraft, and dozens more. We are currently working on instruments for the JUICE, Europa, Psyche, Lucy, IMAP, and Dragonfly missions. Some of the instruments we build include magnetometers, optical imagers, particle instruments and gamma ray spectrometers. We are seeking talented engineers to contribute to the design, implementation, production, and testing of space flight instrumentation. If you feel you can contribute your talents towardvarious aspects related to front-end electronics of research instruments used in spaceflight missions, we would be excited to have you as part of our team.

Digital Electronics Design Engineer, your primary responsibilities will be:

• Circuit design, simulation, testing, and analysis of digital electronics. Applications include: clocking and readout of low noise and high speed detectors, FPGA based soft core microprocessor systems, power supply and motor control interfaces, housekeeping, and glue logic.
• Circuit design and testing of digital and mixed signal electronics to simulate and emulate space flight electronics.
• Breadboarding, testing, fabrication oversight, and space qualification of the above.
• Design review preparation and presentation.
• Test plan generation and documentation.
  
  

You will meet our minimum requirements if you have...

• A Bachelor 's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent with 3 years of experience in digital and mixed-signal circuit design.
  
• Understanding of digital design techniques (signal integrity, high speed transmission lines, low-noise applications, board layout and layer stackup, interface consideration to digital components such as FPGAs, ADCs, memory components).
• Proficient in computer-aided design.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment.
• Are eligible to obtain a Secret level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You will go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you have...

• A MSEE or equivalent with a minimum of 5 years of experience in digital and mixed-signal circuit design.
• FPGA design experience using VHDL
• Space-qualified electronics design experience (part selection, derating, worst case analysis).
• Other digital or mixed-signal circuit design experience.
• Leadership and organizational capabilities.
• Relevant space flight hardware experience.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Capable of working independently and mentoring early-career engineers.

Be Part of Something Innovative

Over the past 25 years, the Space Exploration Sector at APL, has pushed the boundaries of what is possible; delivering game-changing impacts to sponsors like NASA and the Department of Defense. This includes historic, science space firsts like New Horizons reaching Pluto, Parker Solar Probe being the first to "touch" the sun, and the DART mission that redirected an asteroid for planetary defense. As a not-for-profit university affiliated research center, APL also delivered solutions to our nation's national security challenges, as proven with the recent Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept (DARC) Tech Demo, and acts as a trusted partner with the US Space Force in space domain awareness and space-integrated warfare.

APL teams are currently developing missions that will advance the search for life in the Solar System through programs such as Europa Clipper and Dragonfly, exploring the lunar and cislunar domains, and providing fundamental knowledge of our Sun's influence on the near-Earth environment through IMAP and other research and technology endeavors. To learn about these APL's mission and projects, and .

Why work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation's most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL's campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at .

APL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accommodations@jhuapl.edu. Only by ensuring that everyone's voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.