Principal Electronics Engineer
Alten Technology · Carson, California ·
- Seniority
- Principal
- Employment
- Contract
- Category
- Hardware
- Visa sponsorship
- Yes
- Company size
- 1000+
- Salary
- USD 130,000 – 145,000 / year
Principal Electronics Engineer designs and leads PCB layouts for power electronics like EV chargers and motor drives, ensuring manufacturability and reliability from prototype to field deployment.
We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.
As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.
When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.
Position Summary
ONSITE in Carson, CA
We is seeking a Principal Electronics Engineer to lead PCB design and development for power electronics applications. This is a hands-on principal-level role for an engineer who has previously held an equivalent position and is ready to take ownership of the full electrical design lifecycle — from schematic and PCB layout through contract manufacturing, production support, and in-service root cause investigation. The successful candidate will serve as the technical authority on all design aspects of the PCB, working cross-functionally to ensure designs are robust, manufacturable, and field-reliable.
Key Responsibilities
- Own and secure all design aspects of PCB-based power electronics assemblies, acting as the principal technical authority throughout the design lifecycle.
- Lead and contribute directly to PCB layout activities, including component placement, power/signal routing, thermal management, and layout for high-current and high-frequency power stages.
- Apply hands-on PCB layout expertise to motor drive and power conversion applications such as EV chargers and other power electronics systems.
- Analyze design and PCB-level issues identified during bring-up, test, and validation, driving corrective actions from root cause to resolution.
- Partner with Contract Manufacturing (CM) partners and PCB fabrication houses (PCB House) throughout prototyping, NPI, and volume production.
- Lead root cause investigations for issues arising in production and in the field (in-service), coordinating with quality, manufacturing, and field support teams.
- Support design reviews, DFM/DFT assessments, and manufacturability improvements in collaboration with CM and PCB fabrication partners.
- Provide technical mentorship and design guidance to junior and mid-level electrical/PCB engineers.
- Collaborate with systems, mechanical, and software engineering teams to ensure integrated product performance and reliability.
- Document design decisions, test results, and root cause findings to support program reviews and continuous improvement.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field.
- Prior experience in a Principal (or equivalent senior) Electronics Engineer role, with demonstrated ownership of PCB design programs.
- Direct, hands-on experience with PCB layout and the ability to analyze and troubleshoot design issues on actual PCBs.
- Experience with Contract Manufacturing (CM) engagement, including working directly with PCB houses/fabricators.
- Demonstrated experience conducting root cause investigations for issues found in production and in-service (field) environments.
- Strong understanding of power electronics design principles, including power stage layout, thermal considerations, and EMI/EMC best practices.
Preferred Qualifications
- PCB development experience specifically within power electronics and motor drive applications.
- Experience with EV chargers or similar power conversion/power electronics products.
- Familiarity with high-power/high-current PCB layout techniques and associated thermal and safety design considerations.
Salary Range: $130,000-$145,000/K
The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.
Please beware of job seeker scams and see this important notice on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process.
Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.