Principal PCB Design Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Join a team where your impact reaches beyond the stars! At Terran Orbital, you're not just part of the system – you're a vital force propelling our mission forward. As trailblazers in satellite manufacturing and aerospace innovation, we shatter boundaries daily to deliver groundbreaking solutions that power our nation's defense and commercial missions. We are a unique, fast growing, and trusted team dedicated to swiftly and efficiently designing, building, launching, and operating state of the art satellites for advanced mission constellations. If you're driven by purpose, inspired by challenges, and ready to leave your mark on the universe, you'll find a home and endless opportunities for growth here. Together, let's redefine what is possible in orbit and beyond!

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Principal PCB Design Engineer  to join our dynamic team. Reporting to the Manager, PCB Design, the Principal PCB Design Engineer will lead complex board‑level design efforts, drive best practices, and help shape the long‑term technical direction of the team. This role is critical to supporting current program needs while also providing future leadership capability as the organization evolves. Candidates with experience in aerospace or space‑qualified electronics will be highly preferred.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical SME for PCB design, guiding architecture, layout strategies, component selection, stackups, routing constraints, and overall design integrity.
• Lead the design and execution of complex, high‑density, mixed‑signal, RF, and power electronics circuit boards used in space and aerospace applications.
• Collaborate closely with Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, and Reliability teams to ensure designs meet performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule targets.
• Drive design reviews, including schematic, layout, DFM, DFA, and signal/power integrity assessments.
• Develop and enforce PCB design standards, workflows, libraries, and best practices across the team.
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and day‑to‑day technical support to junior and mid‑level PCB designers.
• Partner with leadership to refine long‑term organizational structure, capabilities, and staffing as the PCB team grows.
• Manage vendor interactions related to fabrication and assembly, including stackup development, build notes, and manufacturing constraints.
• Support failure analysis, root cause investigations, and corrective actions on PCB‑related issues.
• Maintain strong documentation discipline to support flight hardware traceability and audit requirements.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or related technical field.
• 12+ years of experience in PCB design, including ownership of complex, multi‑layer, high‑reliability board designs.
• Deep proficiency with industry‑standard ECAD tools (Altium Designer preferred).
• Demonstrated expertise in high‑speed digital design, power distribution design, RF considerations, and signal/power integrity principles.
• Experience driving PCB designs from concept through fabrication, assembly, validation, and release to production.
• Strong understanding of DFM/DFA principles and working with PCB fabrication and assembly vendors.
• Ability to lead technical decision‑making, mentor others, and influence cross‑functional design outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills and comfort presenting technical content to engineering leadership.
• Must be a U.S. Person or lawful permanent resident to comply with U.S. government space technology export regulations.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Experience designing electronics for space or aerospace environments (radiation considerations, thermal constraints, reliability requirements, derating standards, etc.).
• Experience with IPC standards (IPC‑2221/2222, IPC‑6012, etc.).
• Familiarity with ECSS, NASA, or MIL standards related to electronic hardware.
• Experience developing or managing PCB libraries and design processes.
• Prior experience providing informal leadership or mentorship within an engineering team.

Your actual level and base salary will be determined case-by-case and may vary based on the job-related qualification, knowledge, skills, education, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer 100% covered medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) match, Flexible Time Off (FTO), covered life insurance, maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, employee referrals, and lots of swag! 

Salary Range

$170,000—$210,000 USD

Full-time positions only:

Benefits

• 100% Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) Match
• Flexible Time Off (FTO)
• Education Reimbursement
• Competitive Paid Parental Leave

About Terran Orbital 

Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of satellite products primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital provides end-to-end satellite solutions by combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and on-orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil, and commercial customers. Learn more at 

Physical Demands

An employee must meet the physical demands described to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. In performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely required to sit or stand for long durations of time, in addition to bending, reaching, and walking. This would require the ability to lift or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects up to 25 pounds. This position is generally sedentary, with substantial computer usage.

Work Environment

The job operates in a professional office environment but in a manufacturing company. This job routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and scanners.

Disclaimers

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. In addition, please note that this position may require a current United States National Security clearance or eligibility for such a clearance.

Terran Orbital is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at View email address on ziprecruiter.com.

Terran Orbital does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with Terran Orbital, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) must be executed and confirmed prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed MSA, Terran Orbital shall not be responsible to any individual or entity for any payment relating to any form of fee or compensation.

And, in the event that a resume or candidate is submitted by a recruiter, an employment agency, or a staffing firm without a fully executed MSA, Terran Orbital has the unrestricted right to pursue and hire any of those candidate(s) without any legal or financial responsibility to the recruiter, agency, and/or firm.