Electronics Engineering M

Electronics Engineer, IS-0855-14
Application Deadline: 8 May 2026

Employment Type: Full Time

Central Engineering

This position requires access to export-controlled work. S. person (citizen, permanent resident, or national of a country eligible for approval under an export license).

They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Maintain a bank account for direct deposit/electronic transfer.

Introduction: The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is at the forefront, internationally, of the scientific exploration of the universe. Its programs range from ground-based astronomy and astrophysics research to space-based research, the engineering and development of major scientific instrumentation for space launch and use in large ground-based facilities, and research designed to improve science education. Government funds are in the form of federal appropriations or the form of contracts and grants from other agencies. In contrast, institution funds are available to SAO through grants from the institution’s Restricted Funds, Special Purpose Funds, Bureau Activities, Business Activities, and non-Federal contracts and grants.

Summary: The purpose of the position is to provide expert-level electronics and electrical systems engineering support in the development of advanced instrumentation for ground-based and space-based astrophysical and astronomical data collection on various Central Engineering-supported projects.

Applies broad knowledge of state-of-the-art to conceive, plan, and execute complex and varied assignments in the electrical engineering required to develop cutting-edge instrumentation for astrophysical and astronomical data collection; as well as for its associated test, calibration, and other ground-support equipment.

• a) Conceives, designs, and oversees development of complex state-of-the-art electrical/electronics systems, subsystems, modules, and components. Provides expert technical consultation to CfA scientists and other engineering staff in instrument electrical design.
• b) Translates scientific objectives into achievable hardware that exploits or extends state-of-the-art, advances current technology, and works with scientific investigators to establish the electrical/electronics requirements of new projects. Analyzes scientific data collection requirements, translates these requirements into instrument performance characteristics, and develops instrument concepts and preliminary systems diagrams.
• c) Performs critical trade-off analyses of various design implementations. Makes and documents recommendations for optimum methods considering both known and anticipated operating environments.
• d) Evaluates manufacturers’ performance capability data for discrete, hybrid, and integrated circuitry, components, and systems. Incorporates analysis results into design decisions.
• f) Extensively documents work in technical memoranda, reports, test plans, procedures, and presentations.

Defends proposals to funding agency and/or scientific peer review panels in support of the principal investigator. Troubleshoots and analyzes complex technical problems encountered on CE projects, identifies and recommends solutions, and oversees their implementation.

From conceptual design through project completion, provides leadership in design and analysis and documentation. Maintains a technical overview of the project in process, and has ultimate responsibility for the design and test integrity of the contract or project end item. Prepares cost estimates, schedules, plans, technical reports, and engineering input to project proposals; supervises engineers, designers, and technicians assigned to the project; and maintains engineering budgets and schedules. Provides technical leadership and direction to, and liaison with, hardware contractors and sub-contractors as required.

Investigates, selects, justifies, and oversees procurement of critical electrical, electro-optical, and servo-mechanical components used in astrophysical instrumentation and its development.

Makes both oral and written presentations to project scientists and technical representatives of contracting agencies and cooperating or affiliated organizations: either singly or in collaboration with project scientists and other engineers, may write technical papers recording innovative design techniques and criteria, and present papers to technical symposia in the specialty field.

Travels, both domestically and internationally, to telescope sites, vendor facilities, NASA centers, and the facilities of other associated organizations in support of proposal, design, calibration, test, integration, and mission operations activities.

Basic Requirements: Degree: Professional Engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR a combination of education and experience—college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. OR a Bachelor's degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.

Specialized experience for this position would include architecting system-level electrical designs using both commercial and custom electronics, leading the electrical engineering effort, supporting project design reviews, and participating in reviews of other projects.

Mastery of advanced concepts, principles and practices of electronics engineering, in order to investigate, design, and provide consultative services to the development of an entire range of electronics for ground based and space-borne instrumentation for astrophysical data collection, as well as its associated test, calibration and ground support equipment. This will be evidenced by significant professional experience in overall systems design including electrical systems design and analysis, system resource and error budgeting, documentation, proposal preparation, sophisticated computer modeling and fabrication and test activities pertaining to the development of state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation.

Ability to apply advanced principles and practices of electronics engineering to the development and application of experimental theories, and emerging technology to the solution of complex instrument design problems.

Extensive experience with electrical schematic and board layout CAD/CAM tools.

Experience with the development of FPGA based digital and analog signal processing systems.

Working knowledge of related engineering fields such as thermal, mechanical, optical and/or structural in order to resolve design and instrument packaging problems.

Skill in project leadership and the ability to provide technical direction in design, fabrication, assembly, and test activities to members of a diverse engineering and scientific team. Ability to generate realistic project budgets and schedules and support multiple projects simultaneously.

Strong oral and written communications skills, including the ability to serve as a technical spokesperson for SAO in areas related to the electronics of advanced instrumentation. Experience with proposal writing.

This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Please visit the SAO website at

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