Description Location: Lenexa, KS (Onsite). Relocation assistance may be available.
About the role As a Board Designer, you'll design and develop advanced embedded hardware that powers next-generation avionics and autonomous aerospace systems. You'll play a key role in delivering complex electronic designs from concept through production and are expected to work independently with minimal technical training or mentorship.
Strong hands-on Altium Designer experience is required, including component library management, schematic capture, and PCB layout.
GuideTech is a subsidiary of Palladyne AI (NASDAQ: PDYN), a U.S.-based defense and industrial technology company that delivers embodied AI-powered collaborative autonomy solutions, advanced avionics, precision-manufactured components, UAVs, and advanced aerospace design services.
At GuideTech, you'll contribute to technologies that support a diverse range of aerospace and defense platforms, including unmanned aircraft, launch vehicles, spacecraft, missiles, and other autonomous systems.
What You'll Do
- Design and develop complex multilayer PCBAs/CCAs for advanced UAV, aerospace, and AI platforms.
- Use Altium Designer to manage component libraries, create schematics, perform PCB placement/routing, define layer stacks and design rules, and prepare designs for release.
- Independently lead board designs from concept through production.
- Design embedded hardware systems with a focus on performance, reliability, manufacturability, and testability high-speed, mixed-signal, power, and embedded hardware systems.
- Work with FPGA-based systems, including hardware integration, timing constraints, debugging, and system validation Zynq/Vivado-based hardware integration, debugging, and validation.
- Collaborate closely with hardware, FPGA, embedded software, mechanical, systems, and manufacturing engineers.
- Support production test methodologies and functional testing.
- Perform failure analysis, root-cause investigations, and yield improvement activities.
- Manage engineering change notices (ECNs), product revisions, and hardware lifecycle documentation.
- Support the transition from prototype to production, including fabrication and assembly documentation, impedance requirements, BOMs, and production test planning.
- Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Test (DFT) best practices throughout development.
- Support board bring-up, debugging, and signal analysis using lab instrume
Requirements
- Professional experience using Altium Designer for all three of the following: Component library management, including schematic symbols and PCB footprints, schematic capture, PCB layout.
- Proven experience independently designing and releasing complex multilayer PCBAs/CCAs into volume production.
- Strong experience with high-speed, mixed-signal, power, and embedded hardware systems.
- Deep understanding of Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Test (DFT), manufacturing processes, and production test strategies.
- Experience working directly with PCB fabrication vendors, contract manufacturers, and fabrication/assembly documentation.
- Experience with failure analysis, root-cause investigation, and yield improvement board revisions and yield improvement.
- Experience with FPGA SoCs (such as Zynq), Vivado, hardware integration, simulation, and on-chip debugging and debugging.
- Experience with high-speed interfaces such as SPI, I2C, CAN, USB, MIPI, or DDR.
- Strong board bring-up, debugging, signal analysis, and laboratory instrumentation experience.
- Familiarity with Experience with power design and embedded system integration.
- Ability to work independently with minimal technical training or oversight.
Preferred Qualifications
- Power electronics, motor control, camera systems, or high-performance compute hardware experience.
- RTL/VHDL experience.
- Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or automated test experience.
- UAV, robotics, aerospace, avionics, or defense hardware experience.
- Familiarity with IPC or aerospace/avionics standards.
Benefits & Perks
- Competitive salary
- 401(k) with company match
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Paid time off and company holiday holidays
- Professional development opportunities
Work Authorization & Clearance Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The Company does may not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future. Depending on the nature of the work, the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance may be required. Candidates may be asked to provide additional information relevant to clearance eligibility in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
The Fine Print No third-party candidates will be accepted. GuideTech is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.