Senior Digital Electrical Engineer
Acara Solutions, An Aleron Company · Billerica, MA
Apply & track with Apply EdgeAdditional locations are in Wilsonville, OR, and Orlando, FL. Design the boards behind imaging systems that see what most technology can't.Still writing HDL you don’t want to write? Buried in meetings instead of the lab? Stuck on legacy 4-layer boards when you’re ready for something harder?If you’re a senior digital hardware engineer who wants to spend your time actually designing — not managing, not sitting in status meetings, not writing firmware you were never hired to write — this one’s worth a look.The WorkYou’ll design the high-speed digital circuit boards inside some of the most advanced imaging systems in the defense and space industry — boards built from 10 to 20 stacked layers of fiberglass and copper, packed with AMD/Xilinx FPGAs (Artix, Kintex, UltraScale, Zynq), high-speed sensors, and the thermal and signal-integrity challenges that come with cramming serious compute into a tight, high-performance package.This is a hands-on, individual-contributor role — you’ll:Translate system requirements into real hardware designs, from schematic through layoutDesign and debug high-density interconnect (HDI) multilayer boards for high-resolution, high-speed imaging systemsBuild the board around the FPGA — no HDL required (though it’s a nice-to-have if you enjoy that side of things)Get your hands dirty in the lab: bring-up, debug, and integration on real prototypesRelease your designs into production and support the transition to manufacturingWork independently, with the autonomy to solve hard problems your own wayYou’ll collaborate with product management, software, mechanical, and systems engineering — but the bulk of your day is yours. Client interaction is minimal. There’s no travel. And no one’s asking you to manage people — just great hardware.Why This One's DifferentThe tech is the perk.You’ll be working on imaging systems most engineers only read about — genuinely advanced, genuinely interesting problems, on hardware that ships and matters.No clearance required.You get defense-industry stability and cutting-edge hardware, without the clearance process, the waiting, or the restrictions that usually come with it. (US citizenship is required, and sponsorship isn’t available — but if you’re already eligible, there’s no clearance hurdle standing between you and the work.)Real flexibility, real autonomy.Standard hours can flex around 7am to 5pm. It’s an onsite role with occasional remote days when you need them —Compensation that reflects the seniority of the work.$113,600–$151,400 based on experience, with room to go up to $165K for the right background. If you’re relocating, there’s a sign-on bonus of $5,000–$10,000 to help make the move.What You BringBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering5+ years of board design experience, including high-speed digital design5+ years designing boards around AMD/Xilinx FPGAs (Artix/Kintex 7, UltraScale, Zynq 7000/MPSoC)5+ years integrating and debugging systems in the labComfortable in Altium or Mentor Graphics PADS — either is fine, we’re not precious about itBonus points for HDI/multilayer board experience and knowledge of thermal constraints in tightly packed hardwareThe ProcessA quick 30-minute technical phone screen to start, followed by a panel interview — no endless rounds, no runaround.Ready to trade committee meetings for a soldering iron and legacy boards for HDI stacks?📩 Apply today or reach out directly to learn more.