Principal Hardware Engineer (Defense/VPX)

Location: Remote - USA; US citizenship required

Salary: $144,100–$190,000 per year plus bonus; the range is a general guideline for a position based in New Hampshire.

Company

hirify.global Defense Solutions develops products and services for demanding air, ground, and naval defense applications, including modular open systems and communication systems.

What you will do

• Lead the design and development of 3U and 6U VPX single-board computers, FPGA, switch, and I/O cards supporting data rates up to 400 GHz.
• Design custom form-factor systems incorporating boards, power supplies, and thermal management, including Liquid-Flow-Through methods.
• Collaborate with engineering, project management, test, operations, business development, program managers, and customers to translate requirements into practical system and functional designs.
• Assess technical and economic feasibility, act as a team or project lead, and provide technical leadership and mentoring.
• Direct tests for new or modified equipment, systems, and processes while improving performance, reliability, and time-to-market.
• Develop and maintain technical procedures, documentation, and manuals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering required; a Master’s degree is preferred.
• At least 15 years of experience in DoD embedded systems and hardware design, including SBC, FPGA, switch, and I/O cards up to 100 GHz; 20 or more years preferred.
• Extensive experience designing mixed-signal, high-speed digital, analog, and low-power, high-current circuits in high-reliability environments.
• Experience designing high-density interconnect PCBs with 26 or more layers, multilamination, blind and buried vias, and uVia structures.
• Hands-on experience with Siemens Expedition DX Designer for schematics and Siemens Expedition PCB tools.
• US citizenship is required; an active DoD security clearance is preferred.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, drive results, and work in high-pressure, schedule-driven environments.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, communication, and complex-design architecture skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Culture & Benefits

• Work in small, highly integrated, multidisciplinary teams supporting demanding customer requirements.
• Paid time off, 401(k) with employer match and profit sharing, and health and wellness benefits.
• Learning and development opportunities, referral program, competitive pay, recognition, and employee stock purchase plan.
• Inclusive and supportive culture.
• The position may involve exposure to export-controlled information and additional security screening; an offer may be reconsidered or withdrawn if access eligibility is not met.

Hiring process

• Unsolicited agency submissions are not accepted; agency partners must be invited by Talent Acquisition and have signed terms before submitting candidates.
• Accommodation is available during the recruitment and assessment process upon request.