Senior Electrical Engineer

Senior Electrical Engineer | Hybrid in Sterling, VA | Pay: $75 - $90/hr | 12-month contract-to-hire

Job Description

This Senior Electrical Engineer role focuses on architecting and designing custom power supplies for advanced hardware systems as they transition from rapid prototype to manufacturable, production-ready platforms. You will take full ownership of complex power electronics designs, re-architecting externally packaged and COTS-based solutions into tightly integrated, in-house electrical systems. The work directly supports international defense and security applications, emphasizing high performance, reliability, and manufacturability in fast-moving, execution-driven programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, and development of custom power electronics solutions that support advanced electronic systems.
• Design AC-to-DC and DC-to-DC power conversion architectures, including high-power and high-efficiency solutions for demanding applications.
• Own end-to-end power supply development, including topology selection, component selection, schematic capture, simulation, testing, and validation.
• Develop power architectures that support high-current, low-voltage digital systems and FPGA-based designs.
• Design and analyze power integrity solutions for mixed-signal, digital, and embedded hardware platforms.
• Support full PCB development efforts, including schematic capture, board bring-up, debugging, and system integration.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams working on digital hardware, FPGA, RF, and system-level designs to ensure cohesive system performance.
• Troubleshoot and optimize power systems for efficiency, thermal performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Support prototype development and guide the transition of products into manufacturing environments.
• Contribute as a technical expert across the broader hardware organization while maintaining primary ownership of power electronics initiatives.
• Help evolve rapid prototype systems into ruggedized, production-ready solutions suitable for defense and security use cases.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field.
• 15+ years of hands-on electrical engineering experience.
• Proven experience owning custom electrical designs from concept through production.
• Extensive experience with full ownership of schematic design for complex digital, power, and mixed-signal boards.
• Strong experience with FPGA-based systems, ideally with Xilinx architectures.
• Deep understanding of PCB stack-ups, signal integrity, and power integrity for high-speed digital systems.
• Power electronics expertise, including buck, boost, and LDO regulators.
• Experience with power integrity for high-speed digital systems and AC-to-DC power conversion with wide-range inputs and high-power outputs (for example, around 28 V and multi-kilowatt levels).
• Working knowledge of EMI/EMC standards and practical mitigation techniques.
• Ability to take full ownership of projects and drive them independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong skills in digital design, power design, and mixed-signal board design, including PCB-level implementation.
• Experience with schematic capture tools and board-level debugging and bring-up.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with digital, FPGA, RF, and system engineering teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience designing systems where digital electronics interface with RF components.
• Background in designing for regulated, ruggedized, or production environments.
• Experience in defense, aerospace, ISR, sensors, satellite communications, or advanced R&D organizations.
• Prior work in environments where rapid prototypes are matured into manufactured systems.
• Experience with high-reliability electronics, custom power architectures, or mission-critical hardware.
• Familiarity with high-speed digital design and power integrity considerations for dense, complex boards.
• Experience working within highly technical, execution-driven engineering cultures.
• Motivation to contribute to cutting-edge counter-unmanned aircraft systems (cUAS) that support military and state/local law enforcement operations.
• Interest in developing technology that supports large-scale security efforts, including major international events and complex operational environments.

Work Environment

During the contracting phase, this role offers remote work flexibility, with periodic travel to the Washington, DC area for a few days every one to two months. Upon conversion to a permanent position, the role transitions to a full-time, on-site presence in the DC area, with relocation support provided. You will work in a highly technical, fast-paced environment focused on advancing cutting-edge cUAS hardware for defense and public safety applications. The culture emphasizes hands-on engineering, ownership of complex systems, and close collaboration among digital, FPGA, RF, and system-level teams to deliver reliable, production-ready hardware.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Sterling, VA.

The pay range for this position is $75.00 - $90.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Sterling, VA.

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 2, 2026.

This is a hybrid position in Sterling,VA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.