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Debug Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Nextage LLC

Electrical Engineer II

Columbia, MD

Cross-Functional Debugging: Work with firmware/RTL teams to troubleshoot hardware-level bugs in the ... S. in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) or Computer Engineering. * Experience: 5+ years in hardware ...

EndoSec LLC

FPGA Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site

$135K - $173K/yr

Utilize debugging tools and techniques to diagnose and resolve issues within FPGA designs and ... D.) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field - Knowledge of ...

AEVEX

Software Engineer 2

Washington, DC

$110K - $151K/yr

They have a strong understanding of programming languages, software development methodologies, and debugging techniques and contribute to the entire software development lifecycle, from initial ...

EndoSec LLC

FPGA Engineer

Herndon, VA

$133K - $171K/yr

S. Government Security Clearance FPGA Engineer The EndoSec FPGA Engineer is responsible for the ... Utilize debugging tools and techniques to diagnose and resolve issues within FPGA designs and ...

Beyond SOF

Application Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

The Application Engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining software applications to ... Conduct software testing and debugging. Stay updated on the latest software development ...

Beyond SOF

Application Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

The Application Engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining software applications to ... Conduct software testing and debugging. Stay updated on the latest software development ...

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All JobsDebug Engineer JobsDebug Engineer Jobs in Washington

Debug Engineer information

See Washington salary details

$44.2K

$115.2K

$155.7K

How much do debug engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for debug engineer in Washington is $115,244.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $95,100.00 and $131,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Debug Engineer vs Software Tester?

AspectDebug EngineerSoftware Tester
Primary FocusIdentifying and fixing bugs in software codeFinding bugs through testing and validation
Skills & CertificationsProgramming, debugging tools, problem-solvingTesting methodologies, QA tools, attention to detail
Work EnvironmentDevelopment teams, coding environmentsQA labs, testing environments
Industry UsageSoftware development, tech companiesSoftware quality assurance, testing firms

While both Debug Engineers and Software Testers work to improve software quality, Debug Engineers focus on diagnosing and fixing bugs within the code, often working closely with developers. Software Testers primarily execute tests to identify issues before release. Both roles require strong analytical skills, but Debug Engineers typically have more programming expertise, whereas Testers focus on testing strategies and tools.

What are some common challenges Debug Engineers face when troubleshooting complex hardware or software issues?

Debug Engineers often encounter challenges such as identifying the root cause of intermittent or hard-to-reproduce bugs, working with incomplete documentation, and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to resolve issues. They may need to balance multiple priorities while maintaining detailed records of their troubleshooting process. Effective communication with developers, quality assurance, and hardware teams is essential to ensure that findings are clearly understood and that solutions can be implemented efficiently.

What are Debug Engineers?

Debug Engineers are technical professionals responsible for identifying, analyzing, and resolving issues or defects in hardware or software systems. They use specialized tools and methodologies to diagnose problems, interpret error logs, and collaborate with development teams to implement fixes. Debug Engineers play a critical role in ensuring product quality and reliability by proactively finding and addressing bugs during the development and testing phases. Their expertise helps to minimize downtime and improve the user experience.

What does a debug engineer do?

A debug engineer is responsible for identifying, analyzing, and fixing software or hardware issues in products or systems. They use tools like debuggers and log analyzers, often working closely with development teams to improve system stability and performance. Strong problem-solving skills and knowledge of programming languages are essential for this role.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineers in fields such as software, data engineering, and specialized technical roles can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with experience, advanced skills, and stock options. High compensation often involves leadership responsibilities, working at large tech companies, or in high-demand industries like finance or cloud computing.

What skills are needed for debugging?

Debug engineers need strong problem-solving skills, proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Java, or Python, and experience with debugging tools like GDB, Visual Studio Debugger, or Chrome DevTools. They should also have a good understanding of software architecture, algorithms, and system operations to efficiently identify and resolve issues.

What is the salary of a debugger?

A Debug Engineer's salary typically ranges from $70,000 to $120,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and industry. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced professionals with specialized skills or certifications can earn higher salaries. Compensation often includes benefits such as health insurance and paid time off.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Debug Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Debug Engineer, you need strong analytical skills, a background in computer science or electrical engineering, and expertise in troubleshooting hardware and software issues. Familiarity with debugging tools such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG interfaces, and experience with programming languages like C/C++ are typically required. Attention to detail, effective communication, and perseverance are vital soft skills for diagnosing complex problems and collaborating with cross-functional teams. These skills ensure timely identification and resolution of technical issues, improving product reliability and accelerating development cycles.
What are popular job titles related to Debug Engineer jobs in Washington? For Debug Engineer jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Debug Engineer jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Debug Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Debug Engineer jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Debug Engineer job openings:
Debug Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Debug Engineer job openings in Washington as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 97% Full Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $115,244 per year, or $55.4 per hour.

Hardware Engineer - Munition System

Supplied Talent

Washington, DC • On-site

$139K - $184K/yr

Other

Posted 29 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Architect and design the main ElectroMechanical Safe and Arm Device (EMSAD) board and all auxiliary boards.

  • Lead schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout for mixed-signal, low-power, and RF-adjacent systems.

  • Build bringup benches, execute first-article validation, and document results.

Job description

Experience Level: MidSenior
Experience Required: 5 Years
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Job Function: Engineering
Industry: Defense & Space

Recruiter Note

Candidate must be comfortable completing an initial 1month onsite training period in Kearneysville, WV, after which they will relocate back to work from San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Washington, DC.

About the Project

Our client is developing a small, safetycritical kinetic munition deployed via an FPVclass airframe. At the core of the system is an ElectroMechanical Safe and Arm Device (EMSAD) responsible for compute, safety, and arming logic.
This role owns the entire electronics stack - from schematic architecture through PCB layout, bringup, validation, and qualification.

What You'll Do
  • EMSAD Architecture - Architect and design the main EMSAD board and all auxiliary boards.
  • Schematic & PCB Design - Lead schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout for mixedsignal, lowpower, and RFadjacent systems.
  • Safety Architecture - Define hardware safety architecture with redundant interlocks and failsafe defaults.
  • BringUp & Validation - Build bringup benches, execute firstarticle validation, and document results.
  • Firmware Collaboration - Work closely with firmware engineers on drivers, timing, and hardwaresoftware integration.
  • Environmental Qualification - Drive thermal, vibration, EMC, ESD, and droptest qualification.
  • Manufacturing Readiness - Own BOM management, DFM/DFT, and factory tester development.
  • Lab Debugging - Perform handson debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs, and soldering tools.
Required Qualifications
  • 5+ years of professional electronics design experience
  • Strong knowledge of lowpower MCUs, mixedsignal systems, power supplies, sensors, and RFadjacent layout
  • Expertise with PCB layout tools such as Altium, KiCad, or Cadence
  • Handson lab debugging experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs, and soldering tools
  • Experience debugging complex hardware issues including EMC, brownout, and edgecase failures
  • Strong written and verbal English communication
Nice to Have
  • Safetycritical hardware or failsafe design experience
  • Experience with S&A or fuzing electronics
  • Familiarity with MILSTD810 / MILSTD461 testing
  • FPV or smallUAV electronics experience
  • DFT experience for highmix, lowvolume manufacturing
How We Work

A small, fastmoving engineering team with weekly hardware iterations and constant prototyping. Engineers are expected to:

  • Drive electrical decisions
  • Document design choices clearly
  • Stand behind their work during qualification and field validation

If you want, I can also generate a screening rubric, technical interview scorecard, or a candidate submittal summarytailored to this role.
Choose one: screening rubric, interview scorecard, or candidate summary template.

Apply