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Freelance Physical Design Engineer Jobs in Decatur, AL

Create and review Mechanical CAD drawings and component layout designs * Create, review, and ... Physical Requirements The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be ...

Senior Controls Engineer

Decatur, AL · On-site

$86K - $114K/yr

The Senior Control Systems Engineer position oversees and performs the design, programming ... Experience with vision systems Physical Demands The physical demands described here are ...

Senior Controls Engineer

Decatur, AL · On-site

$86K - $114K/yr

The Senior Control Systems Engineer position oversees and performs the design, programming ... Experience with vision systems Physical Demands The physical demands described here are ...

Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$89K - $122K/yr

Engineer - Manufacturing Sr (L4) About the Role Blue Origin is seeking a Senior Manufacturing ... physical and materials-level causes Design for Manufacturability (DFM/DFx) * Provide assertive ...

Engineer - Manufacturing Sr (L4) About the Role Blue Origin is seeking a Senior Manufacturing ... physical and materials-level causes Design for Manufacturability (DFM/DFx) * Provide assertive ...

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Showing results 1-20

Freelance Physical Design Engineer information

See Decatur, AL salary details

$13

$44

$123

How much do freelance physical design engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for freelance physical design engineer in Decatur, AL is $44.72, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $22.74 and $57.93 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Freelance Physical Design Engineer vs Full-Time Physical Design Engineer?

AspectFreelance Physical Design EngineerFull-Time Physical Design Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires a relevant degree and industry experience; certifications are optionalRequires a degree and often certifications or ongoing training
Work EnvironmentIndependent, project-based, remote or on-siteCompany office or dedicated team environment
Employer & Industry UsageHired by multiple clients across various companies; flexible engagementsEmployed by a single company; stable employment
Work ScopeSpecific projects, often short-termOngoing responsibilities within a team or department

The main difference between a Freelance Physical Design Engineer and a Full-Time Physical Design Engineer lies in employment type, work environment, and project scope. Freelancers work independently on short-term projects for multiple clients, offering flexibility. Full-time engineers are employed by a single company, focusing on continuous, long-term responsibilities within a team.

What are Freelance Physical Design Engineers?

Freelance Physical Design Engineers are specialized professionals who work independently, often on a contract basis, to design and implement the physical layout of integrated circuits (ICs) and chips. They are responsible for taking a digital circuit design and transforming it into a manufacturable physical layout, which includes tasks such as floorplanning, placement, routing, timing analysis, and verification. These engineers typically use electronic design automation (EDA) tools and collaborate remotely with semiconductor companies, startups, or design teams. Freelance Physical Design Engineers offer flexibility and specialized expertise for projects without requiring long-term employment commitments.

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

To thrive as a Freelance Physical Design Engineer, you need expertise in ASIC/FPGA physical design, knowledge of VLSI concepts, and a degree in electrical or electronics engineering. Familiarity with EDA tools such as Cadence, Synopsys, or Mentor Graphics, and experience with scripting languages like TCL or Python are typically required. Strong problem-solving, communication, and time management skills help freelancers efficiently collaborate with clients and meet project deadlines. These skills and qualities are vital for delivering high-quality chip designs and succeeding in a competitive, project-based environment.

What are some common challenges faced by freelance physical design engineers, and how can they be addressed?

Freelance physical design engineers often encounter challenges such as limited access to advanced EDA tools, variable project scopes, and the need to quickly adapt to different clients' design methodologies. To address these, it’s important to invest in personal tool licenses or partner with clients who provide access, maintain a strong network to secure consistent projects, and stay updated on industry trends and technologies. Effective communication and documentation also help ensure alignment with client expectations and avoid misunderstandings during the project lifecycle.
Product Engineer - NGCM

Product Engineer - NGCM

AeroVironment

Huntsville, AL

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Posted 18 days ago


Job description

Worker Type

Regular


Job Description

Summary
As a Product Engineer at AV, you will sustain engineering support for UAV and missile systems for military and commercial applications. This includes design modifications of structural components, electro-mechanical assemblies, payloads, ground equipment, launching systems, flight control actuators, prototype hardware development, performing design verification testing, and configuration management of
products.


Position Responsibilities

  • Sustains engineering support related to a product line.
  • Manages product line configuration and change orders in Agile PLM system.
  • Understands product design and features, to be familiar with the manufacturing process. Understands customer performance and configuration requirements for product.
  • Acts as a technical point of contact for ongoing support and change initiation, including managing manufacturing and customer issues escalated to engineering.
  • Assists in proposal & report writing, review of contracts for production orders.
  • Helps coordinate the transition for new products and product variants into production.
  • Coordinates the release and update of engineering design documentation, operator manuals, bill of materials, manufacturing procedures, product acceptance test procedures, and production tooling and test equipment.
  • Coordinates development, testing and release of product improvements and variants in cooperation with product line manager, design engineers and project managers.
  • Provides component obsolescence management for the product line.
  • Provides customer support for failure analysis, field bulletin technical content, general product information.
  • Works with suppliers, purchasing and planning to ensure resolution of technical issues that impact production.
  • Develops & maintains manufacturing drawings and bills of materials for components and assemblies using industry drafting standards, supporting design reviews, assisting project managers with the planning and scheduling of engineering work, and supporting manufacturing & suppliers with the production of mechanical components & assemblies.
  • Other duties as assigned.


Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

  • Bachelor's Degree in a related field of study is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
  • Lean Six Sigma experience or Green Belt certification.
  • 2 - 5 years of related experience in a similar role, including experience in an engineering design. environment, including support of products in production.
  • Experience with unmanned air vehicles a plus RF, digital, and communications electronics design Electronics manufacturing troubleshooting PCB layout, schematics and assembly's Design/drafting/CAD (Altium), including ASME Y14 drawing standards.
  • Ability to solve basic structural dynamics problems.
  • Strong understanding of configuration management principles.
  • Understand General Engineering fundamentals, mathematics, physics, material properties, electronics, systems, software.
  • Understand requirements for building of production assemblies, including documentation for use on production floor.
  • Demonstrated ability to integrate across technical disciplines and organizations, including program management, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, suppliers and customers.
  • Demonstrated familiarity with office software and computer based productivity tools.
  • US Citizenship and ability to obtain a government clearance.


Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

  • Agile PLM data management system product configuration management standards (MILHDBK- 61A, EIA-649-B).
  • Exercises judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action. Contributes to meeting project cost and schedule.
  • Applies company policies and procedures to resolve a variety of issues. Typically performs multiple tasks on one project. Completes tasks within schedule and budget.
  • Works on problems of moderate scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of a variety of factors.
  • Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties.
  • Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives.
  • Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products.
  • Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company.
  • Demonstrates effective problem-solving, analytical, interpersonal and strong communication skills.
  • Consistently demonstrates teamwork, collaboration and puts the success of the team above one's own interests.
  • Active Secret clearance.

Physical Demands

  • Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant)
  • Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)
  • Requires frequent travel to support working with suppliers, resolving product issues, participating in system tests, and supporting customers



Clearance Level

Secret

The salary range for this role is:

$74,500 - $113,500

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement:

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations ("ITAR") and/or the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR"). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment's determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment's business requirements. A "U.S. person" according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.

About AV:

AV isn't for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don't just build defense technology-we redefine what's possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian-but we're not building history, we're building what's next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters-with speed, scale, and purpose-there's no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data,sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizenship required