Senior Performance Engineer Jobs in Alabama (NOW HIRING)

Performance Drone Works (PDW) is building the next generation of tactical robotic systems used across defense, national security, and public safety missions. We are building a new center of engineering excellence to design our new category of tactical robotic systems and the industrial capacity to deliver them, bringing decisive airpower into the hands of every operator. We are not here to make promises; we are here to deliver real systems with real capabilities for real missions. You will join a team of operators, engineers, and builders who solve hard problems with humility and focus. We design and produce multi-mission aerial systems that operators trust to perform in real-world conditions, reliably, repeatedly, and at scale. Our approach is grounded in operator-centered design, rapid iteration from field use, and U.S.-based manufacturing. Weoperateby a clear set of values: Mission First, Aim Farther, Own It, Win Together. This is how we build advantage and how we help protect our service members, our communities, and our country.

Now,we’reentering a new phase of growth and are looking for a skilled Senior Electrical Engineer, Manufacturing Test Systems to join our team, contributing to the next wave of system and tool development for our upcoming product lines.The successful candidate will play a pivotal role inassistingin architectural design, parts selection, validation test design, overseeing hardware and softwareNew Product Introductionenabling reliable, high-volume deployment forouradvanced sUAS systems.

• The ideal candidate will thrive working in an innovative and fast-paced environment, able toproblem-solve dynamically, deliverand sustainthoughtfully designed and highly adaptableandscalablesystems.
• Partner with Hardware and Manufacturing Engineering to architect, design, and deploy electrical test systems for PCBAs, wiring harnesses, and subsystem-level validation in both internal production and contract manufacturing (CM) environments.
• Own the full lifecycle of test fixtures, including design, fabrication, validation, deployment, maintenance, and continuous improvement.
• Developmanufacturing test specification requirements,testingcriteria, plans, and test fixtures for design verificationand validation byproductionandcontract manufacturing.
• Perform hardware design tasks such as architecture design,componentselection, schematic capture, schematic review, PCBA layout, PCBA layout review, and coordination of fabrication and assembly with contract manufacturers.
• Supportemplacement,qualification,usage, technicalsupportand repair of PCBA test fixturesfor Productionand contract manufacturers.
• Support facilitation of outside processes for PCBAmanufacturing processesincluding conformal coating and other forms of secondary processing.
• Support of PCBA part availability risk identification and mitigation, partobsolesceand piece-part riskpurchasingprogram with Procurement Team.
• Work directly with the Manufacturing Team on the validation of PCBA release packages,quoting withcontract manufacturers,identifyingpart substitutions, working withContractManufacturers on the quality program for those PCBAs and ensuring a stable PCBA manufacturing pipeline at theContractManufacturer level.
• Analyze production data to drive yield improvements,identifyfailure trends, and implement corrective actions to improve test system performance and reliability.
• Contribute to the development and scaling of internal hardware quality systems and test infrastructure as production volume increases.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives tooptimizetest systems for throughput, reliability, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

• Bachelor’sin Electrical Engineeringorrelated fieldand5+yearsofexperience designingelectrical testsystemsforproductioncontract manufacturing environments.
• Strong experience with electronic test hardware design, including embedded systems.
• Experience developing,releasingand implementingelectronictestsolutionsand processes including bed-of-nails, flying probe,and in-circuit test.
• Experience with microcontrollers and their bootstrapping processes (such as flashing via SWD, JTAG USB, or similar interfaces).
• Knowledge of common communication buses, such as I2C, USB, CAN, Serial, and SPI – along with their debugging and test procedures.
• Strong skills inelectrical CAD software (such as Altium Designer,CircuitStudio, Cadence,etc.)performing schematic capture and PCBA layout.
• Experience with MES/PLM systems and integrating those processes intoanelectronics manufacturingtestfixtures.
• Experience developing custom Altium jobs,draftsmanfabrication, anddraftsmanassembly documents.
• Must be eligible to obtain andmaintaina U.S. Secret security clearance or higher, asrequired.

• Experience withPLCs andindustrial communication control systems protocols (i.e.: OPC UA, SCADA) a plus.
• Soldering experience down to imperial 0402 components and fine pitch ICs.
• Experience with MIPI-CSI, MIPI-DSI, Gigabit Ethernet and other high-speed signals along with knowledge of implementation including controlled impedance, length matching, crosstalk isolation, and other signal integrity considerations.
• Candidates with experience in UAVaircrafts, robotics development, and/or hobby drones are highly preferred.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, climb, and move about regularly throughout the day and lift / carry up to 50 pounds. Must have manual dexterity tooperatestandard machineshop equipment as well as standard office equipment.

This position typicallyoperatesin a standard office and manufacturing environment. This role requires use of standard engineering and manufacturing equipment and may require occasional travel to customer locations or facilities. This position may have exposure to outdoor weather conditions, noise, and non-climate-controlled environments. May require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) depending on the environment. This is a fast-paced work environment and requirescross departmentalcollaboration with independent and team-based responsibilities. Standardworkshours for this position are 8:30am-5:00pm with occasional overtime as operational needs demand.

• PDW values our team, and we offer a compensation package reflective of your experience and capabilities. Benefits include:
• Comprehensive BCBS medical, dental, and vision coverage; 80% sponsored by the company.
• Safe Harbor 401(K) with company match.
• Employer provided life insurance.
• Robust Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• A work environment that encourages teamwork and innovation.
• Competitive salary, generous paid time off (PTO), and flexible leave options.

PDW is an equal opportunity employer that upholds all federal and state non-discrimination laws. We ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation for employment for all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, medical condition, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.