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Sr Design Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

We're looking for a Senior Design Engineer to help shape the next generation of our maritime domain awareness platform -- and to set the bar for design and frontend craft across the company. Spear AI ...

Core Responsibilities As a Senior FPGA Engineer, your core responsibilities are as follows: * Design high-speed FPGA RTL designs for satellite communication systems * Understand the hardware-based ...

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Senior Electrical Design Engineer

Fairfax, VA ยท On-site

$106.50K - $143.30K/yr

Production of working design documents based upon directives and established project design guidelines developed by senior engineers and project managers. b. Identification of plausible engineering ...

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Sr Design Engineer information

See Reston, VA salary details

$73.3K

$140K

$202.9K

How much do sr design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for sr design engineer in Reston, VA is $140,008.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $111,800.00 and $163,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as a Sr Design Engineer, you need a strong background in mechanical or electrical engineering, advanced problem-solving skills, and a relevant engineering degree, often with several years of industry experience. Expertise in CAD software (such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD), simulation tools, and familiarity with manufacturing processes are typically required, along with certifications like PE or Six Sigma being advantageous. Leadership, collaboration, and effective communication are vital soft skills for guiding teams and managing complex projects. These competencies are crucial to ensure innovative, reliable designs that meet technical requirements and project goals.

What are some common challenges faced by Sr Design Engineers, and how can they be addressed?

Sr Design Engineers often encounter challenges such as balancing innovative design solutions with cost and manufacturability constraints, managing multiple projects simultaneously, and ensuring effective communication across multidisciplinary teams. To address these challenges, it's important to stay current with industry tools and best practices, regularly collaborate with manufacturing and quality departments, and prioritize clear documentation. Developing strong project management and interpersonal skills can also help streamline workflow and reduce project bottlenecks.

What are Sr Design Engineers?

Sr Design Engineers are experienced professionals responsible for leading the design and development of products, systems, or components within an engineering team. They oversee the design process, ensuring projects meet technical specifications, regulatory standards, and budget constraints. Sr Design Engineers often mentor junior engineers, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and use advanced software tools for modeling and analysis. Their expertise helps drive innovation and ensures the successful delivery of complex engineering projects.

What is the difference between Sr Design Engineer vs Design Engineer?

AspectSr Design EngineerDesign Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering, 3+ years experience, possibly professional engineering licenseBachelor's degree in engineering or related field, entry to mid-level experience
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, R&D departments, manufacturing settingsDesign teams, project-based environments, product development
Employer & Industry UsageManufacturing, aerospace, automotive, electronicsSimilar industries, often as entry to mid-level roles

The main difference between a Sr Design Engineer and a Design Engineer lies in experience and responsibility. A Sr Design Engineer typically has more years of experience, takes on complex projects, and may mentor junior staff. In contrast, a Design Engineer is often in an earlier career stage, focusing on executing design tasks under supervision. Both roles are essential in product development, but the Sr Design Engineer plays a leadership role in design innovation and project management.

What are popular job titles related to Sr Design Engineer jobs in Reston, VA? For Sr Design Engineer jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Sr Design Engineer jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Sr Design Engineer jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Sr Design Engineer jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Sr Design Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Sr Design Engineer job openings in Reston, VA as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 19% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 70% Physical, 8% Hybrid, and 22% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $140,008 per year, or $67.3 per hour.
Wireless Communications Senior Design Engineer

Wireless Communications Senior Design Engineer

Maxtena Inc

Germantown, MD โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 3 hours ago


Job description

As a Wireless Communications Senior Design Engineer, you will be responsible for design, development, and optimization of advanced signal processing algorithms. Your work will include designing waveforms and signal detection/demodulation methods for RF communications systems and developing firmware for field-programmable gate array (FPGA) of wireless modem products based on Software Defined Radio (SDR) technologies.
The position is based in Germantown, MD.
YOUR WORK AT MAXTENA WILL INCLUDE:
  • Working with teams of software and hardware engineers to design custom RF communications systems for a Software Defined Radio
  • Designing and implementing waveform, signal detection, and feature extraction algorithms in firmware/software
  • Working at the physical layer to design waveforms and signal detection/demodulation methods that can be used in custom RF communications systems
  • Further Development of proven prototypes to a deployment standard
  • Building system solutions from algorithms by transitioning them from simulations to instantiations on FPGA platforms
  • Proposing verification methodologies and support the validation and testing of the implemented capabilities
  • Documenting the design, implementation, and test processes, and present the technical results to product teams and senior leadership
  • Development of Software/Firmware prototypes in an agile environment
  • Testing of solutions, including lab and field testing
  • Support demonstration of solutions

IDEAL CANDIDATE:
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen with an ability to obtain a Secret clearance
  • 5+ years of experience with wireless system modem implmentations
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent, Master's degrees prefered.
  • Lab integration / test / debug with Logic Analyzers, Spectrum Analyzers, Oscilloscopes
  • Knowledge of existing cellular, satellite or WiFI standards.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills including concise presentation skills

DESIRED EXPERIECE:
  • Demonstrated ability to design waveforms and use signal processing techniques for RF communication systems in real-world environments
  • Demonstrated experience with developing algorithms using scripting languages such as MATLAB
  • Demonstrated experience with FPGA implementation and testbench design with VHDL, Verilog, and SystemVerilog
  • Experience with baseband firmware and hardware component selection
  • Familiarity with Xilinx design process flow and tools (Vivado, Xilink SDK)
  • Experience with C, C++ and developing for embedded targets
  • Experience with software defined radio architectures and experience prototyping and testing communications systems using open source SDR tools such as GNU Rad

Maxtena is an Equal Opportunity Employer.