Senior PCB Designer

Company: Rocket EMS
Location: Santa Clara
Posted on: February 14, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Senior PCB Designer Rocket EMS About the Role Rocket EMS is seeking a Senior PCB Designer to lead and execute complex printed circuit board designs across a wide range of electronic products, from commercial and industrial assemblies to high-reliability Class 3 aerospace and mission-critical hardware . This role is deeply design-focused and requires strong technical judgment, hands-on layout expertise, and close collaboration with electrical engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams. The Senior PCB Designer will be responsible for translating electrical requirements into robust, manufacturable PCB designs that meet electrical performance, reliability, and compliance standards across all IPC classes. Key ResponsibilitiesPCB Design & Layout Design complex multi-layer PCBs (analog, digital, mixed-signal, RF, and power) from schematic through released fabrication data. Execute high-density layouts including fine-pitch BGAs, QFNs, high-speed interfaces, controlled impedance routing, and power integrity design . Apply IPC-2221/2222, IPC-7351, and IPC-6012 design standards with specific emphasis on Class 3 requirements . Perform stack-up definition, trace impedance calculations, length matching, differential pair routing, and EMI/EMC mitigation techniques. Ensure designs meet thermal, mechanical, and environmental constraints. Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (DFM/DFA) Collaborate closely with Rocket EMS manufacturing teams to ensure designs are optimized for SMT, through-hole, rework, inspection, and test . Apply DFM/DFA best practices to reduce defects, rework, and cycle time while maintaining design intent. Support NPI builds , addressing layout-related issues identified during prototype and production ramp. Participate in design reviews with engineering, quality, and operations stakeholders. Documentation & Release Generate complete PCB fabrication and assembly packages including Gerbers, ODB, drill files, pick-and-place data, stack-ups, impedance tables, and fabrication notes. Maintain strong revision control and configuration management for all design files. Support engineering change orders (ECOs) and root-cause analysis for design-related issues. Cross-Functional Collaboration Work directly with electrical engineers to refine schematics, component selection, and layout constraints. Interface with mechanical engineering to ensure proper board-to-enclosure integration. Support quality investigations, FA, and customer feedback related to PCB design. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering Technology, or equivalent practical experience. 8 years of PCB design experience , including complex, high-density boards. Demonstrated experience designing to IPC Class 1, 2, and Class 3 standards. Proficiency with industry-standard PCB design tools (Altium Designer preferred; Cadence/OrCAD, Mentor, or equivalent acceptable). Strong understanding of signal integrity, power integrity, EMI/EMC, and thermal considerations. Experience working in regulated or high-reliability industries (aerospace, defense, medical, industrial controls). Preferred Qualifications Experience supporting aerospace or mission-critical electronics . Familiarity with IPC-A-610 and IPC-J-STD-001 requirements from a design perspective. Hands-on exposure to manufacturing environments (EMS or in-house production). Ability to mentor junior designers and contribute to design standards and best practices. Experience supporting design audits, customer design reviews, or qualification builds. What Success Looks Like PCB designs that move smoothly from prototype to production with minimal rework. Strong alignment between design intent and manufacturing execution. Clear, complete, and well-controlled design documentation. Trusted technical partner to engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams.

Keywords: Rocket EMS, Merced , Senior PCB Designer, Engineering , Santa Clara, California