Lead Design Engineer FPGA-Embedded

Project / Technical Program Leader
Naperville, IL (onsite)
Perm Role

Client is seeking an experienced Project / Technical Program Leader to drive complex electronic hardware development programs from concept through production. This role combines technical leadership, customer engagement, and cross-functional program management to support military, aerospace, defense, industrial, and medical electronics customers.
The ideal candidate has a strong background in PCBA/electronic product development and can effectively coordinate engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and customer stakeholders to deliver high-reliability products on schedule and within budget.
This position directly supports the growth and technical development of less experienced Engineers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex electronic hardware and PCBA development programs from proposal through production release
• Serve as the primary technical and program interface with customers and internal stakeholders
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering activities including:
  • Analog and digital circuit design
  • RF and mixed-signal development
  • Embedded firmware/software integration
  • Mechanical and thermal design
  • Manufacturing and test engineering
• Manage project schedules, budgets, technical risks, and resource planning
• Drive engineering design reviews, requirements tracking, and verification activities
• Support DFM/DFA, producibility, and affordability initiatives throughout product development
• Coordinate prototype builds, validation testing, qualification, and transition to manufacturing
• Work closely with supply chain and manufacturing teams to resolve technical and production issues
• Support customer meetings, technical presentations, proposals, and business development activities
• Ensure compliance with applicable quality, regulatory, and industry standards
• Mentor junior engineers and support continuous improvement of engineering processes
• Support highly regulated and high-reliability applications including hermetic, RF, and advanced substrate technologies when required

• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical field
• 8+ years of experience in electronic hardware development, program management, or technical leadership
• Experience managing complex PCBA or electronic system development programs
• Strong understanding of electronic design processes and product lifecycle management
• Experience coordinating cross-functional engineering teams
• Customer-facing experience with strong communication and presentation skills
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with schedule management, risk mitigation, and technical issue resolution
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes, PCB fabrication, and electronic assembly
• Strong organizational and leadership skills

• Experience supporting military, aerospace, defense, industrial, or medical electronics programs
• Background in RF, mixed-signal, or high-speed digital systems
• Experience with advanced materials and technologies including:
  • Rogers / Duroid materials
  • LTCC
  • High-reliability or hermetically sealed electronics
• Familiarity with IPC, MIL-STD, AS9100, or ISO13485 environments
• PMP certification or equivalent program management training
• Experience with New Product Introduction (NPI) and production scaling
• Understanding of qualification and environmental testing processes

• Technical leadership
• Program execution
• Customer relationship management
• Engineering process improvement
• Risk management
• Team mentoring and development
• Problem solving and decision making
• Strong written and verbal communication

• Collaborative engineering and manufacturing environment
• Direct interaction with customers, suppliers, and executive leadership
• Opportunity to lead technically challenging, high-reliability development programs

Metasys Technologies is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, veteran or disability status.