Component Engineer I

Description

Aitech Defense Systems is renowned for its innovation in rugged embedded systems, designed to operate reliably in the challenging environments of military, defense, aerospace, and space applications. Founded in 1983, Aitech has a rich history of pioneering advancements such as the world’s first conduction-cooled MIL-SPEC VMEbus board and has continually evolved its product line to include state-of-the-art SBCs, GPGPU-based AI applications, and advanced cybersecurity for mission-critical systems.

Joining us means you’ll be working at the forefront of technology with projects that span across land, sea, air, and space, supporting some of the top prime contractors in the industry. This opportunity will allow you to contribute to groundbreaking projects and push the boundaries of embedded computing technology.

We are seeking a motivated Electrical/Electronic Component Engineer with 1-3 years of experience to support component selection, product data integrity, and cross-functional design execution for electronic products operating in military, aerospace, and space environments.

This role operates at the intersection of Component Engineering, Configuration/Data Management (CM/DM), and EE/ME/Systems Engineering, ensuring component decisions, product data, and design outputs remain aligned to reliability, manufacturability, and delivery objectives across long lifecycle programs.

The ideal candidate is expected to contribute immediately with minimal ramp-up, working closely across engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to drive aligned, executable outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Component Engineering

• Evaluate, select, and approve electronic components (passives, semiconductors, connectors, electromechanical parts, etc.) for new and sustaining designs
• Review specifications, datasheets, and application notes to ensure suitability, performance, and reliability in harsh environments
• Perform component qualification and validation testing as required
• Proactively manage component lifecycle and obsolescence risk, including impact assessment to existing designs and coordination of mitigation strategies (alternates, redesigns, and last-time buys)
• Work with suppliers and distributors and the supply chain to resolve technical issues and maintain component availability aligned to program needs

Configuration / Data Management (CM/DM - PLM)

• Maintain and update component and BOM data within PLM systems (e.g., Arena), ensuring accuracy, consistency, and traceability
• Support configuration control processes including engineering changes (ECOs/ECRs) and product structure updates
• Coordinate across engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain to ensure product data reflects current design intent and build requirements
• Ensure ongoing alignment between design outputs, BOMs, and production configurations

Design Support (EE / ME / Systems Contribution)

• Support and contribute to EE, ME, and Systems teams by participating in component-driven design trade-offs and technical decisions
• Engage in schematic, BOM, and system-level discussions to ensure component selections support design intent, integration, and manufacturability
• Provide input on reliability, availability, and lifecycle considerations during design development
• Support resolution of component-related issues across development, build, and test phases

Compliance & Cost / Standardization

• Ensure compliance with regulatory and environmental standards (RoHS, REACH, etc.)
• Support cost reduction, part standardization, and preferred component strategies

AiTech offers a competitive total rewards package aligned with the individual’s skills, knowledge, and experience, and in line with both internal standards and external market practices. The expected annual salary range for this role is $80,000 - $100,000 a year.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or related field
• 1-3 years of experience in electronic components, hardware design support, or related role
• Strong understanding of electronic components and circuit fundamentals
• Ability to interpret datasheets, schematics, and BOMs
• Familiarity with lab tools (multimeter, oscilloscope, etc.)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools
• This position requires use of information or access to hardware which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), Political Asylee, or Refugee

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with PLM systems (Arena, Agile, or similar)
• Familiarity with PCB design tools (Altium, KiCad, Cadence, etc.)
• Exposure to signal integrity, power integrity, or EMI/EMC concepts
• Experience with component intelligence tools (SiliconExpert, IHS, Octopart, etc.)
• Basic understanding of reliability engineering and derating practices

Key Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• High attention to detail and data accuracy
• Effective cross-functional communication
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive tasks to closure

Work Environment

• Office/lab-based role with interaction across engineering, manufacturing, and test environments
• Collaborative, cross-functional team supporting both development and production

Career Growth

This role provides a foundation to grow into advanced roles in component engineering, design engineering (EE/ME), systems engineering, or reliability engineering, with increasing responsibility across product development and long lifecycle program support.