Circuit Design Engineer, Principal
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 14, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 21, 2026. Lockheed Martin scores A on the Alion truth index.
Standard Job Description
You will be the Circuit Design Engineer for the Hardware Engineering team at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC). Our team delivers precision engagement aerospace and defense systems, designing, building and fielding the electrical hardware that powers missiles, sensors and other mission critical subsystems for the United States and allied militaries.
What You Will Be Doing
As the Circuit Design Engineer you will lead a multidisciplinary ROIC design group, define innovative architectures, and craft analog, mixed-signal, and digital circuit blocks. You will partner with sensor, systems, and layout engineers to ensure the ROIC integrates seamlessly into the full IR sensor stack, while also managing project timelines, foundry interactions, and customer reviews. Your responsibilities will include:
- Defining ROIC system requirements and creating high-level architecture concepts that meet performance, power, and cost goals.
- Designing and simulating key circuit blocks: advanced CMOS pixel arrays, ADCs, bias generators, digital control logic, memory, PLLs, and high-speed transceivers.
- Overseeing schematic and layout coordination with dedicated layout engineers, ensuring DFM (design-for-manufacture) best practices.
- Conducting lab testing, debugging, and characterization of fabricated ROICs to validate functionality and performance.
- Managing the full design flow-from RTL/RTL-C to physical implementation-using industry-standard EDA tools.
- Leading project plans, schedules, and risk-management activities; reporting status to program leadership and customers.
- Preparing and presenting technical documentation and design-review material to internal stakeholders, senior leadership, and external customers.
- Coordinating with CMOS foundries for mask set generation, process selection, and fabrication support.
- Collaborating with sensor, optics, and systems engineers to guarantee seamless integration of the ROIC into complete IR imaging modules.
- Mentoring junior IC designers, fostering an inclusive, knowledge-sharing culture, and organizing technical training sessions.
Why Join Us
Do you want to be part of a company culture that empowers employees to think big, lead with a growth mindset, and make the impossible a reality? We provide the resources and give you the flexibility to enable inspiration and focus. If you have the passion and courage to dream big, work hard, and have fun doing what you love then we want to build a better tomorrow with you.
We offer flexible work schedules to comprehensive benefits investing in your future and security. Learn more about Lockheed Martin’s comprehensive benefits package here.
Further Information About This Opportunity:
This position is in Santa Barbara, CA.
MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN - This position is located at a facility that requires special access. The selected candidate must be able to obtain a secret clearance.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelors degree from an accredited college in a related discipline, or equivalent experience/combined education, with 14 years or more of professional experience; or 12 years of professional experience with a related Masters degree.
- Considered an expert, authority in discipline.
- Experience designing ROIC circuits for image sensor systems
- Excellent communication skills and working in collaborative team environments
- Experience as an ROIC design chip design lead
- Experience with ROIC design in the Cadence Virtuoso tool suite
Desired Skills
- Top level and circuit block experience of imaging ROIC designs
- Experience designing pixels for IR ROIC sensors
- Analog circuit design of amplifiers, current mirrors, and other bias circuits
- Digital logic circuit design with custom logic blocks or with RTL behavioral design
- Mixed signal circuit design of high speed digital blocks such as memory, PLL’s, analog to digital converters, digital to analog converters, and high speed serial transmitters
- Transistor level layout mask design
- Serial interface designs including serial peripheral, I2C, and other standard command and control interfaces
- Linux C-Shell scripting
- Version control management of source code with industry standard tool such as Git or Cliosoft
- Project management and coordination of engineering teams over product lifecycles
- Understanding of IR sensor systems and all of their components
- Lab experience of test and troubleshooting ROIC sensor chip assemblies
Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $205300.00 - $381300.00
At Lockheed Martin, we know mission success starts with taking care of our people. Our Total Rewards program is designed to attract top talent, support your well-being, and help you grow-both professionally and personally.
The salary range for this position is as listed on the requisition. Please note that the salary information listed is a general guideline only. Lockheed Martin considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market(work location) and business considerations when extending an offer.
Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible work arrangements and schedules (e.g., 4x10), 401(k) match, Paid time off, Holidays, Parental Leave, EAP, Flexible Spending Accounts, Education Assistance, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability.
- Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs may be offered depending on the position. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and can vary from year to year and are tied to a range of performance metrics.
- For (Washington state applicants only) Non-represented full-time employees: accrue at least 10 hours per month of Paid Time Off (PTO) to be used for incidental absences and other reasons; receive at least 90 hours for holidays. Represented full time employees accrue 6.67 hours of Vacation per month; accrue up to 52 hours of sick leave annually; receive at least 96 hours for holidays. PTO, Vacation, sick leave, and holiday hours are prorated based on start date during the calendar year.