Director of Electrical Engineering – Undersea Telecommunications

Director, Network Element Electrical Design

Employment Type: Direct Hire, Onsite

Location: Newington, NH 03801

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Salary Range: $190,000–$200,000 annually

Bonus: 6%–8% annual bonus

Travel: Occasional domestic shoreside travel

Position Overview

This company is seeking a Director of Network Element Electrical Design to lead a highly skilled team of electrical engineers and technicians responsible for developing the company’s next-generation, high-reliability subsea telecommunications products. This includes terminal equipment, undersea repeaters, branching units, and reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs).

The Director will provide both technical and functional leadership across research, architecture development, circuit design, prototyping, testing, qualification, and transfer to manufacturing. This individual will develop network-element electrical architectures and circuit designs incorporating state-of-the-art electrical and optical components.

Working closely with R&D leadership, program management, manufacturing, suppliers, and field installation teams, the Director will ensure that development objectives, technical requirements, product-quality standards, and project timelines are achieved. This position will also oversee this company’s printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) development process and the allocation of engineering resources across projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall technical leadership for electrical architecture, circuit design, and prototyping activities from initial concept through qualification, manufacturing transfer, and customer delivery.
• Lead and develop a team of electrical engineers and technicians responsible for designing high-reliability products for subsea telecommunications systems.
• Manage network-element electrical design activities in accordance with SubCom’s internal development processes, technical standards, and program requirements.
• Direct the PCBA design and development process in partnership with internal engineering teams and external electronic computer-aided design (eCAD) specialists.
• Allocate engineering resources, establish priorities, and monitor deliverables to ensure development milestones and project timelines are achieved.
• Lead cross-functional design and problem-solving teams involving optical, electrical, mechanical, firmware, systems, test, and manufacturing engineering.
• Provide system-level design expertise and ensure the successful integration of optical components, electronics, mechanical assemblies, and embedded firmware.
• Participate in product-requirement development, architecture reviews, circuit-design reviews, and technical-readiness assessments.
• Ensure the development of manufacturing test requirements and test strategies for undersea network elements.
• Analyze engineering and production test data, identify trends or performance issues, and participate in the disposition and resolution of product test failures.
• Oversee electrical and optical testing, laboratory test-set automation, design verification, product qualification, reliability testing, and root-cause investigations.
• Identify technical and program risks and lead the development and execution of effective mitigation strategies.
• Establish and maintain productive relationships with internal stakeholders, external design partners, component manufacturers, and suppliers.
• Partner with manufacturing teams to ensure designs are producible, testable, reliable, and successfully transferred into production.
• Collaborate with field installation teams to support the proper installation, testing, and operation of deployed equipment.
• Communicate technical issues, project risks, recommendations, and results clearly to engineering teams, business leaders, and other stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related technical discipline.
• At least 10 years of progressive experience in electrical engineering and product development, including significant experience as a lead electrical design engineer.
• At least five years of functional management experience leading engineering teams in new-product development.
• Demonstrated experience developing electrical architectures and circuit designs for complex, high-reliability products.
• Strong knowledge of PCBA design, development processes, eCAD tools, component selection, fabrication, assembly, and manufacturing.
• Experience with analog and digital circuit simulation and modeling using LTspice or an equivalent platform.
• Experience with electrical and fiber-optic testing, automated laboratory test systems, product qualification, and reliability standards.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams through design, prototyping, testing, qualification, and manufacturing transfer.
• Experience analyzing production test data and resolving design, manufacturing, or product-performance issues.
• Proven ability to plan complex technical projects, manage engineering resources, assess risks, and implement mitigation strategies.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical subjects clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
• Self-directed, adaptable, and comfortable managing varied priorities in a fast-paced product-development environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and Visio.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Knowledge of fiber-optic components, optical communications, and undersea telecommunications systems.
• Experience developing terminal equipment, repeaters, branching units, ROADMs, or comparable high-reliability network products.
• Experience supporting products throughout their complete lifecycle, from concept and architecture through deployment and field operation.
• Experience working with external engineering partners, eCAD specialists, contract manufacturers, and component suppliers.