Electrical Engineer III (Hardware) - Reston, VA.

The Electrical Engineer III with a focus in hardware design is responsible for designing, implementing, and validating custom electronics used in Kopin’s microdisplay-based systems. This includes driver boards, interface modules, imaging subsystem electronics, and system-level hardware for weapon sights, HMDs, medical viewers, FPV goggles, and related embedded platforms.

The Electrical Engineer III performs PCB-level design with substantial independence, executes detailed hardware analysis, and participates in cross-functional integration with systems, firmware, optics, and mechanical engineering. This role requires strong experience with embedded hardware development, power systems, high-speed digital interfaces, and SWaP-optimized electronics.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Architect and design custom PCB assemblies for:
• Microdisplay driver and timing boards
• Sensor/IMU and camera interface boards
• Control and communication modules for integration into weapon, aircraft, or host systems
• Perform schematic capture and component selection (FPGAs, MCUs, power ICs, regulators, ADC/DACs, serializers/deserializers, level translators) with consideration for SWaP, cost, and component availability.
• Design robust power distribution networks for portable and vehicle-powered electronics, including DC-DC converters, sequencing, protection circuitry, and efficiency optimization.
• Implement and validate high-speed and mixed-signal interfaces including LVDS, MIPI, HDMI/DP, SPI/I²C, UART, USB, GPIO, and embedded sensor interfaces.
• Define and document electrical interfaces to optics, mechanics, and firmware teams, including pinouts, timing requirements, EMI/ESD concerns, connector/harness guidelines, and interface constraints.
• Support or execute PCB layout in Altium, including stack-up development, controlled-impedance routing, placement for thermal behavior, and manufacturability considerations.
• Execute board bring-up and debug:
• Power-on sequencing, functional validation, and test-point evaluation
• Signal integrity, timing closure, and digital interface reliability
• Integration with firmware, FPGA logic, optics modules, and sensors
• Conduct environmental and thermal stress testing where applicable
• Build, iterate, and characterize lab prototypes and test fixtures for concept evaluation and verification.
• Generate and maintain engineering documentation such as schematics, BoMs, design reports, ECOs, test procedures, and revision-controlled hardware artifacts.
• Work closely with Systems, Embedded Software, Optics, and Mechanical Engineering to ensure system-level functionality, performance margins, and requirement compliance.
• Participate in DFM/DFT reviews and support NPI activities with manufacturing partners and contract assemblers.

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Kopin is a defense contractor and is subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). You must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident (green card holder) to be considered for this position.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 5–8 years of experience in PCB-level hardware development for embedded systems.
• Proficiency with Altium Designer or comparable schematic/layout tools.
• Demonstrated experience with:
• Power supply design (buck/boost, PMICs, protections)
• High-speed digital interfaces and mixed-signal board design
• FPGA/MCU-based board implementation and bring-up
• Strong hands-on lab experience (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers, JTAG, rework).
• Ability to execute designs independently from concept through prototype validation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to participate in technical design reviews

PREFERRED JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Experience with near-eye displays, AR/VR devices, imaging sensors, or HUD/HMD electronics.
• Experience with:
• FPGA-centric designs (high-speed data paths, display pipelines)
• SI/PI tools and SPICE or behavioral modeling
• EMC/EMI compliance and rugged-environment hardware design
• Flex circuit design experience, including rigid-flex stack-ups, impedance control, bend-radius constraints, and miniature connector selection.
• Basic embedded engineering familiarity, including MCU/SoC architectures, firmware integration considerations, and power/control sequencing.
• Working knowledge of embedded communication protocols, including:
• SPI, I²C, UART
• LVDS and MIPI-DSI/CSI
• HDMI/DisplayPort
• USB, GPIO, and peripheral buses
• Experience in small-to-mid-size R&D environments involving both design and hands-on prototyping.
• Familiarity with IPC standards and basic MIL-STD environmental requirements.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Able to rotate from sitting to standing, lift up to 20 pounds, and gown according to clean room protocol

Kopin Corporation is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer and as such all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class. If an applicant needs a reasonable accommodation due to a disability with the application process, there is additional information on our website at www.kopin.com/careers.