Lead Components Engineer

The Opportunity: 

The Lead Components Engineer is responsible for the control, selection, maintenance, design, and lifecycle management of electrical and mechanical components In addition to component engineering expertise, this role requires hands-on experience with PCB layout design to support design assessments, manufacturability reviews, and critical design decision making. . You will work cross-functionally with design, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality teams to ensure component reliability, availability, and compliance with industry standards. As a technical leader, you will also mentor a cross-functional team and drive strategic decisions to mitigate supply chain risks and ensure long-term product success.

Our Technology:

We’re the world leader in Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (R-PNT) solutions that improve the reliability, performance, and safety of critical high-risk operations, even in GPS/GNSS denied environments. We provide virtually fail-safe GNSS and PNT solutions for military, defense contractors, and commercial applications worldwide.

How I will Contribute:

• Lead the selection, evaluation, and approval of electronic, electrical, and mechanical components for new and existing products
• Assess and mitigate component obsolescence, supply chain risks, and long lead time issues.
• Collaborate with design engineering teams to provide component recommendations that meet cost, performance, reliability, and compliance objectives.
• Conduct PCB layout assessments and reviews to ensure proper component placement, manufacturability, thermal management, and electrical performance
• Perform hands-on PCB layout tasks as needed to support design teams during critical phases of development
• Establish and manage relationships with key suppliers and manufacturers to stay informed of technology roadmaps and component lifecycle updates
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and industry standards (e.g., RoHS, REACH, ITAR, MIL-STD, etc).
• Lead internal reviews and change control processes related to component substitutions and end-of-life scenarios
• Liaising with engineering, procurement, commercial, PCB and mechanical design teams, component manufacturers and suppliers to create and manage accurate component data.
• Processing new component forms and augmenting the data supplied by the originator to include all pertinent information.
• Maintaining the component data library by performing rationalization and data integrity audits.
• Managing complete families of components in terms of original selection, change and obsolescence management.
• Responsible for the integrity and version control of the company component data library.
• Encouraging new component originators to conform to component engineering best-practice and procedures.
• Identification and management of component IBIS models used for signal integrity simulation.
• Creation of component PCB footprints to IPC standards.
• Designing schematic symbols for components used on circuit diagrams.

What You Bring to Safran Federal Systems: 

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or adjacent discipline is required
• 6 years of experience in component engineering or related field, with 2 years in a senior role
• Proficiency in PCB layout design tools (E.g., Cadence Allegro, Mentor Graphics Xpedition, Altium, or equivalent)
• Strong understanding of PCB layout best practices, including high-speed design, EMI/EMC considerations, thermal management and manufacturability
• Deep understanding of electronic components and mechanical parts used in complex systems
• Experience with lifecycle management tools and component databases
• Familiarity with RoHS, REACH, WEEE, COSHH and other environmental standards.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and suppliers
• The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• The ability to remain poised under all circumstances, and to interact effectively with people in a positive manner that engenders confidence and trust.
• Ability to reason logically and make sound decisions, to consider alternative and diverse perspectives, to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Ability to interact appropriately with a variety of individuals including customers/clients.
• The person in this position needs to have an ability and willingness to travel up to 10% of the time.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Strong knowledge of electrical design principles.
• A thorough understanding of component parameters and the ideal and non-ideal properties of components.
• Ability to have fun and work with an amazing team! 

About Safran Federal Systems:

Safran Federal Systems has been awarded as a Winner of the USA Today and Rochester Metro Area Top Workplaces 2025 Award.

In 2022, Safran acquired Orolia, now Safran Trusted 4D, the world leader in Resilient PNT. At the intersection of critical infrastructure and national defense, Safran Trusted 4D solutions govern and protect the integrity of systems that shape the world.  In early 2019, Orolia Defense & Security spun off as a separate entity from its parent company Orolia, with the mission of providing resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions and custom engineering services to U.S. Government agencies, U.S. Defense organizations, and their contractors.

In August of 2019, Orolia Defense & Security acquired Talen-X, a U.S. company specializing in advanced GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Simulation solutions and Interference, Detection, and Mitigation (IDM) technologies. Talen-X's portfolio was an ideal fit and has helped to enhance Safran FS's overall offerings. The acquisition enabled Talen-X's existing resources, operations, and capabilities to be scaled and accelerated to better support the warfighter. Read the press release here.

Safran Federal Systems operates as a proxy-regulated company, Free of Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI). As such, Safran FS Defense & Security is approved to work on the full spectrum of U.S. Government classified and unclassified projects and is positioned to support strategic partnerships in the development of key PNT technologies for the defense market.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Please note this description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Salary : $80,000 - $138,000