3dB Labs is seeking an experienced and technically grounded Hardware Engineering Manager to lead a multidisciplinary team of Electrical, Mechanical, and Systems Engineers. In this role, you will drive the design, development, and delivery of cutting-edge hardware systems from concept through fielded deployment. You will partner closely with Systems Engineers, Software Engineering, and Program Management to define and execute hardware development roadmaps across a portfolio of complex, mission-critical programs.
Our environment is fast-paced and mission-driven, requiring a leader who can balance deep technical engagement with effective team management. Our products are deployed globally and must meet the highest standards of performance, reliability, and operational relevance.
Responsibilities- Lead, mentor, and grow a team of Electrical, Mechanical, and Systems Engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Own hardware development outcomes across the full lifecycle - from requirements and design through integration, verification, and transition to production.
- Drive best practices in hardware design, documentation, testing, and configuration management.
- Support and lead formal program milestones including System Requirements Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), and Test Readiness Reviews (TRR).
- Coordinate cross-discipline technical efforts, ensuring that electrical, mechanical, and RF subsystems are designed to meet system-level requirements and interface compatibly with one another.
- Enable team execution by removing blockers, improving development processes, and supporting resource and capacity planning.
- Represent hardware engineering in cross-functional discussions with software, systems, and program leadership.
- Mentor engineers at all levels and actively support career development and technical growth across the team.
- Support proposal efforts with hardware design inputs, estimates, and technical assessments.
QualificationsCore Qualifications- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
- 8+ years of professional hardware engineering experience with at least 2 years in a team lead or management role.
- Experience developing and maintaining hardware documentation including schematics, BOMs, ICDs, and design description documents.
- Familiarity with government-format deliverable documentation (CDRLs, SOWs, etc.).
- Strong communication skills with the ability to articulate technical trade-offs to both engineers and program stakeholders.
- Active TS/SCI clearance preferred; minimum Secret required.
Leadership & Experience- Proven experience leading multidisciplinary hardware engineering teams in a defense, government, or adjacent fast-paced environment.
- Strong background as an individual contributor in one or more hardware disciplines:
- Electrical and/or RF hardware design
- Mechanical design and packaging for fielded systems
- RF systems design, simulation, and integration
- Demonstrated ability to balance technical depth with people leadership and delivery ownership.
- Experience managing hardware development programs through formal government milestone reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR, etc.).
Technical Expertise (Preferred)- RF system design and signal chain analysis, including link budgets, component selection, and RF front-end hardware.
- Analog and digital circuit design, PCB development, and hardware bring-up.
- Mechanical design for ruggedized or field-deployed systems, including thermal management and packaging.
- Hardware/software integration and familiarity with software-defined radio (SDR) platforms.
- Familiarity with MIL-Standards and industry standards relevant to quality, EMC, and environmental requirements (e.g. IPC-610, ISO-9001, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810).
Benefits- 100% coverage of employee and dependent medical, vision, and dental
- Coverage of co-pays and deductibles
- 401k with profit sharing of up to 25% of salary
- Flexible hours
- Bank of holiday and PTO hours
US citizenship and ability to be cleared is required. Travel up to 25%.
