Currently we are looking for:

PCB Development Engineer in R&D Department (m/k)

Location:Modlniczka, nearby Kraków

Job Description

I you are keen to have your own contribution to fast changing world of renewable energy and electrical power conversion systems, the SMA Group is the place to be. The available mid-senior position is located at SMA Magnetics Sp. z o.o. in Modlniczka, Poland. Successful candidate will benefit of working in the interdisciplinary and flexible team of skilled professionals and reporting to the respective Manager within the R&D Department. Due to its nature, work is carried with close contact to the customer and thus flexibility and availability for travel is expected.

As a PCB Layout Engineer, you will be responsible for designing and optimizing complex multilayer PCB layouts used in modern electrical energy conversion systems, power electronics solutions and communication devices. Working within international development teams, you will highly contribute to the whole product development cycle, from early concept, through a prototype validation, up to product industrialization level.

Key responsibilities in PCB Design and Development

• Create complex analog, digital and mixed-signal PCB layouts.
• Design multilayer boards for power electronic converters, control and communication systems.
• Translate electrical and mechanical requirements into optimized production-ready layouts.
• Ensure compliance with internal design guidelines, industry standards, and manufacturing constraints.
• Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Testing (DFT), and Design for Lifetime (DFL) principles.

Technical Collaboration

• Work closely with hardware designers, simulation specialists, EMC engineers, mechanical engineers, manufacturing and assembly teams.
• Participate in schematic reviews, support the development of PCB stack-ups and layout strategies.
• Conduct and moderate design reviews, like component placement, layout, EMS technology and assembly.
• Support of international project teams across multiple development points of view.

Process Improvement

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of PCB design methodologies, workflows, and standards.
• Help establish new design guidelines and best practices.
• Support the integration of new design tools and engineering processes.

Prototype Support and Validation

• Assist in first prototype bring-up activities.
• Verify PCB performance to meet design requirements.
• Support root-cause analysis and troubleshooting of hardware issues.
• Cooperate with laboratory teams during validation and testing activities.

Desired Competencies, Qualifications & Experience

Candidates should have proven experience in the PCB design process of power electronics converters or electronic devices. At least Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering with relevant professional background are expected.

Positive attitude and willingness to work in an international engineering environment are important. Therefore, good communication skills in English language both in written and spoken (minimum B2 level) are expected. Additionally basic German language skills (minimum B1 level) or the willingness to acquire them within a reasonable timeframe can be beneficial.

Knowledge and experience in the following areas are essential:

• Any of the PCB design tooling: Zuken CR8000 (Design Force, Design Gateway) as preferable, eventually Altium Designer, Siemens EDA tools, or comparable professional PCB design platforms.
• Isolation coordination (creepage and clearance distances, functional and reinforced insulation).
• Layouting of sensitive signal connections in proximity of high current paths – optimizing design to mitigate undesired effects like e.g. voltage overshoots, ringing, switching losses, ground bouncing, unstable gate driving behaviour, common-mode noise effects etc.
• Principles for EMC/EMI compliant PCB layout.
• Design for testing and manufacturing concerning reliability factors (environmental protection).
• Manufacturability requirements (layer stack design, via structures and design rules).
• Thermal simulations and measurement result analysis.
• Design and manufacturing standards (nice to be familiar): IEC 62109, IEC 61000 Series, IPC-2221 Generic PCB Design, IPC-2222 Rigid PCB Design, IPC-2152 Current-Carrying Capacity.
• Electronic simulation tools like e.g. Ltspice (additional PLECS, PSIM, SIMetrix).
• Ability to make computations via scripting languages Matlab or Python.

Why SMA Magnetics?

We are looking for engineers who are curious, technically ambitious, and passionate about creating high-performance electronic products. If you enjoy transforming complex engineering requirements into robust PCB solutions and want to see how your work contributes to the future of sustainable energy, we would like to meet you.

Marcin Wszolek | SMA Magnetics Sp. z o.o.