Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA
Electrical Design Engineer jobs in San Diego are concentrated in defense and aerospace, semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, and clean energy, with openings clustered in Kearny Mesa, Sorrento Valley, and the Torrey Pines corridor. Employers actively hiring right now include General Atomics, Tesla, and L3Harris. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies.
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA-EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.
We have an exciting opportunity for an Electrical Engineering (EE) Manager to join our Electrical Technologies team located in Rancho Bernardo. We are looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, Research and Development (R&D) environment and possesses drive, talent, and experience in Electrical Wiring Interconnect Systems (EWIS) using intelligent Electrical and Mechanical Computer-Aided Design (ECAD/MCAD) tools and approaches. The successful candidate will report to the Director of Electrical Technologies and, alongside high-caliber engineering management staff, will be engaged in the engineering support and new development of high-power electromagnetic systems, high-energy laser systems, laser and electro-optical sensors for airborne payloads and space vehicles, satellite space systems, cutting-edge technology ventures into Defense and “NewSpace,” and a variety of disruptive technologies in the expanding product portfolio of GA-EMS.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Responsible for the planning, managing and technical performance of an engineering unit through all phases of assigned project(s) from inception through completion.
- Participate with technical staff, program managers and executive management to develop and implement current, annual and long-term technical, schedule, quality, business and financial objectives for the unit.
- Work with GA-EMS Engineering staff in the concept development and prototype design, integration, and test of electrical systems and electronics for all product lines and technology areas. These encompass high-power motor drives, power conditioning systems, pulsed power systems, battery systems, high energy laser systems, satellite space systems, and laser and electro-optical sensors for airborne payloads and space vehicles.
- Participate in and coordinate the establishment of design concepts, criteria, and engineering efforts for product research, development, integration, and testing.
- Interface internally with engineering teams and/or with suppliers, vendors or customers to share information for problem resolution.
- Act as primary contact for engineering activities.
- Participate in the preparation of proposals, business plans, proposal work statements and specifications, operating budgets and financial terms/conditions of contract(s).
- Ensure technical leadership and excellence is maintained by participating in the planning, attraction, selection, retention, and development of the required management, professional, and technical talent.
- Identify engineering issues and provide leadership in developing solutions such as re-allocation of resources or modifying specifications.
- Participate in the development of new business opportunities and expansion of existing business opportunities.
- Generate electrical and wiring interconnect architecture solutions and technical approaches for new project needs, perform electrical engineering analyses for systems, document findings, communicate results to engineering and program management staff, give technical presentations, and manage technical effort schedules.
- Formulate plans, typically long-term, and coordinate solutions development and deployment including documentation, reporting, publishing, and making technical and other presentations to ensure viability of the solutions in an evolving environment.
- Plan for future applications of solutions based on new developments in engineering technology.
- Participate in or may lead the development of new or expansion of existing business opportunities.
- Communicate with colleagues and management throughout solution development and deployment cycles.
- Represent the company as a prime technical contact on contracts and/or projects and interact with senior external personnel on technical matters requiring coordination between the organizations.
- Perform other duties as assigned or required.
We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.
Job Qualifications
- Typically requires a Bachelors, Masters or PhD in engineering or a related technical field as well as nine or more years of progressively complex engineering experience. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education
- The ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance is required.
- Required Experience: Electrical Wiring Interconnect System (EWIS) cable and harness design for high-reliability aerospace, space systems, and unmanned space vehicle applications; electro-mechanical integration of electrical engineering hardware including cables and harnessing, circuit boards, and electronics modules using intelligent ECAD/MCAD design tools and approaches in a collaborative, cross-functional engineering development environment; cross-functional systems architecture and design in product or technology development for complex, systems-of-systems; IPC-WHMA-620 Space Addendum; mixed-signal (analog/digital) electrical system interconnect design; analysis, design, and implementation of hardware systems to include digital, analog, power, laser/optical, and RF is required; familiarity with DoD technical review process (at a minimum: SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR)
- Desired Skills: Experience with EWIS Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools such as Solidworks, Solidworks Electrical, AUTOCAD, CREO, Siemens Capital, Siemens NX, Rapid Harness, or Zuken; Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Electrical CAD tools such as Altium Design or Mentor Graphics PADS VX; Atlassian Collaboration Tools (Confluence, Crucible, JIRA); Microsoft Project.
- Demonstrate an extensive technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice with the ability to organize, plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate workloads of an engineering unit to meet established deadlines or milestones with experience in project leadership.
- Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately throughout an evolving environment.
- Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills to effectively interface with other departments, customers, government representatives, and/or professionals.
- Capable of representing the organization as a prime technical contact.
- Customer-focused and able to formulate plans based on the development of innovative new designs in resolving advanced technical engineering problems.
- Some travel and extended work schedules may be required.
Job Category
Engineering
Experience Level
Management
Workstyle
Onsite
Full-Time/Part-Time
Full-Time Salary
Pay Range Low
100,290
Pay Range High
183,098
Travel Percentage Required
0% - 25%
Relocation Assistance Provided?
Yes
US Citizenship Required?
Yes
Clearance Required?
Desired
Clearance Level
Top Secret
Search Jobs at | General Atomics and Affiliated Companies
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Find JobsElectrical Design Engineer Job Market in San Diego
Who's Hiring
- General Atomics40

- Tesla20

- L3Harris20

- Apple10

- SC Engineers10

Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware
Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a electrical design engineer job in San Diego?
Targeting San Diego's defense contractors, semiconductor firms, and clean energy companies gives you the strongest footing in this market. Roles cluster in Kearny Mesa, Sorrento Valley, and Miramar, so familiarity with those employer ecosystems helps. Candidates with experience in PCB layout, power systems, or RF design stand out here. Attending local IEEE San Diego section events and networking with defense and tech employers in those corridors accelerates your search considerably.
Which companies hire electrical design engineers in San Diego?
Employers hiring electrical design engineers in San Diego right now include General Atomics, Tesla, and L3Harris, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's hiring base skews heavily toward defense primes and subcontractors, semiconductor companies, and clean technology firms, alongside a growing number of medical device manufacturers in the region.
Are there remote electrical design engineer jobs in San Diego?
Yes, though with important limits, since hands-on lab work, hardware validation, and manufacturing support require on-site presence. About 50% of electrical design engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, skewing toward roles focused on schematic design, simulation, and documentation. Defense positions in San Diego typically require on-site or cleared facility access, while some commercial electronics firms offer hybrid arrangements for design-phase work.
How can I get a electrical design engineer job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Diego is targeting internships or junior engineer roles at defense subcontractors and electronics manufacturers in Kearny Mesa or Miramar, which regularly hire early-career candidates. Roles like electrical design technician, PCB layout engineer, or test and integration engineer serve as strong local stepping stones. Building hands-on projects in power electronics or embedded systems and connecting with the IEEE San Diego section gives entry-level candidates a concrete edge with local hiring managers.
Which industries hire the most electrical design engineers in San Diego?
San Diego electrical design engineer roles concentrate in Electronics & Hardware, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's dense defense contracting base, the presence of major semiconductor companies, and a fast-growing clean energy and medical device sector create sustained, broad demand for electrical design engineers across the region.
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