Lead PCB Designer in Carlsbad, California at Proper Voltage

Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

About Proper Voltage

Proper Voltage is unlocking the next generation of battery technology across robotics, data centers, and defense.

We're building intelligent battery systems that make advanced chemistries (sodium-ion, lithium-titanate, lithium-silicon) work in products that were never designed for them. Humanoid robots can upgrade power systems without redesigning their entire platform. Data centers get safer, cheaper backup power. Drones and autonomous vehicles get higher energy density without lengthy integration cycles.

If you want to work on hard engineering problems that matter this is the place.

Job Overview

We’re building high-performance battery and power systems, and we need a PCB Designer (Level 3) who can take ownership of complex designs and ship production-ready hardware fast. You will be working directly with electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing teams to bring power electronics from concept to reality.

This role can be remote or in person.

What you'll do

• Own PCB layout from concept through release using Altium Designer
• Design multi-layer boards (4–12+ layers) for:
• • Battery Management Systems (BMS)
  • DC-DC converters and power stages
  • High-current distribution
• Optimize for:
• • High-current paths & low impedance
  • Thermal performance
  • EMI/EMC compliance
• Define stack-ups and collaborate directly with fabrication and assembly partners
• Build and maintain component libraries and design rules in Altium
• Support bring-up, debugging, and rapid iteration cycles

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of PCB layout experience
• Strong expertise in Altium Designer
• Proven experience with:
• • Power electronics (buck/boost converters, switching regulators)
  • High-current and/or high-voltage layouts
  • EMI-aware design practices
• Solid understanding of:
• • IPC standards (IPC-2221, IPC-2152)
  • Thermal and current density considerations
• Ability to work independently and move fast in a startup environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with lithium-ion battery systems or BMS
• Startup or small-team experience
• Familiarity with UL, IEC, or automotive standards
• Experience working directly with overseas fabs/CMs

Prior Experience with

• Smart battery management systems for various cell chemistries.
• Implementing various wired and wireless communication protocols.
• Laying out mixed-signal ASICs, FPGAs, and/or CPLDs.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $130,000 - $175,000 depending on experience and qualifications.
• Equity options as part of the compensation package.
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits (medical, dental, vision).
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays (PTO) policy.

Ready to work on power systems that matter? Let's talk.