Hardware Engineer III

Key responsibilities Review, qualify, and approve electrical / electromechanical / optoelectronic components (resistors, capacitors, ICs, connectors, discretes, inductors, filters, timing devices, PCB/FPC, camera/optics/display/battery modules) for production use. The CE is the bridge between EE design, GSM/Strategic Sourcing, contract manufacturers, and component suppliers -- ensuring every part on the EE BOM is qualified, multi-sourced where possible, and free of supply, cost, or quality risk from NPI through sustaining.

Job Title: Hardware Engineer III
Location: Sunnyvale, CA (Hybrid)
Duration: 12 Months

Role summary
Component Engineers (CEs) own the technical qualification and supply-risk management of electrical, electromechanical, and optoelectronic components across RL hardware products. The CE is the bridge between EE design, GSM/Strategic Sourcing, contract manufacturers, and component suppliers -- ensuring every part on the EE BOM is qualified, multi-sourced where possible, and free of supply, cost, or quality risk from NPI through sustaining.

Key responsibilities

• Review, qualify, and approve electrical / electromechanical / optoelectronic components (resistors, capacitors, ICs, connectors, discretes, inductors, filters, timing devices, PCB/FPC, camera/optics/display/battery modules) for production use.
• Execute second-sourcing and multi-sourcing activities (paper vs. build qualification) in alignment with sourcing strategy and guidance, to de-risk supply, mitigate EOL / allocation / lead-time / PCN-driven shortages, and reduce cost.
• Determine component criticality (Class A/B/C) and define the qual path with EE reviewers; manage New Part Requests and feed qualified MPNs into the AVL, PLM (TeaCliententer), and CBOM.
• Execute ECNs and track PCNs across NPI and sustaining products; perform up-screening, derating, and component-level failure analysis.
• Own advanced BOM risk reviews -- catching component issues upfront and maintaining EE BOM integrity across the portfolio.
• Partner with GSM (commercial/allocation) and PCE (cost) as the technical counterpart on Category A/B parts; support CM component inquiries and shortage escalations.

Minimum qualifications

• AI related experiences
• BS in Electrical Engineering, Materials, or related field.
• 5+ years in component/hardware engineering, supplier quality, or supply-chain engineering.
• Working knowledge of passive/active components, datasheets, and qualification/reliability methods (up-screening, derating, FA).
• Experience with PLM (Agile/TeaCliententer), AVL/BOM management, and ECN/PCN processes.

Preferred qualifications

• Consumer electronics / high-volume hardware NPI experience.
• Electrical Engineering experience
• Track record introducing alternate sources at scale and driving cost savings.
• Direct experience with contract manufacturers and component suppliers across regions.
• Strong proficiency in leveraging AI tools and CE expertise to develop data-mining solutions and design guidelines that enable GSM and EE teams to make data-driven decisions.