Senior Hardware Design Engineer

Job description:

Senior Hardware Design Engineer

$120,000-$150,000

Full-time, direct-hire

About the Opportunity

Our client designs and manufactures ruggedized video cards and embedded computing systems built to operate in extreme environments — supporting aerospace, defense, and industrial computing applications.

This is a hands-on, high-impact role for a hardware engineer who wants true end-to-end ownership - from architecture and schematic capture through validation, qualification, and production support.

What You'll Do

Hardware Architecture & Development

• Lead the design and development of electronic hardware for ruggedized graphics solutions, embedded systems, and supporting subsystems
• Own schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout (Altium Designer, OrCAD, or similar), with a focus on high-speed digital, analog, and mixed-signal design
• Perform circuit-level analysis, signal integrity simulations, and power integrity validation
• Evaluate and select components balancing design, performance, cost, and supply chain requirements
• Contribute to hardware platform decisions involving microcontrollers, FPGAs, and high-performance GPUs

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Interface closely with mechanical, FPGA, software, and manufacturing teams to define technical requirements and ensure holistic system integration
• Lead or contribute to design reviews, DFx (manufacturability, testability, reliability) discussions, and cross-discipline trade studies
• Provide technical mentorship to junior engineers and review peer designs

Validation & Support

• Drive bring-up and validation of hardware prototypes — lab testing, functional verification, and support of environmental/compliance testing (MIL-STD-810, DO-160)
• Support low-level hardware/software integration, including familiarity with kernel-level drivers or embedded firmware
• Provide hands-on support during transition to production, troubleshooting hardware issues across development and manufacturing stages

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Stay current with evolving technologies and rugged computing standards; drive continuous improvement in design practices and tools
• Contribute to IP development, design documentation, and configuration management practices in compliance with internal and industry standards (e.g., AS9100)

What You Bring

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline
• 5+ years of hardware design experience, ideally in ruggedized or mission-critical systems (aerospace, defense, industrial computing)
• Expertise in high-speed digital design, signal integrity, and analog circuit fundamentals
• Proficiency with industry-standard EDA tools (Altium Designer, OrCAD, Cadence, or similar)
• Hands-on experience with lab instrumentation for board bring-up and debug (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, VNAs)
• Familiarity with simulation tools (SPICE, HyperLynx, or similar)
• Knowledge of embedded system integration involving FPGAs, microcontrollers, and kernel-level hardware drivers
• Genuine concept-to-sustainment experience — having owned hardware through its full lifecycle, not just a single phase

Nice to Have

• Background designing for harsh environmental standards (MIL-STD-810, DO-160, IP ratings)
• Experience with thermal, EMI/EMC, and power considerations in rugged systems
• Exposure to quality systems such as AS9100 or ISO 9001
• Familiarity with GPU-based systems or the NVIDIA ecosystem (MODS, Jetson, etc.) — highly desirable

What's On Offer

• Ownership of high-impact projects in rugged embedded graphics and computing
• Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and flexible work arrangements
• A fast-paced, growth-oriented environment with real opportunities to innovate and lead
• Collaborative culture with access to technical leadership and professional development support

You should be proficient in:

• high-speed digital design
• Rugged/mission-critical systems
• signal integrity analysis
• hardware design