Sr. Electrical Hardware Engineer (Hybrid Remote) (Gaithersburg)
This position allows for 3 days per week remote / work from home. Salary: $140,000 - 170,000/year A global developer and manufacturer of advanced networking, connectivity, and industrial automation hardware is seeking a Lead Hardware Design Engineer. In this position, you will oversee full-lifecycle printed circuit board (PCB) and system architecture design—guiding complex electronics projects from early-stage concept to high-volume manufacturing. You will serve as a primary technical driver across multidisciplinary teams—collaborating with software engineering, mechanical design, quality assurance, and operations to deliver durable, scalable, and cost-effective product lines. Key Responsibilities Define end-to-end hardware architecture for industrial IoT, embedded computing, and telecommunications equipment. Translate product specifications into robust circuit topologies, system block diagrams, and hardware functional specs. Engineer complex mixed-signal, analog, digital, and power regulation sub-assemblies. Evaluate and select primary silicon platforms, including application processors, SoCs, FPGAs, power management ICs, memory modules, and high-speed communication transceivers. Execute schematic capture via industry-standard EDA platforms while balancing performance, target unit costs, manufacturability, and thermal constraints. Architect system designs supporting RTOS environments and Embedded Linux chipsets. Layout high-speed communication networks and memory topologies (DDRx, Gigabit/Multi-Gigabit Ethernet, PCIe, USB, SERDES, SPI, I²C, UART). Implement physical layer interfaces across wired, fiber, RF, or specialized industrial protocols. Design power supply networks, including DC-DC switching regulators, power distribution networks (PDN), and energy-efficient power rails. Perform thermal modeling, timing budget calculations, signal integrity (SI), and power integrity (PI) analysis. Lead overall hardware delivery efforts through prototype bring-up, design validation testing (DVT), pilot runs, and mass production. Partner with PCB layout engineers to define stack-ups, controlled impedance traces, component placement strategies, and strict routing guidelines. Troubleshoot board-level issues during assembly and resolve field reliability reports through structured root-cause analysis. Identify alternate components, manage bill-of-materials (BOM) lifecycle risks, and execute cost-reduction redesigns. Formulate hardware verification, validation, and automated test plans. Direct design execution to ensure compliance with global regulatory standards (FCC, CE, UL, EMC/EMI, and environmental regulations). Coordinate with external testing labs to achieve product certifications. Function as the primary technical authority for assigned hardware platforms. Mentor early- and mid-career engineers, providing peer code/schematic reviews and technical direction. Help drive internal engineering standards, technology roadmaps, and continuous improvement across the hardware development lifecycle. Minimum Qualifications B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical field. 8 years of hands-on experience in board-level electronics design and product development. Demonstrated track record of launching commercial embedded hardware products from initial design to volume production. Deep knowledge of high-speed digital circuit design and mixed-signal architectures. Hands-on experience developing hardware for SoC/microprocessor-based architectures and DDR memory interfaces. Experience designing power conversion systems, point-of-load (POL) converters, and power management circuits. Proficiency in advanced EDA tools for schematic capture and PCB layout oversight. Strong diagnostic skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and RF test equipment. Excellent technical documentation, verbal communication, and project management skills.
