Job Title: Sr. System Hardware Design Engineer (High Speed Design)
Location: Milpitas, CA
Duration: 12 months + possible contract to hire beyond a year
Ideal Start Date: 8/31/2026
Work Schedule: 5 days a week onsite
US Persons Only
Background Check and Drug Screen Both Required
Project Details:
Our client is seeking a Senior System Hardware Design Engineer to support the development of next-generation high-speed embedded hardware platforms. This role will be responsible for the complete hardware design lifecycle, from system architecture and board-level design through validation, manufacturing support, and product release.
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience designing high-speed digital systems (10 Gbps+), performing signal integrity simulations, collaborating with PCB layout teams, and working cross-functionally with firmware, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, and customer support to deliver robust, production-ready products.
Duties / Responsibilities:
- Design and develop high-speed digital circuit boards and system-level hardware for embedded platforms.
- Perform board-level architecture, schematic design, component selection, and system integration.
- Execute high-speed signal integrity and timing simulations using tools such as HSPICE, HyperLynx, ADS, HFSS, or similar.
- Develop PCB layout guidelines and collaborate with external PCB layout providers to ensure optimal high-speed performance.
- Perform board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation in partnership with firmware and logic engineering teams.
- Develop board- and system-level test plans, validation procedures, and characterization testing.
- Analyze and verify test data to ensure compliance with electrical and engineering specifications.
- Support manufacturing, production transfers, and customer support by troubleshooting hardware-related issues.
- Partner with Mechanical Engineering on enclosure design and integration of electrical and mechanical assemblies.
- Assist with EMC/EMI compliance, testing, and certification activities.
- Utilize advanced laboratory equipment including oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, and logic analyzers to debug and validate hardware designs.
Musts:
- Bachelor s or master s degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering (master s preferred).
- 10+ years of experience designing high-performance system- and board-level embedded hardware.
- Strong experience with high-speed digital design (10 Gbps+).
- Expertise with modern high-speed interfaces including:
- Experience performing signal integrity, timing, and jitter analysis.
- Proficiency with simulation tools such as HSPICE, HyperLynx, ADS, HFSS, or equivalent.
- Strong understanding of PCB layout best practices for high-speed digital designs.
- Experience with high-speed clock design, implementation, and measurement.
- Hands-on experience debugging complex hardware using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, and network analyzers.
- Knowledge of EMC/EMI mitigation techniques at both the PCB and component levels.
- Experience supporting manufacturing, product validation, and production release activities.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate across hardware, firmware, mechanical, manufacturing, and support teams.
Pluses:
- FPGA development experience.
- Experience transferring products from development into manufacturing.
- Strong systems-level mindset with the ability to optimize hardware across electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing disciplines.
