Full Job Description
Position summary
We are looking for a hands-on electrical engineer who designs circuits, boards, cable systems and test fixtures, and takes them from requirements to production. The engineer owns the design and documentation; the engineering technicians build to it. The engineer still builds, debugs and fixes hardware personally when a prototype, a schedule or a field problem calls for it. The right person is a problem-solver who takes a vague symptom to a root cause and a working fix with little supervision.
The position reports to the Engineering Manager. Some domestic and international travel is required.
Key responsibilities
Design and development
• Design analog and digital circuits from requirements through schematic, PCB layout, BOM and release documentation.
• Design cable assemblies, wiring harnesses and vehicle wiring systems: interconnect diagrams, cable drawings, BOMs, wire sizing, circuit protection and grounding.
• Specify components and select alternates by technical specification, application requirements, availability and lifecycle status.
• Build and bring up prototypes when needed: assemble, rework, power up, debug and verify against requirements.
Test and verification
• Design production and engineering test fixtures, including their circuitry and mechanical parts.
• Write test procedures and acceptance criteria for boards, cables, harnesses and vehicle installations.
• Characterize designs on the bench and record results clearly enough for others to repeat.
Troubleshooting and problem-solving
• Diagnose failures at the system, board and component level, in the lab and on deployed equipment and vehicles.
• Find root cause, define corrective action, and document findings in written reports with photos and data.
• Develop practical fixes, modifications and workarounds when a schedule or field situation demands it.
Suppliers and production support
• Serve as technical contact for PCB, assembly and cable suppliers: answer their questions, approve deviations, resolve build issues.
• Visit suppliers and customer or field sites when on-site support is needed.
• Release designs to production, including documentation, first-article review and test.
Engineering team
• Give engineering technicians the drawings, direction and technical support they need to build cables, fixtures and vehicle installations.
• Review as-built markups from technicians and keep drawings and BOMs current.
• Review schematics, layouts, BOMs and drawings for other engineers.
• Specify and justify lab equipment and tools.
Required qualifications
• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a related field, or equivalent hands-on design experience.
• 5+ years designing and debugging electronic hardware.
• Analog and digital circuit design, including power, interfaces and mixed-signal circuits.
• Multi-layer PCB schematic capture and layout in a professional ECAD tool.
• Cable and harness design and documentation: interconnect diagrams, cable drawings and BOMs.
• Expert use of bench test equipment: power supplies, multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal and function generators, logic analyzers, and JTAG/SWD programmers and debuggers.
• Hand soldering and rework of through-hole and SMT boards for prototypes and repairs.
• A demonstrated record of solving hard technical problems. Candidates should be ready to walk through examples in detail.
• Clear technical writing: specifications, test procedures, reports and design documentation.
• Able to travel domestically and internationally. A valid passport, or the ability to obtain one, is required.
Desired skills
• Altium Designer for schematic and multi-layer PCB layout.
• SolidWorks or similar 3D CAD for enclosures, brackets and test-fixture mechanics.
• Vehicle 12/24 V electrical system design: power distribution, circuit protection, grounding and noise control.
• Knowledge of IPC/WHMA-A-620 (cable and harness) and IPC-A-610 (PCB assembly) workmanship requirements.
• Experience with, or general familiarity with, embedded firmware (C/C++), embedded Linux and scripting (e.g. Python), enough to work closely with software and firmware engineers.
• Design for manufacturing and test, including working with contract manufacturers.
Travel and working conditions
• Domestic and international travel to suppliers, customer sites and field locations, sometimes on short notice. Expected travel when needed.
• Work is mainly in the engineering lab and office, with occasional shop and field work in and around vehicles that may require personal protective equipment.
The pay range for this role is:
140,000 - 140,000 USD per year (Shelton CT (HQ))
