Brambles

Senior Hardware Engineer - Santa Clara, CA (Hybrid)

Brambles$120K — $150K *
Telecommunications & Hardware
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent with 8+ years of experience in related fields.
  • Strong knowledge of hardware system architecture and board-level design.
  • Proficient with OrCAD Capture for schematic and PCB layout design.
  • Understanding of low-power hardware design techniques, including for battery-powered systems.
  • Familiar with RF and wireless technologies for IoT products such as BLE, Wi-Fi, and Cellular.
  • Strong debugging skills using laboratory equipment like oscilloscopes and analyzers.
  • Knowledge of hardware verification and validation methodologies.

Responsibilities

  • Translate system requirements into detailed hardware design specifications.
  • Design and develop hardware modules for low-power, small-scale devices.
  • Collaborate with Firmware and Software Engineers for integration with IoT networks.
  • Develop and execute testing protocols to verify functionality of devices.
  • Participate in technical design reviews to optimize hardware performance.
  • Conduct simulations and prototyping to validate designs against specifications.
  • Continuously improve hardware development processes for reliability and efficiency.

Benefits

  • Hybrid remote work flexibility.
  • Opportunities for technical leadership and professional growth.
  • Collaboration with a small, agile team in a dynamic environment.
  • Engagement with global partners, enhancing cross-cultural teamwork.
  • Exposure to cutting-edge technologies in IoT and low-power solutions.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Key Responsibilities May Include:

  • Translate system requirements into detailed hardware design specifications, ensuring alignment with firmware and software requirements.
  • Design and develop hardware modules and systems for low-power, small-scale devices operating in challenging environments.
  • Collaborate with Firmware and Software Engineers to ensure seamless integration of hardware with tracking and sensor telemetry applications for LPWAN or Cellular IoT networks.
  • Develop and execute testing protocols to verify the end-to-end functionality of prototype devices, including hardware, firmware, and connectivity.
  • Participate in technical design reviews, providing input on system architecture and deployment strategies to optimize hardware performance.
  • Conduct simulations and prototyping to validate hardware designs and ensure compliance with system specifications and environmental constraints.
  • Continuously explore and implement improvements to hardware development processes, enhancing performance, reliability, and efficiency.
  • Provide technical leadership and guidance in hardware engineering, ensuring best practices in design, testing, and deployment across the team.


POSITION PURPOSE

We are seeking a highly motivated and hands-on Senior Hardware Engineer to play a key role in the design, development, validation, and support of hardware systems in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. This individual will be responsible for driving hardware board design efforts directly and through external design partners, while providing technical leadership across cross-functional teams.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical depth in hardware design with a pragmatic, "roll-up-your-sleeves" approach, thriving in a small, agile team where versatility and execution are critical.

Responsibilities include designing and testing hardware, managing and influencing subcontractors across India and China, coordinating development activities from concept through production, troubleshooting complex field issues, and driving structured root-cause analysis and resolution.

SCOPE
  • Global role


MEASURES
  • Contribute directly toward hardware design, troubleshooting and testing
  • Manage subcontracts to successfully design hardware systems


MAJOR / KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
  • Lead the design, development, and validation of hardware systems, including schematic capture, PCB design, hardware bring-up, and production support.
  • Own low-power and RF hardware design for IoT products, driving architecture, component selection, power optimization, wireless integration, and technical tradeoff decisions.
  • Perform hands-on debugging, testing, root-cause analysis, and resolution of design, manufacturing, and field issues using industry-standard lab equipment.
  • Manage and provide technical leadership to external design partners and subcontractors in India and China, ensuring quality, schedule, and deliverable execution.
  • Collaborate with firmware, software, mechanical, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to deliver products from concept through production.
  • Drive project execution, design reviews, documentation, risk management, and cross-functional alignment in a fast-paced and highly dynamic environment.


KEY CONTACTS

Internal: Mechanical Lead, Firmware Lead, Engineering Program Manager, Manufacturing Team, Product owner(s), SW Development Team

External: Hardware Design Subcontractors, Contract Manufacturer and ODMs, Component Supplier, Third party vendor

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent with 8+ years of experience in related fields.
  • Strong knowledge of hardware system architecture, board-level design, and electronic component selection.
  • Proficiency with OrCAD Capture for schematic design and PCB layout design tools.
  • Knowledge of low-power hardware design techniques, including battery-powered system design and power optimization.
  • Understanding of RF and wireless technologies used in IoT products, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, Thread, Zigbee, LoRa, or Cellular.
  • Strong hardware debugging and troubleshooting skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, and other laboratory equipment.
  • Knowledge of hardware verification, validation, and product qualification methodologies.
  • Ability to perform root-cause analysis and drive issue resolution in a structured and organized manner.
  • Understanding design-for-manufacturing (DFM), design-for-test (DFT), and product lifecycle development processes.


Desirable:
  • MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or related field is preferred with 5+ years of experience.
  • Advanced knowledge of RF system design, antenna integration, RF performance optimization, and wireless certification processes.
  • Expertise in low-power system architecture for battery-operated and energy-constrained IoT devices.
  • Familiarity with EMI/EMC mitigation, and compliance testing methodologies.
  • Experience with embedded hardware design.
  • Proficiency with PCB stack-up design, board layout reviews, and manufacturing design considerations.
  • Knowledge of hardware reliability, environmental qualification, and product lifecycle management processes.
  • Familiarity with ODM, CM, and global supply-chain development models.


EXPERIENCE
  • 8+ years of experience in hardware design, development, validation, and product support.
  • Experience designing complex electronic systems from concept through production and sustaining engineering.
  • Experience creating schematics using OrCAD Capture and working closely with PCB layout engineers throughout the design cycle.
  • Experience developing low-power hardware solutions for battery-powered, embedded, or IoT products.
  • Experience with RF and wireless system integration, testing, troubleshooting, and optimization for connected devices.
  • Experience performing hardware bring-up, debugging, characterization, and failure analysis using industry-standard laboratory equipment.
  • Experience developing and executing hardware verification, validation, qualification, and production test plans.
  • Experience troubleshooting field failures and driving structured root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
  • Experience managing external design partners, ODMs, contract manufacturers, or engineering subcontractors.
  • Experience working with engineering teams and suppliers across multiple geographic regions, including Asia.
  • Experience collaborating with firmware, software, mechanical, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams throughout the product development lifecycle.
  • Experience supporting prototype builds, design verification testing (DVT), product validation testing (PVT), manufacturing ramp, and production release activities.
  • Experience leading technical reviews, driving engineering decisions, and influencing cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Experience working in fast-paced environments with changing priorities, tight timelines, and high levels of ownership.


SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
  • Strong hardware system design expertise, including analog, digital, mixed-signal, and embedded electronics.
  • Proficiency with OrCAD Capture and a solid understanding of PCB layout design, review, and manufacturing considerations.
  • Knowledge of low-power system design for battery-operated and IoT devices.
  • Understanding of RF and wireless technologies including BLE, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread, LoRa, and Cellular communications.
  • Strong hardware debugging, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis skills using industry-standard laboratory equipment.
  • Knowledge of hardware verification, validation, qualification, and production test processes.
  • Ability to lead technical activities across cross-functional teams, suppliers, and external development partners.
  • Excellent communication, organization, project management, and stakeholder-influencing skills in fast-paced environments.


Remote Type

Hybrid Remote

Skills to succeed in the role

Adaptability, Empathy, Experimentation, Hardware Development, Hardware Engineering, Hardware Specifications, Prototyping, Systems Architecture, Taking Ownership, Teamwork, Understand Customers

About Brambles

Brambles Limited is an Australian company that provides supply chain logistics services. The company operates in more than 60 countries and is a global leader in pallet and container pooling services. Brambles' primary businesses include CHEP, which provides pallet and container pooling services, and IFCO, which provides reusable plastic containers for fresh food packaging. The company serves customers in various industries including consumer goods, fresh food, beverage, retail, and manufacturing. Brambles is committed to sustainability and has set a goal to become a zero-waste company by 2025. The company has offices in Sydney, Australia and London, United Kingdom.
Learn more about Brambles
Size
12,000 employees
Industry
NASDAQ

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