Electrical Engineer - Kitchener, Ontario

Nicoya; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Nicoya seeks an Electrical Engineer to join our team in Kitchener, Ontario or Leatherhead, UK, shaping the electronics at the heart of our scientific instruments. You will own designs from concept through production and end-of-life, collaborating with cross-functional teams across locations.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of professional hardware experience, a BS in EE, and strong Altium skills, plus embedded software (C/C++) and Python for test automation.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• 5+ years in professional electrical/hardware engineering.
• Strong board design experience for analog, digital and mixed-signal.
• Proficiency with Altium Designer for schematic capture and layout.
• Experience with end-of-life, sustaining engineering, and BOM management.
• Experience taking designs through full lifecycle to production.
• Strong problem-solving, coordination, and communication skills.
• Familiarity with embedded software (C/C++ on MCUs) and Python for test automation.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain electronic hardware for instruments, including schematic capture and multi-layer PCB layout.
• Own printed circuit board designs end-to-end — from architecture to bring-up and design verification testing.
• Own end-of-life activities, including obsolescence monitoring and last-time-buy planning.
• Support regulatory compliance activities, including safety and EMC testing and documentation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define electrical requirements and traceability.
• Support transition to manufacturing with DFM/DFT reviews and test fixture support.
• Generate and maintain design history files, schematics, BOMs, and procedures.
• Recommend process and technology improvements to enhance team effectiveness and product quality.

Skills

PCB design

Schematic capture

PCB layout

Embedded software

Python scripting

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Job description

Electrical Engineer

Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada or Leatherhead, Surrey, United Kingdom

Job Description - Full time, permanent

Experience: 5+ years experience

Education: BS in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline

As an Electrical Engineer, you will be responsible for the design, development, and lifecycle support of the electronics at the heart of our scientific instruments. You will own designs from concept through schematic capture, board layout, prototyping, and validation, and see them all the way through to production and end-of-life. Your work will directly shape the reliability, performance, and manufacturability of our products. The ideal candidate is self-motivated, hands-on, dynamic, and detail-oriented, with a solid technical background and demonstrable hands-on experience.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Design, develop, and maintain electronic hardware for our instruments, including schematic capture and multi-layer PCB layout using Altium Designer
• Own printed circuit board designs end-to-end - from architecture and component selection through layout, bring-up, debug, and design verification testing
• Own end-of-life activities, including component obsolescence monitoring, last-time-buy planning, identification and qualification of alternate components, and driving board revisions or redesigns as needed
• Support regulatory compliance activities, including safety and EMC certification testing and maintenance of associated technical documentation
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define electrical requirements and ensure traceability from requirements and specifications to design verification
• Support the transition of designs to manufacturing, including DFM/DFT reviews, test fixture support, and resolution of production issues
• Generate and maintain design documentation, including schematics, BOMs, test procedures, and design history files
• Recommend improvements to processes, technology, and interfaces that improve the effectiveness of the team and product quality in the spirit of continual improvement

Our Ideal Candidate Has:

• BS in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline
• 5+ years experience working in a professional electrical or hardware engineering role
• Strong board design experience, including schematic capture and PCB layout of analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuits
• Proficiency with Altium Designer for schematic capture, PCB layout, and library management
• Experience owning EOL activities, including component obsolescence management, last-time buys, and sustaining engineering of released products
• Experience taking designs through the full product lifecycle, from concept to production and end-of-life
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, coordination skills, and interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with embedded software development experience (C/C++ on microcontrollers) and Python scripting for test automation, data acquisition, and hardware bring-up

About you

You love a challenge and you're a life-long learner. You thrive off of solving technical challenges in the development of new products to meet short and long-term customer goals. You want to provide some of the world's top researchers with the best technology to help make research simple for them and help them get the data they need to make a difference in the world. You have excellent technical proficiency with a balanced understanding that user experience is everything. You love stepping out of your comfort zone while also keeping track of your day-to-day tasks. You want to be a part of a thriving small team and you have great communication and teamwork skills. You are motivated by making an impact on your workplace and you thrive on challenging problems. You have a proven track record for setting and meeting aggressive goals.

Members of the Hardware Team

Members of the Hardware Team work cross-functionally within our organization, collaborating closely with mechanical, firmware, software, and manufacturing teams, and wearing whatever hat is needed at any given time. You need to be an excellent communicator and thrive in a small-team environment with fast-paced agile iterations. Your contributions will deliver meaningful impact to our customers and the company.

About Nicoya

A single idea from the human mind can change the world. Nicoya was established in 2012 as an idea from the mind of nanotechnology graduate student, Ryan Denomme. While completing his Masters' research at the University of Waterloo he encountered a recurring problem – researchers don't have access to the cutting-edge technology needed to advance their discoveries. It became his goal to use nanotechnology to help reduce the cost and complexity commonly associated with scientific instruments, making them accessible to every scientist. As CEO, Ryan leads the team at Nicoya and continues to bring his vision to life. Today, Nicoya Lifesciences is advancing biopharmaceutical discovery by making high-quality biophysical data more accessible, actionable, and impactful for researchers worldwide.

In June 2025, Nicoya acquired Applied Photophysics Limited, extending their portfolio of products to a suite of automated, high-throughput, and integrated tools to characterize the three most critical aspects of biologics: stability, structure, and function.

Currently, Nicoya is made up of 70+ passionate and talented engineers, scientists, and designers who have extensive experience working at the forefront of nanotechnology, biochemistry, and optical sensors. Nicoya is headquartered in Kitchener-Waterloo, Canada's Silicon Valley, with a substantial office in Leatherhead, Surrey in the United Kingdom, and development projects typically span both locations.

Nicoya Lifesciences is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. If contacted for an interview and should you require any accommodation, please let Human Resources know. Information received related to accommodation needs will be addressed confidentially.