Electronics Engineer - Failure Analysis

Halter; Auckland; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Halter seeks an experienced Electronics Engineer for Failure Analysis who will own high-impact failure modes and trace them to root causes. You will diagnose field and lab-tested electronics, from power to RF, using a full suite of diagnostic tools to isolate issues and validate fixes.

You will work closely with hardware, firmware, production and supplier quality teams while mentoring junior engineers and contributing to recruitment efforts in a fast-paced, high-performance culture.

Qualifications

• Solid electronics engineering experience with hands-on field failure diagnosis.
• Ability to connect field events to hardware failure modes with evidence.
• Experience reading schematics and PCB layouts to trace faults.
• Strong communication skills for cross-functional feedback.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Own high-impact electronic failure modes and drive root cause analysis.
• Debug electronics at sub-system and component level (power, RF, sensors).
• Utilize EE diagnostics to isolate faults and verify fixes.
• Correlate field data with hardware failure signatures.
• Improve processes, tooling and workflows for diagnostics.
• Collaborate with hardware, firmware, production and QA teams; mentor juniors.

Skills

Root-cause analysis

Electronics troubleshooting

Schematics & PCB tracing

Analog & digital design

RF, sensors & interfaces (I2C, SPI)

Education

BE in Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

DMM

Network analyzers

Microscopy

X-ray imaging

Job description

About Halter

At Halter, we’re on a mission to enable farmers and graziers to run the most productive and sustainable operations. Our customers are using Halter to break free from the time‑intensive constraints of conventional practices. Imagine watching 500 cattle stand up and walk calmly towards their next break? No quad bikes, no dogs, no fences. Just a group of cattle walking at their own pace. People say it looks like magic. Our customers are revolutionizing grazing with Halter. It's changing lives and transforming an industry. People join Halter to do meaningful work. By joining us you’ll be solving challenging problems within a talented team and a culture built for high performance. Our team out‑think, out‑work and out‑care. We’re committed to delivering real change in the world — this isn’t easy, and in truth, we love that it’s hard.

About the Role

We're changing the way the world farms — and with that comes a responsibility to the producers worldwide who trust us with their animals. We're looking for an experienced Electronics Engineer to join our Failure Analysis team and debug failed electronics down to root cause, from both the field and lab testing. Halter collars aren't serviced, aren't repairable, and need to last 6–10 years, anywhere across the globe. Our products are complex, highly integrated electromechanical devices packed with ultra‑low power circuitry, RF, solar and battery systems, high‑voltage pulse circuits, and dense multi‑layer PCBs. To make them last, we need to understand every electronic failure mode in the field and know exactly how to eliminate it.

What you’ll do

• Personally own the highest‑impact and most ambiguous electronic failure modes, driving them to a clear, evidence‑based root cause. This is a hands‑on role; you'll be very close to the electronics.
• Debug and diagnose failed electronics at the sub‑system and component level: power generation and conversion, ultra‑low power circuits, RF and antenna, battery systems, high‑voltage pulse circuits, and the MCUs, SoCs, sensors and interfaces around them.
• Use the full bench of EE diagnostic tools (oscilloscopes, DMM, network analyzers, signal generators, LCR meters, current clamps, HV meters, thermal imaging, microscopy and X‑ray where relevant) to isolate faults.
• Understand the relationships between in‑field events and electronic failures, connecting field data and returns to physical failure signatures on the hardware.
• Develop and improve the processes, tooling and ways of working that increase diagnostic accuracy and reduce no‑fault‑found.
• Work closely with hardware, firmware, production and supplier quality teams to investigate failures and drive corrective action into the design.
• Mentor and guide more junior engineers, expanding their technical knowledge and their approach to failure analysis.
• Support recruitment for building out a brilliant team, rooted in strong process discipline, technical capability and a tenacious curiosity to figure things out.

What you’ll bring

• Solid electronics engineering experience, with hands‑on expertise diagnosing field failures and connecting real‑world events to product failure modes for complex, highly integrated hardware at the board and component level.
• A methodical, first‑principled approach to root cause analysis, backed by clear evidence rather than assumption.
• Strong grounding in electronic circuit fundamentals across analog, digital, power and RF; ideally including ultra‑low power IoT designs, batteries, solar, DC‑DC conversion, high‑voltage generation and insulation, and interfaces such as I2C and SPI.
• Proficiency with EE diagnostic and test equipment, and comfortable reading schematics and PCB layouts to trace faults.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to translate technical findings into clear, actionable feedback for cross‑functional teams.
• A natural inclination to share knowledge, educate and mentor.
• A strong sense of ownership and a bias for action — you're not afraid to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into wider challenges when required.
• Low ego, highly collaborative, and willing to play for the Front of the Jersey.
• A BE degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering or a similar relevant qualification.