Applications Engineer

Universal Electronics; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Universal Electronics, a leader in smart home and control technologies, seeks an Applications Engineer to bridge sales, hardware and software, driving product development from concept to launch. You will collaborate across engineering, design, and customer teams, shaping specifications and ensuring feasible, cost-effective solutions.

The role emphasizes hands‑on product leadership, source-code familiarity, and clear communication with customers to align requirements with engineering execution

Qualifications

• 2+ years in a consumer-oriented product environment.
• Experience with thermostat and/or sensor tech and/or home automation/IoT spaces is highly desired.
• Knowledge of RF and IP protocols (Z-Wave, ZigBee, Matter, THREAD, Wi‑Fi, LoRaWAN, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Define the product and bring it to life with cross‑functional teams.
• Specify and coordinate UEI products for major consumer electronics, home entertainment, and connected home customers.
• Collaborate with customers to understand their needs and use-cases; with Sales to promote the most applicable UEI solution.
• Dive into source code when needed to understand software behavior.
• Address software integration, Cloud communication, and OS requirements.
• Lead and author the product specification and drive the project towards kick-off.
• Define and write product requirements for software, electrical & mechanical needs.
• Lead cost estimations and tradeoffs with Sales on performance/cost.
• Coordinate with engineering and design teams to meet timelines.
• Articulate complex technical visions to internal/external stakeholders.

Skills

Communication skills

Project coordination

Cross-functional collaboration

Multi-tasking

Customer liaison

Education

Bachelors degree in EE/CE

Job description

At UEI you will be part of a world class team that is working to innovate and revolutionize the meaning of ‘wireless control’. Whether it’s via chips, software licenses or turnkey products, we are continuing to reinvent how consumers interact with devices and services in their home.

Each day we make the connected home smarter, easier to connect and use, and more sustainable. Wedelight our Fortune 100 customers such as Comcast, Apple, Samsung, Google, Vivint and Daikin with ground breaking wireless technology solutions such as advanced, voice-enabled remote controls, cloud control solutions, extreme low power Bluetooth silicon with energy harvesting capabilities, smart thermostats and sensors and many other IoT solutions.

Position Summary

The Applications Engineer is a key technical interface to our customers, working in cooperation with Sales, and taking the lead driving towards the best solution, considering both hardware and software at the device level. This role brings the product to development, utilizing strong technical, interpersonal, and project leadership abilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The duties listed below are intended only as examples of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Works internally with software teams, product management, Sales, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial design, and other teams to define the product and be the catalyst to bring the product to life
• Specify and coordinate UEI products for major consumer electronics, home entertainment, and connected home customers.
• Collaborate with the customer directly to understand their needs and use-cases; with Sales to promote the most applicable UEI solution; with UEI internal engineering and design teams to drive the initial architecture and cost determinations.
• Dive into source code when needed to understand software behavior.
• Address high level questions regarding software integration, Cloud communication, and OS requirements
• Lead and author the product specification and drive the project towards kick-off.
• Define and write product requirements, covering software, electrical & mechanical needs, based on discussions with the customer and agreeance from the engineering teams.
• Drive progress on design, feasibility, and cost information.
• Gather members of UEI engineering team to discuss design approaches and tradeoffs, verify specified product requirements, and feasible timeline.
• Lead unit cost and Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) estimations work with Sales on performance/cost tradeoffs of various approaches.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives and solve complex technical bottlenecks with minimal oversight.
• Articulate complex technical visions to both internal and external engineering and executive stakeholders.
• Have frequent contact with customer regarding product development and technical questions.

Supervisory Responsibilities – List Teams/Groups

None

Qualifications - Knowledge & Experience

• 2+ years’ work experience in a consumer-oriented product environment.
• Prior experience with Thermostat and/or Sensor technology and/or products in Home Security / Home Automation / HVAC / IoT Spaces / Industrial / Light Commercial highly desired.
• Knowledge of RF and IP protocols (e.g. Z-Wave, ZigBee, Matter, THREAD, Wi-Fi, LoRa(WAN), Honeywell, 2Gig, Interlogix), operation, and understanding of firmware aspects that affect compatibility.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and project coordination skills.
• Strong ability to drive progress and ensure deliverables are not missed.
• Able to multi-task, manage several concurrent initiatives, and prioritize projects.
• Ability to act as liaison between customer and internal development teams to communicate hardware and software solutions and technology implementation.
• Knowledge of technology stacks, deployment environments, API’s, cloud architecture, and ability to apply them to customer use cases.

Education, Licenses & Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field in engineering discipline from an accredited college or university is required.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) Preferred

Work Conditions

• 40 hours on-site work week.
• Willingness and ability to travel. 10% travel estimated mainly in US/Canada
• Physically able to participate in training sessions, presentations, and meetings
• Sitting for extended periods of time; Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, power tools, and other computer components.

$100,000 - $120,000 a year

Compensation and Benefits Disclosure

In accordance with pay transparency laws in the State of California, UEI provides a good-faith compensation range for this position which the company reasonably expects to pay upon hire, based on good-faith and reasonable estimate at the time of posting. The final compensation within this range will depend on the candidate’s qualifications, education, training, experience and location. In addition to the compensation, UEI offers comprehensive health and welfare as well as retirement plan benefits which are not reflected in the pay range above.

Universal Electronics Inc. (NASDAQ: UEIC) is the worldwide leader in universal control and sensing technologies for the smart home. Its broad portfolio of patents includes QuickSet software that utilizes the world’s most complete knowledge graph to detect and interact with thousands of entertainment and smart home devices. The company designs, develops, and manufactures innovative products that are used by the world’s leading brands in the audio, video, subscription broadcasting, connected home, home energy management, and mobile device markets. UEI’s many first-to-market innovations have helped transform the home entertainment control, home security, and home energy management and sensing industries.

Universal Electronics Inc. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse workforce and we believe having diverse teams that everyone brings their whole self to work everyday is key to all of our success. We welcome all people of different experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and abilities.