Automotive Hardware Design Engineer

ALTEN Technology USA; Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking a Senior Automotive Hardware Design Engineer with hands-on experience in embedded electronic hardware development and automotive product design.

You will lead the hardware lifecycle from requirements analysis through production launch, collaborating with Systems, Software, Mechanical, Validation, and Manufacturing teams to meet performance, reliability, cost, and timing targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years of automotive embedded hardware development experience.
• Hands-on experience with automotive electronic hardware design.
• Experience with schematic design, circuit design, and component selection.
• Experience supporting PCB layout and hardware development.
• Experience with WCCA, engineering calculations, and simulations.
• EMC/EMI design and testing experience.
• CAN and LIN communication interfaces experience.
• Experience with automotive OEM or Tier-1 programs.
• Strong troubleshooting and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze requirements and translate to hardware architecture.
• Design, develop, verify, and launch embedded hardware.
• Support PCB layout and component selection.
• Perform hardware analysis, validation, and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate across Systems, Software, Mechanical, and Manufacturing.

Skills

Embedded HW

CAN/LIN

EMC/EMI

Schematic design

Root-cause analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Cadence

Codebeamer

DOORS/Polarion

Job description

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company that provides solutions for engineering, technology, and product development projects. For decades, we’ve been helping our clients develop products that are changing the world, whether that’s by shaping the future of space exploration, saving lives with medical devices that set a new standard of care, or creating the fully autonomous electric taxi of tomorrow. Our team of more than 600 people works across industries including aerospace, medical devices and life sciences, unmanned systems and robotics, automotive OEM and tier 1 suppliers, commercial vehicle, electric vehicles, rail, and more. Our offices across the US have different industry focuses and engage with our clients in different ways, ranging from working on-site at client facilities to performing product development at our delivery centers.

ALTEN Group, our parent company, has been a leader in engineering and information technology for more than 30 years. ALTEN Group operates in 30 countries across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and employs more than 36,000 people, 88% of whom are engineers. The company covers the whole development cycle and offers a choice of service levels, from technology consulting to complete project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you join a group of people passionate about collaborating to solve some of the world’s most technical engineering challenges. Our success is tied to taking care of our employees by building relationships and providing opportunities for mentorship and career growth. We offer comprehensive benefits for all full‑time employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) plan with employer matching; paid time off (PTO); paid parental leave; and mentorship to help you take your career to the next level. You don’t have to take our word for it that we are a great place to work—we were named on the 2023 Top Workplaces list thanks to feedback from our proud employees.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Senior Automotive Hardware Design Engineer with strong hands‑on experience in embedded electronic hardware development and automotive product design.

The engineer will be responsible for the design, development, validation, and launch of embedded electronic hardware supporting automotive seating, comfort, actuator, motor, and interior applications.

This is a hands‑on engineering position focused on the complete hardware development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, hardware architecture, schematic design, PCB development, engineering analysis, validation, troubleshooting, and production launch.

The successful candidate will work closely with Systems, Software, Mechanical, Validation, Manufacturing, Quality, and Customer teams to deliver reliable automotive electronic products that meet technical, quality, timing, and cost objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Requirements & Hardware Architecture

• Analyze customer and system requirements using requirements management tools such as Codebeamer.
• Translate system requirements into hardware architecture and design solutions.
• Define hardware verification and validation requirements.
• Maintain requirements traceability throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Participate in technical reviews and requirements discussions.

Hardware Design & Development

• Design and develop automotive embedded electronic hardware.
• Develop and review schematics, circuit designs, and component selections.
• Support PCB design and layout activities.
• Participate in hardware architecture and design reviews.
• Support prototype development, testing, and product maturation.
• Support component, schematic symbol, and PCB footprint library management.

Engineering Analysis & Validation

• Perform Worst‑Case Circuit Analysis (WCCA) and engineering calculations.
• Support thermal analysis and electrical circuit simulations.
• Support hardware verification and validation activities.
• Troubleshoot hardware issues and perform root‑cause analysis.
• Support corrective actions and design improvements.

Automotive Development & Launch

• Support hardware development from concept through production launch.
• Participate in program milestones, design reviews, and customer technical discussions.
• Support OEM and Tier-1 automotive development programs.
• Ensure hardware designs meet performance, reliability, quality, cost, and timing requirements.
• Support issue resolution during prototype, validation, and production phases.

Technical Leadership & Collaboration

• Provide technical guidance to other engineers when needed.
• Work closely with Systems, Software, Mechanical, Quality, Validation, and Manufacturing teams.
• Communicate technical issues, risks, and recommendations clearly.
• Participate in customer‑facing technical discussions and design reviews.
• Take ownership of assigned hardware development activities and deliverables.

Design for Excellence

• Apply DFM, DFA, DFC, DFT, and DFR principles throughout the development process.
• Consider manufacturability, reliability, testability, quality, and cost during hardware design.
• Support continuous improvement of hardware development processes and designs.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in automotive embedded hardware development or electronic product design.
• Strong hands‑on experience with automotive electronic hardware design.
• Experience with schematic design, circuit design, and component selection.
• Experience supporting PCB layout and hardware development.
• Experience with WCCA, engineering calculations, and hardware simulations.
• Experience with EMC/EMI design considerations and EMC validation.
• Experience with CAN and LIN communication interfaces.
• Experience supporting automotive OEM or Tier‑1 development programs.
• Experience with requirements management and requirements traceability.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem‑solving, and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and technical presentation skills.
• Ability to independently own and drive hardware development activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Codebeamer.
• Experience with DOORS or Polarion.
• Experience with Cadence or similar PCB/electronic design tools.
• Knowledge of APQP and automotive product development processes.
• Knowledge of ISO 26262 Functional Safety.
• Familiarity with ASPICE development practices.
• Experience with automotive seating systems or interior electronics.
• Experience with mechatronic systems.
• Experience with actuator, motor control, or electronic control systems.
• Experience working directly with automotive OEM customers.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Hands‑on automotive hardware design engineer with strong embedded electronics experience.
• Comfortable owning hardware development activities from requirements through production launch.
• Strong understanding of automotive electronics and product development processes.
• Able to troubleshoot complex hardware issues and drive root‑cause analysis.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Comfortable working in a cross‑functional engineering environment.
• Demonstrates technical ownership while remaining actively involved in the design and development process.

ALTEN Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our Policy is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status.