Hardware Design Engineer

Wasatch Photonics; Morrisville (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work with renowned scientists in spectroscopy

Flexible scheduling

Opportunity for career development

Profit-sharing participation

'Small company culture' with minimal red tape

Job summary

Wasatch Photonics in Morrisville, North Carolina, seeks a dedicated Hardware Design Engineer to join their innovative product development team. You will design PCBs for cutting-edge optical solutions, ensuring high performance with low-power requirements. The role includes responsibilities like validating circuits, leading design reviews, and collaborating with engineers. Ideal candidates will possess a Bachelor's degree, at least five years of experience in PCB design, and strong communication skills. Join us for a dynamic work environment with development opportunities and a focus on collaboration.

Qualifications

• At least five years of experience with Altium or comparable PCB design tool.
• Experience with digital and mixed-signal circuit design.
• Experience using oscilloscopes and network analyzers.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain PCB schematics using Altium.
• Validate circuit performance with simulation tools.
• Lead reviews to resolve electro-mechanical issues.
• Analyze signal timing and waveforms using lab instruments.

Skills

Altium or comparable PCB design tool

Digital and mixed-signal circuit design

Laboratory tools (oscilloscopes, network analyzers)

Revision-control systems (Git, BitBucket, Allspice)

Soldering and board inspection

Firmware or scripting tools (e.g., Python)

Good written and oral communication skills

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or similar discipline

Job description

Wasatch Photonics is seeking a highly proficient Hardware Design Engineer to serve as an integral part of an innovative, close-knit product development group creating our next-generation Raman, spectroscopy and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) solutions.

As a company, we work with leading researchers developing new scientific techniques to revolutionize healthcare, security, food security, environmental monitoring, and materials development & processing. As a Hardware Design Engineer with us, you will help Wasatch Photonics develop new PCBAs for control of electro-optical sensors, lasers, batteries and other components common to benchtop and handheld spectroscopic instruments.

Wasatch Photonics has long been known for its superior opto-mechanical designs for spectroscopy and OCT, drawing upon our own high efficiency holographic gratings. In this role, you will be responsible for creating and maintaining circuits and schematics for boards integrating microcontrollers, FPGAs, CCD and CMOS image sensors, low-noise analog front-ends, power supplies, mixed-signal communications, battery controllers, laser diode drivers and similar components using low-power designs appropriate to battery-powered mobile products.

We offer a fast-paced development environment, a variety of interesting & overlapping projects, and a positive collaborative atmosphere where you will learn about the physics, optics and chemistry underlying our spectroscopy and optical coherence tomography technology. We are here to build upon one another’s talents and succeed as a team.

If this sounds like the kind of challenge and environment that brings out the best in you, then the best of us would like to meet you!

Location: The position is on-site and located in Morrisville, North Carolina (Raleigh/Durham’s Research Triangle). Occasional domestic and international travel may be required.

What We Offer

We know that the best people look for more than just a job. We aim to inspire you with common goals, shared vision, and an environment where you can grow and lead a balanced life – long term. Here’s a few of the benefits that make us different:

• Work with and learn from celebrated scientists in the fields of Raman, spectroscopy, and OCT
• Specify and use the tools and resources you require to get the job done
• Flexibility and compassion in your schedule when you need it
• Share in the profits of the business
• ‘Small company culture’: very little red tape to impede positive action
• Planned career development opportunities
• Stability of ownership by a large multinational instrumentation company with a focus on innovation

Primary Job Responsibilities

• Use Altium to design and maintain PCB schematics and generate orderable packages
• Use SPICE and other simulation tools to validate circuit performance before spins
• Lead internal multi-disciplinary reviews to identify and resolve potential electro-mechanical issues with interference, grounding, cable harnessing and the like
• Lead bring-up of new boards including power and timing validation
• Analyze signal timing and waveforms using oscilloscopes and other lab instruments
• Keep a sense of humor and positive perspective that transcends setbacks

Additional Responsibilities

• Work with firmware and FPGA engineers on pin assignment and configuration, selection of appropriate memory components, control and communication interfaces between ICs, etc
• Work with PCB layout engineers through initial component placement and routing review
• Support regulatory testing including IEC 61326 EMC and emissions, 61010 electrical safety, 47 CFR FCC Part 15/18 emissions and other appropriate standards
• Recommend components and connectors to meet operational product requirements
• Work with manufacturing to analyze electrical issues arising in product assembly and customer RMAs
• Contribute to other aspects of company development as needed

Required Experience/Skills

• At least five years with Altium or comparable PCB design tool
• Experience with digital and mixed-signal circuit design
• Experience with oscilloscopes, network analyzers and similar laboratory tools
• Experience with revision-control systems such as Git, BitBucket and Allspice
• Familiarity with soldering, board inspection and rework is welcome
• Familiarity with firmware or scripting tools such as Python is welcome
• Good written and oral communication skills

Education

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or similar discipline

About Wasatch Photonics

We are a fast-growing company with several market-leading products with optics at its core. Key product areas from Wasatch Photonics include Raman Spectroscopy, Optical Coherence Tomography, Hyperspectral Imaging, Volume Phase Holographic Gratings, and Diffractive Optics.

The Company is an ideal place for energetic and innovative individuals looking to grow a developing company with exceptional products in a fast-paced startup driven environment. Wasatch Photonics provides a collaborative and cordial environment, and sees the growth and development of its team members as integral for its success.

We are looking to expand our teams to support our continuing market expansion. If you enjoy working in a dynamic, growth driven environment with the latest technology – then we look forward to hearing from you and discussing what we might achieve together!