Hardware Engineer

Survival Systems Staffing; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Survival Systems Staffing seeks an hands-on Electrical Engineer in Mountain View, CA, to design analog and mixed-signal hardware for measurement instrumentation. You will develop signal chains, select components, and produce high-frequency, low-noise PCBs.

You will collaborate with firmware and embedded teams on data acquisition, perform lab tests with oscilloscopes and VNAs, and ensure EMC/EMI compliance, all while documenting designs and supporting field validation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• 3-5 years of experience in analog or mixed-signal hardware design, ideally in instrumentation or test and measurement.
• Proficiency in PCB design, including schematic capture and layout in Altium Designer or equivalent.
• Solid understanding of high-speed analog design, including signal integrity, transmission line theory, and impedance matching.
• Hands-on experience with lab instruments such as oscilloscopes, VNAs, spectrum analyzers, and signal generators.
• Experience writing or reviewing hardware test plans and design verification reports.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop analog and mixed-signal hardware for measurement instrumentation, including pulse generation circuits, high-speed analog front ends, sampling circuits, and signal conditioning stages.
• Create PCB schematics and layouts for high-frequency, low-noise circuits using Altium Designer, Cadence, or equivalent tools.
• Select and evaluate components such as ADCs, DACs, op-amps, FPGAs, and microcontrollers.
• Develop impedance matching networks and transmission line interfaces for various cable types (coax, twisted pair, MV power cables).
• Design power supply and protection circuitry compliant with safety and EMC standards.

Skills

Analog/mixed-signal design

PCB design

High-speed design

Signal integrity

Lab instrumentation

FPGA/MCU

Education

Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Cadence

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

Hardware Design & Development

Design and develop analog and mixed-signal hardware for measurement instrumentation, including pulse generation circuits, high-speed analog front ends, sampling circuits, and signal conditioning stages

Create PCB schematics and layouts for high-frequency, low-noise circuits using Altium Designer, Cadence, or equivalent tools

Select and evaluate components such as ADCs, DACs, op-amps, FPGAs, and microcontrollers

Develop impedance matching networks and transmission line interfaces for various cable types (coax, twisted pair, MV power cables)

Design power supply and protection circuitry compliant with safety and EMC standards

Signal Processing & Firmware

Collaborate with firmware and embedded engineers on signal acquisition, averaging, and measurement algorithms

Help define requirements for FPGA or microcontroller-based acquisition systems

Support development of calibration routines to maintain measurement accuracy across temperature and load conditions

Prototyping & Validation

Build and test hardware prototypes in the lab using oscilloscopes, VNAs, spectrum analyzers, and signal generators

Execute design verification and design validation testing against electrical and environmental specifications

Perform EMC pre-compliance testing and support formal EMC/EMI certification

Validate measurement accuracy against reference setups and known conditions

Support field trials at renewable energy sites

Standards & Documentation

Ensure designs comply with relevant standards, including IEC 61010, IEC 61000 (EMC), and ISO 9001 quality requirements

Produce design documentation including schematics, BOMs, design rationale, and test reports

Maintain version-controlled design files and contribute to IP and patent documentation where applicable

Work closely with software, firmware, mechanical, and product management teams in an agile environment

Engage with customers and field engineers to gather requirements and validate designs against real-world needs

The Skills You Bring:

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a closely related discipline

3-5 years of experience in analog or mixed-signal hardware design, ideally in instrumentation or test and measurement

Proficiency in PCB design, including schematic capture and layout in Altium Designer or equivalent

Solid understanding of high-speed analog design, including signal integrity, transmission line theory, and impedance matching

Hands-on experience with lab instruments such as oscilloscopes, VNAs, spectrum analyzers, and signal generators

Experience writing or reviewing hardware test plans and design verification reports