Hardware Engineer

Actalent; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent in New York is seeking a Hardware Engineer to design and develop industrial-grade hardware from concept to production, collaborating with an international team.

The role covers circuit design, PCB layout, EMC/EMI considerations, validation testing, and production documentation. Strong communication is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• 3+ years hardware design experience in communications or embedded systems.
• Experience with circuit design and ECAD tools.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate with international teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to the hardware development of industrial-grade communications equipment.
• Design digital and mixed-signal circuitry including MCU, Ethernet, and USB with EMC/thermal/safety constraints.
• Develop schematics and PCB layouts; manage ECAD components.
• Prepare production documentation, BOMs and label specifications.
• Perform hardware validation testing and document results to refine designs.
• Ensure safety, emissions and performance standards and support cert labs.
• Troubleshoot existing designs and address obsolescence with root-cause analysis.
• Collaborate with an international development team across sites.
• Produce hardware design specifications and related documentation.

Skills

Circuit design

ECAD tools

Wireless development

Embedded systems

Soldering

Communication skills

Product lifecycle

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Oscilloscope

Network analyzers

Signal generators

Multimeter

Job description

Job Description

Job Description

Hardware Engineer

As a Hardware Engineer, you design and develop industry-leading solutions for industrial-grade wired and wireless communications products. You take products from concept through production, applying strong circuit-level design and troubleshooting skills in a laboratory environment. You work across the full product lifecycle, collaborating with an international engineering organization to meet design goals, manage trade-offs, and deliver reliable, standards-compliant hardware. This role requires clear written and verbal communication to explain complex technical solutions to cross-functional teams with varying levels of technical expertise.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to the hardware development of industrial-grade communications equipment by applying principles and techniques of electrical engineering, circuit design, and analysis.
• Complete the analysis and design of digital and mixed-signal communications circuitry, including MCU, CPU, flash, Ethernet, and USB, while considering EMC, thermal, mechanical, and electrical safety constraints.
• Develop and finalize schematic designs and PCB layouts containing digital, analog, and RF circuitry.
• Create new electronic components within the ECAD environment and maintain the component database to ensure accurate and up-to-date records.
• Prepare and maintain production documentation, including top-level bills of material and label specifications.
• Perform sustaining engineering activities for legacy products by mitigating component shortages, qualifying alternative parts, and redesigning circuits and sub-assemblies to address obsolescence.
• Translate product-level requirements into detailed technical requirements, estimate scope of work, and develop hardware concept designs to meet project deadlines.
• Work onsite with a team of Electrical and Embedded Firmware Engineers in an office and laboratory environment to drive hardware development activities.
• Perform circuit-level validation testing, document test plans and results, and use findings to refine and improve designs.
• Ensure compliance with product safety, emissions, and performance standards, and support third-party certification laboratories as needed.
• Support and troubleshoot existing product design issues reported by customers and manufacturing, identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions.
• Conduct MTBF and reliability analysis for individual product subsystems and incorporate findings into design improvements.
• Provide detailed specifications and technical support to Manufacturing and Test Engineering teams to facilitate smooth production and testing processes.
• Collaborate effectively with an international development team, sharing design information, resolving technical issues, and aligning on product objectives.
• Produce Hardware Design Specifications and other relevant design documentation that clearly convey architecture, requirements, and implementation details.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• At least 3 years of prior hardware design experience, preferably in communications or embedded systems products.
• At least 3 years of experience with circuit design and ECAD tools.
• 2-3 years of experience with wireless or embedded development.
• Practical circuit-level design and troubleshooting experience in a laboratory environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively to resolve technical issues.
• Demonstrated capability to participate in the full product lifecycle, from concept through production.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with Altium Designer or similar ECAD software.
• Familiarity with emissions standards such as FCC, IC, ETSI, Anatel, or ACMA.
• Experience with communication interfaces and protocols, including Ethernet, USB, I2C, and SPI.
• Familiarity with safety standards such as EN62368-1 and EN6095-1.
• Proven knowledge of EMC and environmental standards required for CE Mark certification of telecommunications products.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize work, and quickly adapt in a fast-paced engineering environment.
• Ability to solder and desolder surface-mount and through-hole components using a soldering station and heat gun.
• Experience using laboratory equipment such as signal generators, network analyzers, and spectrum analyzers.
• Ability to work collaboratively with an international development team across multiple sites.
• Familiarity w