Hardware Engineer

GCS Recruitment; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

GCS Recruitment seeks a hands-on Hardware Engineer to transform fabricated boards into flight-ready hardware for advanced satellite systems in a demanding lab environment.

You’ll lead bring-up, validation, and debugging across high-speed serial interfaces and multi-gigabit networks, partnering with design engineers on future revisions and system integration activities. The role emphasizes problem-solving, power integrity, and robust test methodologies in mission-critical hardware contexts.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hardware-focused Electrical Engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing and debugging complex PCBs.
• Strong expertise in board bring-up, validation, and root-cause analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead first-time bring-up of complex satellite electronics and high-performance digital hardware.
• Power-on, debug, and validate newly fabricated boards.
• Investigate and resolve electrical, signal integrity, power integrity, and system-level issues.
• Execute validation plans covering functionality, performance, reliability, and high-speed interfaces.
• Drive hardware improvements by partnering directly with design engineers on future revisions.
• Support integration and test activities across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Deliver thoroughly validated hardware ready for downstream system and antenna testing.
• Influence next-generation designs through hands-on engineering feedback.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

PCB design & bring-up

Validation & debugging

DDR

PCIe

JESD204

Ethernet 25G+

SerDes

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Protocol analyzers

High-speed test equipment

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Protocol analyzers

High-speed test equipment

Job description

We're looking for a hands‑on Hardware Engineer who thrives in the lab and enjoys solving problems where failure isn't an option.

This is an opportunity to work on advanced satellite communication hardware built around custom silicon, high-speed digital architectures, and complex phased‑array systems. You'll be responsible for transforming newly manufactured boards into flight‑ready hardware through bring‑up, validation, root‑cause analysis, and relentless debugging.

If you're the engineer who gets called when a board won't boot, a high‑speed link won't train, or a power rail doesn't behave as expected, we want to talk to you.

What You'll Own

• Lead first‑time bring‑up of complex satellite electronics and high‑performance digital hardware.
• Power‑on, debug, and validate newly fabricated boards.
• Investigate and resolve electrical, signal integrity, power integrity, and system‑level issues.
• Execute validation plans covering functionality, performance, reliability, and high‑speed interfaces.
• Drive hardware improvements by partnering directly with design engineers on future revisions.
• Support integration and test activities across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Deliver thoroughly validated hardware ready for downstream system and antenna testing.
• Influence next‑generation designs through hands‑on engineering feedback.

The Hardware

You'll work with:

• Dense multilayer PCB designs
• Custom ASIC‑based platforms
• High‑speed serial interfaces
• Advanced communication systems
• Large‑scale phased‑array electronics
• Multi‑gigabit networking architectures
• Mission‑critical hardware operating in demanding environments

What We're Looking For

Required

• 8+ years of hardware‑focused Electrical Engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing and debugging complex PCBs.
• Strong expertise in board bring‑up, validation, and root‑cause analysis.
• Deep familiarity with:
  • DDR
  • PCIe
  • JESD204
  • Ethernet (25G+)
  • SerDes‑based architectures
• Extensive hands‑on use of:
  • Oscilloscopes
  • Logic analyzers
  • Protocol analyzers
  • High‑speed test equipment
• Experience supporting products from concept through manufacturing.

Preferred

• Satellite, spacecraft, launch vehicle, aerospace, defense, or other mission‑critical hardware experience.
• Phased‑array, radar, communications, or RF systems exposure.
• ASIC, SoC, or FPGA‑based hardware platforms.
• Python‑based lab automation.
• Experience working in fast‑paced development environments where hardware ships quickly and ownership is expected.

Ideal Backgrounds

We'd especially love to hear from engineers who have worked on:

• Satellite systems
• Broadband space networks
• Spacecraft avionics
• Launch vehicle electronics
• Flight hardware
• Defense communications systems
• Advanced networking hardware
• High‑performance computing platforms