Hardware Engineer IV

SGS Consulting; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SGS Consulting is seeking an experienced EE hardware validation engineer in Sacramento, CA to lead power integrity and signal integrity verification across wearable, mobile, or IoT hardware projects.

You will review CM-generated reports, develop repeatable test procedures, coordinate with EE design partners, and track issues through resolution, ensuring timely fixes and clear status updates to the validation lead.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering; 4+ years EE hardware validation with PI/SI focus.
• Ability to analyze test data, identify root causes, drive closure with cross-functional teams.
• Proven ability to develop repeatable test procedures and write clear SOPs.

Responsibilities

• Review CM-generated validation reports: verify data quality, flag anomalies, confirm pass/fail criteria are applied correctly.
• Analyze validation failures to determine whether issues are measurement errors, design defects, or assembly quality problems.
• Coordinate with EE design partners to present data, propose root cause hypotheses, and support corrective action decisions.
• Track open issues through resolution; ensure fixes are validated and closed in a timely manner.
• Facilitate communication between CM, EE design, layout, and firmware teams to keep issues moving.
• Maintain issue tracker and provide regular status updates to the FTE validation lead.
• Monitor overall validation progress against milestones; escalates risks and blockers early.

Skills

Power integrity

Signal integrity

Test procedure development

SOPs / technical writing

Schematic reading

PCB layout review

Lab instruments expertise

Wearable/Mobile/IoT hardware

NPI environments

Cross-functional coordination

Issue tracking systems

Education

BS/MS in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Probe access planning

Current probes

Spectrum analyzers

DC-DC converter characterization tools

Layout annotation tools

Job description

Job Responsibilities

• Review CM-generated validation reports: verify data quality, flag anomalies, confirm pass/fail criteria are correctly applied
• Analyze validation failures; determine whether issues are measurement errors, design defects, or assembly quality problems
• Coordinate with EE design partners to present data, propose root cause hypotheses, and support corrective action decisions
• Track open issues through resolution; ensure fixes are validated and closed in a timely manner
• Facilitate communication between CM, EE design, layout, and firmware teams to keep issues moving
• Maintain issue tracker and provide regular status updates to the FTE validation lead
• Monitor overall validation progress against milestones; escalates risks and blockers early

CM Guidance (~20%)

• Develop clear, repeatable test procedures (SOPs) that CM technicians can execute independently
• Train and guide CM engineers/technicians on proper measurement techniques, probe placement, fixture usage, and data collection
• Define probe points and measurement access strategy; communicate to CM with annotated layout markups
• Provide real-time technical guidance to CM when measurements yield unexpected results
• Establish clear acceptance criteria and escalation paths for CM to follow, in alignment with the FTE validation lead
• Perform PI/SI measurements that require senior-level judgment (e.g., first article bring-up, intermittent failures, subtle noise sources)
• Validate CM measurement setups by performing correlation measurements
• Debug escalated issues that CM cannot resolve independently
• Develop new measurement methodologies and fixtures for novel circuits or challenging probe access
• Support prototype bring-up and characterization during build phases

Skills

• 4+ years of EE hardware validation experience with strong emphasis on power integrity and signal integrityAbility to develop test procedures that others execute — clear technical writing, structured SOPs, annotated diagrams
• Strong schematic reading skills — trace signal paths, understand power distribution, map circuit function from schematics and datasheetsPCB layout review experience — assess probe access, SI/PI risk, debug strategy
• Expert-level knowledge of lab instruments: high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, power rail probes, active/differential probes, current probes, spectrum analyzersExperience with wearable, mobile, or IoT hardware (space-constrained, low-power designs)Familiarity with proto/EVT/DVT/PVT build cycles and NPI environments
• Experience with issue tracking systems and cross-functional coordination in hardware programs

Education/Experience

BS/MS in Electrical Engineering4+ years of EE hardware validation experience with strong emphasis on power integrity and signal integrityProven ability to analyze test data, identify root causes, and drive issues to closure with cross-functional teamsExperience reviewing test reports for correctness, identifying gaps, and driving follow-up actionsAbility to develop test procedures that others execute — clear technical writing, structured SOPS, annotated diagramsStrong schematic reading skills — trace signal paths, understand power distribution, map circuit function from schematics and datasheetsPCB layout review experience — assess probe access, SI/PI risk, debug strategyExpert-level knowledge of lab instruments: high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, power rail probes, active/differential probes, current probes, spectrum analyzersExperience with DC-DC converter characterization and high-speed digital signal measurementsSolid understanding of transmission line theory, impedance matching, and flex PCB signal integrity challengesStrong communication skills — ability to explain complex EE issues clearly to CM teams and design partners