Hardware Engineer IV

Ascendion; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 179,000 - 229,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Long-term disability insurance

Short-term disability insurance

Paid time off: 5 personal days/year

Paid vacation: 10-15 days/year

6 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday

Job summary

Ascendion is seeking an experienced Electrical Engineering (EE) Validation Engineer to support hardware validation of next-generation smart glasses. You will monitor validation progress, review CM test reports, analyze failures, and drive issues to closure with EE design partners.

Role emphasizes hands-on PI/SI measurements, interpreting data, tracking issues, and providing guidance to CM engineers under the validation lead. Onsite at Sunnyvale, CA.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (EE).
• 4+ years of Electrical Engineering hardware validation experience with emphasis on PI/SI.
• Proven ability to analyze test data, identify root causes, and drive issues to closure with cross-functional teams.
• Experience reviewing test reports for accuracy, identifying gaps, and driving follow-up actions.
• Ability to develop test procedures, including clear technical writing, SOPs, and annotated diagrams.
• Strong schematic-reading skills to trace signal paths and map circuit functionality.

Responsibilities

• Review CM-generated validation reports to verify data quality and pass/fail criteria.
• Analyze validation failures to determine if issues are measurement errors, design defects, or assembly quality problems.
• Coordinate with EE design partners to present data and support corrective-action decisions.
• Track open issues through resolution and ensure fixes are validated and closed.
• Facilitate communication between CM, EE design, PCB layout, and firmware teams to keep issues progressing.
• Provide SOPs and guidance for CM personnel on measurement techniques and data collection.
• Define measurement access strategies and communicate them using annotated layout markups.
• Perform PI/SI measurements and debugging during prototype bring-up and validation.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

Hardware validation

PI/SI measurements

Test data analysis

SOP writing

PCB traceability

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Power-rail probes

Differential probes

Current probes

Spectrum analyzers

Job description

Ascendion is an AI-native software engineering disruptor helping businesses innovate faster, smarter, and with greater impact. We partner with enterprise clients across North America, the UK, Europe, and APAC to solve complex challenges in data, experience design, software product engineering, and workforce transformation. Powered by expert engineers, thousands of AI agents, and our Engineering to the Power of AI (EngineeringAI) method, we deliver measurable outcomes that build trust, unlock value, and accelerate growth.

Learn more at https://ascendion.com/.

Engineering to the Power of AI™, AAVA™, EngineeringAI, Engineering to Elevate Life™, Enterprise PlatformsAI, Data & InsightsAI, ExperienceAI, GCCAI, OperationsAI, Platform EngineeringAI, ProductAI, and Quality EngineeringAI are trademarks or service marks of Ascendion®. AAVA™ is pending registration. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

Ascendion | Engineering to elevate life

We have a culture built on opportunity, inclusion, and a spirit of partnership. Come, change the world with us:

• Build the coolest tech for the world’s leading brands
• Solve complex problems - and learn new skills
• Experience the power of transforming digital engineering for Fortune 500 clients
• Master your craft with leading training programs and hands-on experience

Experience a community of change makers!

Join a culture of high-performing innovators with endless ideas and a passion for tech. Our culture is the fabric of our company, and it is what makes us unique and diverse. The way we share ideas, learning, experiences, successes, and joy allows everyone to be their best at Ascendion.

About the Role:

• We are seeking an experienced Electrical Engineering (EE) Validation Engineer to support hardware validation of next-generation smart glasses, working closely with the validation lead.
• In this role, your primary focus will be monitoring validation progress, reviewing Contract Manufacturer (CM) test reports, analyzing failures, and coordinating with Electrical Engineering (EE) design partners to drive issues to closure.
• You will also guide Contract Manufacturer engineers on measurement procedures and perform hands-on Power Integrity (PI) and Signal Integrity (SI) debugging when needed.
• While you must possess strong hands‑on measurement skills, the majority of your time will be spent interpreting data, tracking issues, and ensuring problems are resolved efficiently.
• You will not own final validation decisions, but you are expected to be technically strong enough to identify risks, recommend actions, and keep execution on track under the direction of the validation lead.

Job Title:Hardware Engineer IV

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (EE).
• 4+ years of Electrical Engineering hardware validation experience, with strong emphasis on Power Integrity (PI) and Signal Integrity (SI).
• Proven ability to analyze test data, identify root causes, and drive issues to closure with cross‑functional teams.
• Experience reviewing test reports for accuracy and completeness, identifying gaps, and driving follow‑up actions.
• Ability to develop test procedures for others to execute, including clear technical writing, structured Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and annotated diagrams.
• Strong schematic‑reading skills, including the ability to trace signal paths, understand power distribution, and map circuit functionality using schematics and datasheets.
• Experience reviewing Printed Circuit Board (PCB) layouts to assess probe access, Signal Integrity/Power Integrity risks, and debugging strategies.
• Expert‑level knowledge of laboratory instruments, including high‑bandwidth oscilloscopes, power‑rail probes, active/differential probes, current probes, and spectrum analyzers.
• Experience with DC‑to‑DC converter characterization and high‑speed digital signal measurements.
• Solid understanding of transmission‑line theory, impedance matching, and Signal Integrity challenges associated with flex Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex Electrical Engineering issues clearly to Contract Manufacturer (CM) teams and design partners.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with wearable, mobile, or Internet of Things (IoT) hardware, particularly space‑constrained and low‑power designs.
• Familiarity with prototype, Engineering Validation Test (EVT), Design Validation Test (DVT), and Production Validation Test (PVT) build cycles and New Product Introduction (NPI) environments.
• Experience with issue‑tracking systems and cross‑functional coordination within hardware development programs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Review Contract Manufacturer (CM)-generated validation reports to verify data quality, identify anomalies, and confirm that pass/fail criteria are correctly applied.
• Analyze validation failures and determine whether issues are related to measurement errors, design defects, or assembly quality problems.
• Coordinate with Electrical Engineering (EE) design partners to present data, propose root‑cause hypotheses, and support corrective‑action decisions.
• Track open issues through resolution, ensuring fixes are validated and closed in a timely manner.
• Facilitate communication between Contract Manufacturing, Electrical Engineering design, printed circuit board layout, and firmware teams to keep issues progressing.
• Maintain the issue tracker and provide regular status updates to the Full‑Time Employee (FTE) validation lead.
• Monitor overall validation progress against milestones and elevate risks and blockers early.
• Develop clear, repeatable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that Contract Manufacturer technicians can execute independently.
• Train and guide Contract Manufacturer engineers and technicians on proper measurement techniques, probe placement, fixture usage, and data collection.
• Define probe points and measurement‑access strategies and communicate them to the Contract Manufacturer using annotated layout markups.
• Provide real‑time technical guidance when measurements produce unexpected results.
• Establish clear acceptance criteria and escalation paths for the Contract Manufacturer to follow, in alignment with the validation lead.
• Perform Power Integrity (PI) and Signal Integrity (SI) measurements requiring senior‑level technical judgment, including first‑article bring‑up, intermittent failures, and subtle noise sources.
• Validate Contract Manufacturer measurement setups through correlation measurements.
• Debug escalated issues that the Contract Manufacturer cannot resolve independently.
• Develop new measurement methodologies and fixtures for novel circuits or challenging probe‑access requirements.
• Support prototype bring‑up and characterization during build phases.
• Characterize DC‑to‑DC converters, including line/load regulation, efficiency, transient response, and output ripple/noise.
• Validate power sequencing and timing against Integrated Circuit (IC) specifications.
• Evaluate power‑rail stability under varying load conditions and perform current profiling.
• Validate battery charging circuits, including charge profiles, protection features, and thermal limits.
• Apply Power Distribution Network (PDN) concepts, including ground bounce, decoupling strategy, and voltage‑droop analysis.
• Perform high‑speed interface measurements for Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) Camera Serial Interface (CSI), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Inter‑Integrated Circuit (I²C), Inter‑IC Sound (I²S)/Pulse‑Density Modulation (PDM), Universal Serial Bus (USB), and Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART).
• Assess signal quality, including rise/fall times, overshoot/undershoot, ringing, and eye diagrams.
• Analyze crosstalk, reflections, and impedance discontinuities on flex and rigid‑flex circuit assemblies.
• Characterize clock signal quality and jitter.
• Correlate protocol‑level behavior with physical‑layer signal issues.
• Read and interpret multi‑page schematics to understand circuit topology, power trees, and signal routing.
• Review Printed Circuit Board (PCB) layouts, including rigid and flex boards, to identify optimal probe locations and debugging access points.
• Assess PCB layouts for Signal Integrity and Power Integrity risks, including trace routing, return‑path continuity, impedance control, and via transitions.
• Provide layout feedback to the design team to improve testability and debugging access.

Location:Sunnyvale, CA [5 Days Onsite]

Salary Range:The salaryfor this position is between$178,800 - $228,800 annually. Factors which may affect pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Benefits: The Company offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:[medical insurance] [dental insurance] [vision insurance] [401(k) retirement plan] [long‑term disability insurance] [short‑term disability insurance] [5 personal days accrued each calendar year. The Paid time off benefits meet the paid sick and safe time laws that pertains to the City/ State] [10-15 days of paid vacation time] [6 paid holidays and 1 floating holiday per calendar year] [Ascendion Learning Management System]