Senior Hardware Design Engineer

SARACA; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

SARACA is seeking an experienced Network Hardware Engineer in San Jose, CA, onsite, to drive the architecture, validation, and bring-up of high-performance routers and 800G-class platforms. The role emphasizes SerDes, SI/PI, power, and PCB design with close collaboration across multiple engineering teams.

The ideal candidate has 8–15+ years in networking hardware, experience with high-speed interfaces, and a track record of successful board bring-up and electrical validation.

Qualifications

• Experience with board bring-up and electrical validation.
• Proficient in high-speed signal integrity/ power integrity analysis and testing.
• Strong background in PCB design and thermal management.
• Hands-on testing of board-level functionality and stress testing.

Responsibilities

• Define hardware architecture for next-generation routers and switches.
• Analyze high-speed interfaces including 800G line cards and SerDes interfaces.
• Select key components such as SoCs, DDR, GPUs, FPGAs, ASICs, PCIe switches, clocks and power devices.
• Lead schematic capture, design analysis, and board bring-up.
• Develop PCB stack-ups and ensure impedance and power needs are met.
• Perform pre- and post-layout SI analyses, eye diagrams, and crosstalk assessments.
• Perform PI analyses including voltage drop, current density, and decoupling.
• Collaborate with software, PCB layout, mechanical, applications and systems teams to resolve issues.
• Lead board bring-up, electrical validation, and signal-quality testing.
• Design and validate power-management circuits and perform board-level functional validation.
• Validate hardware performance under various operating conditions and troubleshoot issues.

Skills

Board bring-up

Signal quality testing

Power-management design

Stress testing

High-speed digital hardware

SI/PI analysis

PCB design

Thermal analysis

Hardware debugging

Job description

Tips: Provide a summary of the role, what success in the position looks like, and how this role fits into the organization overall.

• Role: Network Hardware Engineer
• Location: San Jose, CA – Onsite
• Start Date: Immediate Availability
• Background Check: MANDATORY

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Network Hardware Engineer to support the architecture, design, validation, and bring-up of next-generation high-performance routers, network switches, and 800G-class networking platforms. The ideal candidate will have strong hands‑on experience with high-speed digital hardware, SerDes, SI/PI analysis, power architecture, PCB design, and board‑level validation.

Key Responsibilities

• Define hardware architecture for next‑generation router and network switch products.
• Analyze and design high‑speed interfaces, including 800G line cards and complex high‑speed SerDes interfaces.
• Perform requirements analysis and select key components such as Processor SoC, DDR, GPU, FPGA, network switch ASICs, PCIe switches, clocking, and power‑management devices.
• Drive hardware architecture, high‑level design, critical component selection, schematic capture, and design analysis.
• Develop PCB stack‑up requirements based on board thickness, signal speed, impedance, and power architecture requirements.
• Perform pre‑and post‑layout Signal Integrity (SI) analysis, including:
• High‑speed eye diagram analysis
• Overshoot/undershoot analysis
• Crosstalk analysis
• DDR batch simulation
• SERDES interface simulation
• Perform Power Integrity (PI) analysis, including voltage‑drop, current‑density, plane‑noise, and decoupling analysis.
• Conduct thermal analysis of high‑power/hot‑spot components and determine appropriate heatsinks, thermal pads, and other thermal solutions.
• Collaborate closely with software, PCB layout, mechanical, applications, and system engineering teams to resolve design issues.
• Lead board bring‑up, electrical validation, and signal‑quality testing.
• Design and validate power‑management circuits/devices and perform stress testing and board‑level functional validation.
• Validate hardware performance under various corner‑case and operating conditions.
• Troubleshoot board‑level hardware issues and drive corrective actions through product development and validation.

Mandatory Skills

• Strong hands‑on experience with board bring‑up and electrical validation.
• Experience performing signal‑quality testing and validation of high‑speed circuits.
• Experience designing and validating power‑management devices/circuits.
• Hands‑on experience with stress testing and board‑level functional testing.
• Strong understanding of high‑speed digital hardware, PCB design, SI/PI, and hardware debugging.

Preferred Technical Background

• Router, switch, networking, server, telecom, or high‑performance computing hardware.
• High‑speed interfaces such as 800G Ethernet, SerDes, PCIe, DDR, Ethernet PHYs, and high‑speed clocks.
• Signal Integrity / Power Integrity tools and simulation methodologies.
• Hardware architecture and schematic design.
• PCB stack‑up, impedance control, high‑speed routing, and post‑layout analysis.
• Thermal and power analysis.
• Experience with complex networking ASICs, FPGAs, SoCs, and PCIe switches.

Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate would typically have 8–15+ years of hardware engineering experience with significant hands‑on work in networking equipment, routers/switches, high‑speed boards, or telecom/server platforms. Candidates who have progressed from Hardware Design Engineer → Senior/Lead Hardware Engineer → Hardware Architect are particularly relevant.