Senior Hardware Engineer

Actalent; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a seasoned Hardware Engineer in Ann Arbor, MI to lead the design and development of advanced electronic hardware and PCB solutions for lithium-ion battery systems. You will drive architecture, engage with cross-functional teams, and own hardware from concept to production in a fast-paced, regulated environment.

You will design complex PCBs using Altium Designer, work on BMS and power electronics, and mentor junior engineers while ensuring signal integrity, thermal management,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering.
• 8+ years hardware development experience.
• 5+ years designing complex PCB assemblies for automotive, industrial, energy storage, or similar.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture, design, and validation of electronic hardware for battery systems and power electronics.
• Design multi-layer PCBs in Altium Designer with schematic capture and layout guidance.
• Develop hardware for BMS, sensing, power distribution, safety monitoring, and embedded control systems.
• Collaborate with firmware, systems, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineering teams.
• Perform design trade-off analyses for performance, reliability, manufacturability, cost, and thermal management.
• Own hardware development through concept, prototyping, validation, production, and field support.
• Apply design-for-manufacturing, signal integrity, power integrity, grounding, and HV isolation principles.
• Participate in DFMEA, design reviews, risk assessments, and safety efforts.
• Support testing, validation, and verification of battery systems.
• Mentor junior engineers and lead cross-functional teams.
• Hands-on contributor across disciplines to adapt to changing business needs.

Skills

Schematic capture

Analog & digital design

CAN/CAN-FD

Power electronics

Thermal management

EMC/EMI

Root-cause analysis

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Job description

Job Description

The Hardware Engineer leads the design and development of advanced electronic hardware and PCB solutions for next-generation lithium-ion battery systems serving commercial, industrial, defense, and emerging energy markets. This role is ideal for an experienced hardware engineer who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment where innovation, ownership, and technical versatility are highly valued. You will play a key role in developing battery electronics, power distribution systems, sensing architectures, and embedded hardware platforms while collaborating closely with firmware, systems, manufacturing, and test engineering teams. The position is well suited to someone with a strong in automotive or other highly regulated product development environments, extensive experience designing complex PCBs in Altium Designer, and a passion for scaling technology within a growing battery-focused organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, development, and validation of electronic hardware for lithium-ion battery systems and related power electronics products.
• Design complex multi-layer PCB assemblies using Altium Designer, including schematic capture, component selection, layout guidance, design reviews, and design release management.
• Develop hardware solutions for battery management systems (BMS), sensing circuits, power distribution, safety monitoring, and embedded control systems.
• Collaborate closely with firmware, systems, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of hardware into finished products.
• Perform design trade-off analyses that consider performance, reliability, manufacturability, cost, thermal management, EMC/EMI, and scalability.
• Own hardware development throughout the entire product lifecycle, from concept and prototyping through validation, production launch, and field support.
• Apply and promote design best practices including signal integrity, power integrity, grounding strategies, high-voltage isolation, and design-for-manufacturing principles.
• Participate in hardware troubleshooting, root-cause investigations, and failure analysis activities to improve product reliability and performance.
• Support battery system testing, validation, and verification efforts to ensure products meet functional and safety requirements.
• Work directly with suppliers, contract manufacturers, and component vendors to support sourcing, production readiness, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Contribute to DFMEA activities, design reviews, risk assessments, and functional safety efforts for hardware systems.
• Support the development of test fixtures, validation equipment, and manufacturing test strategies for hardware and battery systems.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across cross‑functional teams to elevate hardware engineering capabilities.
• Serve as a hands‑on contributor who can adapt quickly, support multiple technical disciplines, and respond to evolving business needs.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of hardware development experience.
• 5+ years of experience designing complex PCB assemblies for automotive, transportation, industrial, energy storage, aerospace, or similar applications.
• Proven experience supporting products from concept through production launch.
• Expert‑level experience with Altium Designer for schematic capture, PCB layout, library management, and design release.
• Strong experience in analog and digital circuit design.
• Experience designing high‑reliability electronic hardware for automotive or safety‑critical applications.
• Experience with embedded microcontrollers and hardware interfaces.
• Knowledge of embedded communication protocols including CAN, CAN‑FD, SPI, I2C, UART, and Ethernet.
• Understanding of EMC/EMI requirements and mitigation techniques.
• Experience with power conversion, protection circuits, voltage and current sensing, and thermal management.
• Hands‑on experience using laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers, and environmental testing equipment.
• Strong root‑cause analysis and debugging skills.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Prior experience in startup, high‑growth, or fast‑paced engineering environments.
• Expereince in battery systems, electric vehicles (EV), battery management systems (BMS), power electronics, or energy storage applications.
• Experience with electronic systems design and hardware engineering in regulated industries.
• Ability to provide technical mentorship to junior engineers and contribute to cross‑functional leadership.
• Comfort working across multiple technical disciplines and adapting to changing business priorities.

Work Environment

This role operates in a dynamic, high‑growth environment where engineers take ownership and accountability for their work and make a direct impact on product direction and organizational growth. You will be expected to wear multiple hats, step outside traditional job boundaries, and tackle difficult technical challenges with limited resources. The position combines strategic thinking with hands‑on engineering, requiring frequent collaboration with firmware, systems, mechanical, manufacturing, and test teams, as well as interaction with suppliers and contract manufacturers. Laboratory work with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers, and environmental test equipment is a regular part of the role, supporting design, validation, and troubleshooting activities.experein

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Ann Arbor, MI.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $110000.00 - $150000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job‑related factors.

Company benefit options available

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 26, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Ann Arbor,MI.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News‑Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.