Senior Hardware Engineer

CHEP; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

CHEP is seeking a Senior Hardware Engineer to lead the design, validation, and support of hardware systems for IoT devices. You will drive schematic capture, PCB layout, bring-up, and production support while coordinating with external design partners in India and China.

You will guide architectural decisions, optimize power, and ensure robust RF/wireless integration across BLE, Wi‑Fi, Thread, Zigbee, LoRa, or cellular technologies, collaborating with firmware, software, mechanical, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field.
• Extensive hardware design and validation experience.
• Strong knowledge of RF/wireless tech used in IoT (BLE/Wi-Fi/Thread/Zigbee/LoRa).
• Experience with subcontractors and external design partners across regions.

Responsibilities

• Lead hardware design, development, validation, and production support.
• Own low-power and RF hardware design for IoT products; drive architecture and power optimization.
• Manage external design partners and subcontractors to ensure quality and timeliness.
• Perform hands-on debugging and root-cause analysis on design, manufacturing, and field issues.
• Collaborate across firmware, software, mechanical, and manufacturing to deliver products from concept to production.

Skills

Hardware design

RF knowledge

Debugging

Root-cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Project leadership

Low-power design

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

MS in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

OrCAD Capture

PCB layout tools

Lab equipment (oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers)

Job description

We are seeking a highly motivated and hands-on Senior Hardware Engineer to play a key role in the design, development, validation, and support of hardware systems in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. This individual will be responsible for driving hardware board design efforts directly and through external design partners, while providing technical leadership across cross-functional teams.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical depth in hardware design with a pragmatic, "roll-up-your-sleeves" approach, thriving in a small, agile team where versatility and execution are critical.

Responsibilities include designing and testing hardware, managing and influencing subcontractors across India and China, coordinating development activities from concept through production, troubleshooting complex field issues, and driving structured root-cause analysis and resolution.

SCOPE

• Global role

MEASURES

• Contribute directly toward hardware design, troubleshooting and testing
• Manage subcontracts to successfully design hardware systems

MAJOR / KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Lead the design, development, and validation of hardware systems, including schematic capture, PCB design, hardware bring-up, and production support.
• Own low-power and RF hardware design for IoT products, driving architecture, component selection, power optimization, wireless integration, and technical tradeoff decisions.
• Perform hands-on debugging, testing, root-cause analysis, and resolution of design, manufacturing, and field issues using industry-standard lab equipment.
• Manage and provide technical leadership to external design partners and subcontractors in India and China, ensuring quality, schedule, and deliverable execution.
• Collaborate with firmware, software, mechanical, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to deliver products from concept through production.
• Drive project execution, design reviews, documentation, risk management, and cross-functional alignment in a fast-paced and highly dynamic environment.

KEY CONTACTS

Internal: Mechanical Lead, Firmware Lead, Engineering Program Manager, Manufacturing Team, Product owner(s), SW Development Team

External: Hardware Design Subcontractors, Contract Manufacturer and ODMs, Component Supplier, Third party vendor

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with 8+ years of experience in related fields.
• Strong knowledge of hardware system architecture, board-level design, and electronic component selection.
• Proficiency with OrCAD Capture for schematic design and PCB layout design tools.
• Knowledge of low-power hardware design techniques, including battery-powered system design and power optimization.
• Understanding of RF and wireless technologies used in IoT products, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, Thread, Zigbee, LoRa, or Cellular.
• Strong hardware debugging and troubleshooting skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, and other laboratory equipment.
• Knowledge of hardware verification, validation, and product qualification methodologies.
• Ability to perform root-cause analysis and drive issue resolution in a structured and organized manner.
• Understanding design-for-manufacturing (DFM), design-for-test (DFT), and product lifecycle development processes.
• MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or related field is preferred with 5+ years of experience.
• Advanced knowledge of RF system design, antenna integration, RF performance optimization, and wireless certification processes.
• Expertise in low-power system architecture for battery-operated and energy-constrained IoT devices.
• Familiarity with EMI/EMC mitigation, and compliance testing methodologies.
• Experience with embedded hardware design.
• Proficiency with PCB stack-up design, board layout reviews, and manufacturing design considerations.
• Knowledge of hardware reliability, environmental qualification, and product lifecycle management processes.
• Familiarity with ODM, CM, and global supply-chain development models.

EXPERIENCE

• 8+ years of experience in hardware design, development, validation, and product support.
• Experience designing complex electronic systems from concept through production and sustaining engineering.
• Experience creating schematics using OrCAD Capture and working closely with PCB layout engineers throughout the design cycle.
• Experience developing low-power hardware solutions for battery-powered, embedded, or IoT products.
• Experience with RF and wireless system integration, testing, troubleshooting, and optimization for connected devices.
• Experience performing hardware bring-up, debugging, characterization, and failure analysis using industry-standard laboratory equipment.
• Experience developing and executing hardware verification, validation, qualification, and production test plans.
• Experience troubleshooting field failures and driving structured root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Experience managing external design partners, ODMs, contract manufacturers, or engineering subcontractors.
• Experience working with engineering teams and suppliers across multiple geographic regions, including Asia.
• Experience collaborating with firmware, software, mechanical, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Experience supporting prototype builds, design verification testing (DVT), product validation testing (PVT), manufacturing ramp, and production release activities.
• Experience leading technical reviews, driving engineering decisions, and influencing cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience working in fast-paced environments with changing priorities, tight timelines, and high levels of ownership.

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Strong hardware system design expertise, including analog, digital, mixed-signal, and embedded electronics.
• Proficiency with OrCAD Capture and a solid understanding of PCB layout design, review, and manufacturing considerations.
• Knowledge of low-power system design for battery-operated and IoT devices.
• Understanding of RF and wireless technologies including BLE, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread, LoRa, and Cellular communications.
• Strong hardware debugging, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis skills using industry-standard laboratory equipment.
• Knowledge of hardware verification, validation, qualification, and production test processes.
• Ability to lead technical activities across cross-functional teams, suppliers, and external development partners.
• Excellent communication, organization, project management, and stakeholder-influencing skills in fast-paced environments.