Senior Hardware Engineer — High-Speed Optoelectronics

Utilicom; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses three times per year

Medical (HSA/PPO)

Dental

Vision

Group life

AD&D

Short- and long-term disability

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

401(k) with company match

Profit sharing

Voluntary benefit options

Paid time off

Job summary

Samtec, Inc. in Vista, CA seeks a Senior Hardware Engineer to drive high-speed electronics and optical transceiver development across RF, power integrity, and system-level design.

You will prototype, test, and refine hardware in an R&D setting, collaborating with a skilled engineering team. The role emphasizes hands-on build, test, and verification from concept through validation, with a strong focus on advancing next-generation connectivity solutions.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in hardware design, fiber optic communication, and related fields.
• Experience maturing new technologies from concept through early validation.
• Proven record of technical leadership and independent problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Design of high-speed and high-precision electronics, including firmware-enabled systems; apply power integrity and RF signal integrity principles and simulations.
• Understand optical data communication systems principles and SI impairments, particularly in multi-mode fiber-optic systems; familiarity with standards (1G NRZ to 100G PAM4).
• Experience with a broad range of DC/RF/Optical test and measurement techniques; hands-on prototyping, bring-up, debugging, and characterization of electrical/optical systems.

Skills

High-speed design

Optoelectronics

RF signal integrity

Power integrity

Fiber-optic transceivers

PCB design

FPGA-based systems

Bare-metal firmware

Test & debugging

Leadership

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering

MS or Ph.D. preferred

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Vector Network Analyzer

Spectrum Analyzer

Job description

Samtec, Inc. in Vista, CA seeks a Senior Hardware Engineer to drive high-speed electronics and optical transceiver development across RF, power integrity, and system-level design.

You will prototype, test, and refine hardware in an R&D setting, collaborating with a skilled engineering team. The role emphasizes hands-on build, test, and verification from concept through validation, with a strong focus on advancing next-generation connectivity solutions.