Senior Hardware PCB Design Engineer

GCS Recruitment; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

GCS Recruitment seeks a Senior PCB Hardware Design Engineer to lead board bring-up and design verification for advanced satellite payload hardware in Redmond, WA. The role is hands-on, focusing on power-on, debug, and validation across the hardware lifecycle.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years in board-level design, strong lab skills, and experience with high-speed interfaces (PCIe, JESD204, 25G+ Ethernet) and signal integrity. On-site 5 days, contract of 12+ months with extension possibilities.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in board-level hardware design.
• Schematic capture and complex multi-layer PCB design experience.
• Strong understanding of power delivery, distribution and sequencing.
• Extensive lab experience with board bring-up, debug and validation.
• Proficiency with oscilloscopes, logic/protocol analyzers, and high-speed test equipment.
• Experience with high-speed digital interfaces (JESD204, PCIe, 25G+ Ethernet, DDR).
• Strong signal integrity and power integrity knowledge.
• Experience across design → build → bring-up → validation → manufacturing support.

Responsibilities

• Lead bring-up of newly fabricated boards, power-on checks and first-time hardware debug.
• Plan and execute design verification campaigns including high-speed tests and power measurements.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to drive corrective actions into revisions.
• Contribute to schematic capture and PCB layout for next-gen hardware when possible.
• Support RF and antenna teams with validated hardware and measurements.
• Troubleshoot hardware issues using lab instrumentation and systematic debugging.
• Support full hardware lifecycle from design to manufacturing support.

Skills

Board-level hardware design

Schematic capture

Power delivery sequencing

Hardware bring-up & debugging

High-speed measurement equipment

High-speed interfaces (JESD204, PCIe,

Signal integrity / power integrity

Lifecycle: design to manufacturing

Education

BSEE

MSEE

Tools

Altium Designer

OrCAD

PCB layout tools

Job description

Senior PCB Hardware Design Engineer / Senior Hardware Development Engineer

Satellite Payload - Design & Lab

Location: Redmond, WA
Contract: 12+ months, extendable; C2H opportunity
Work Arrangement: 5 days onsite

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior PCB Hardware Design Engineer / Senior Hardware Development Engineer to support the development of advanced satellite payload hardware. This is a hands-on role focused heavily on board bring-up, hardware debug, design verification, validation, and supporting the transition of validated designs into subsequent hardware revisions.

The ideal candidate will have strong board-level design experience combined with extensive laboratory expertise and the ability to troubleshoot complex hardware issues from initial power-on through root-cause identification and resolution.

Responsibilities

• Lead bring-up of newly fabricated circuit boards, including power-on, section-by-section checkout, and first-time hardware debug through root cause.
• Plan and execute design verification and validation campaigns, including high-speed link testing, power measurements, functional testing, and detailed documentation of results.
• Partner closely with hardware design engineers to identify issues and drive corrective actions into subsequent board revisions.
• Contribute to schematic capture and PCB layout activities for next-generation hardware as project priorities and bandwidth allow.
• Support RF and antenna engineering teams with validated hardware and assist with their measurement and characterization requirements.
• Troubleshoot board-level hardware issues using systematic debug methodologies and laboratory instrumentation.
• Support the complete hardware development lifecycle from design and fabrication through bring-up, validation, and manufacturing support.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of electrical engineering experience in board-level hardware design.
• Strong experience with schematic capture and complex, dense multilayer PCB designs.
• Solid understanding of power delivery, power distribution, and sequencing.
• Extensive hands-on laboratory experience with board bring-up, hardware debug, and validation.
• Proficiency with oscilloscopes, logic/protocol analyzers, and high-speed test and measurement equipment.
• Experience with high-speed digital interfaces and multi-gigabit SerDes technologies such as JESD204, PCIe, 25G+ Ethernet, DDR, or similar.
• Strong understanding of signal integrity and power integrity considerations.
• Demonstrated experience across the full hardware lifecycle: design → build → bring-up → validation → manufacturing support.
• BSEE, MSEE, or equivalent practical engineering experience.