Senior HW Engineer

Lumenir; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Lumenir is seeking a Senior Hardware Engineer in Sunnyvale, CA to architect, design, develop, and validate board- and system-level designs for embedded, data storage, and compute products.

You will work directly with clients and a small senior team, taking designs from concept to working prototypes and performing on-board rework when needed.

This role emphasizes end-to-end ownership, strong system-level thinking, and clear technical communication in a fast-paced engineering environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on hardware development including end-to-end design, implementation and validation of electronic systems shipped.
• Strong system-level design including architecture, power, clocking, and interfaces.
• Experience in two or more: embedded systems, data storage systems, compute/server systems.
• Proficiency in circuit design: analog/digital, power electronics, schematic capture.
• Knowledge of PC interfaces (PCIe, DDR, Ethernet) and microcontrollers/sensors.
• Experience designing reliable, manufacturable, cost-effective products.
• Lab debugging with scopes, meters, power analyzers, and logic/probes; strong root-cause analysis.
• Hands-on rework and prototyping: fine-pitch soldering, blue-wire edits, test fixtures.

Responsibilities

• Define system architecture for embedded, storage, and compute hardware.
• Own schematic design for complex boards with processors/SoCs, FPGAs, DDR4/5, PCIe Gen4/5, Ethernet.
• Collaborate with layout, SI/PI, thermal, and mechanical teams to drive stack‑up and constraints.
• Lead board bring‑up and debug: power-on sequencing, interface validation, root-causes.
• Rework and prototype: soldering, blue-wiring, fixtures and test boards.
• Write test plans and run DVT and characterization; document results and drive fixes.
• Work with customers and suppliers to translate requirements into specs; support DFM/DFT.
• Plan and drive work with minimal supervision; mentor junior engineers.

Skills

System-level design

Board bring-up

Debug hardware

Schematic capture

Power electronics

High-speed interfaces

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Power analyzers

Logic analyzers

Schematic capture tools

Job description

Founded in 2011 and based in Sunnyvale, CA, Lumenir is a boutique engineering services company that takes on today's most challenging leading-edge problems, where power density and performance push the limits of what hardware can do. Our team brings deep expertise in electrical, mechanical, thermal, reliability engineering, PCB design, signal integrity, and FPGA design to customers building server, storage, and embedded systems platforms.

The Senior Hardware Engineer is a full-time, on-site position based in Sunnyvale, CA. You will architect, design, develop, and validate board- and system-level designs for embedded, data storage, and compute products. You will work directly with clients and a small senior team, with little day‑to‑day oversight: we need someone who takes a design from a blank page to a working prototype, and fixes it with a soldering iron when it doesn\'t work.

What you\'ll do

• Define system architecture for embedded, storage (SSD/flash, NVMe, JBOF/JBOD), and compute (server, accelerator) hardware: block diagrams, power trees, clocking, reset/sequencing, and component selection.
• Own schematic design for complex boards: processors/SoCs, FPGAs, DDR4/DDR5/LPDDR, PCIe Gen4/5, Ethernet, high‑current multi‑phase VRs, BMC and board management.
• Partner with layout, SI/PI, thermal, and mechanical engineers to drive stack‑up, placement, and constraint decisions; review layouts and close design reviews.
• Lead board bring‑up and debug in the lab: power‑on, sequencing, interface validation, and root‑cause analysis of hardware, firmware, and signal integrity issues.
• Rework and prototype hands‑on: fine‑pitch soldering, blue‑wiring, component swaps, and quick‑turn fixtures and test boards.
• Write test plans and run design verification (DVT) and characterization; document results and drive fixes into the next revision.
• Work directly with customers and suppliers: translate requirements into specs, support DFM/DFT with contract manufacturers, and resolve sourcing and EOL issues.
• Plan and drive your own work with minimal supervision, flag risks early, and mentor junior engineers.

Required

• 5+ years of hands‑on hardware development, including end‑to‑end design, implementation, and validation of electronic systems that shipped.
• Strong system‑level design: you have owned the architecture of a complex board or system, including power, clocking, and interfaces.
• Design experience in two or more of: embedded systems, data storage systems, compute/server systems.
• Proficiency in circuit design, including analog and digital circuits, power electronics, and schematic capture tools.
• Knowledge of computer hardware and embedded systems, including high‑speed interfaces (PCIe, DDR, Ethernet) and interfaces with microcontrollers and sensors.
• Experience designing reliable, manufacturable, and cost‑effective products.
• Strong lab debugging with oscilloscopes, multimeters, power analyzers, and logic/protocol analyzers, using a disciplined root‑cause methodology.
• Hands‑on rework and prototyping: fine‑pitch soldering, blue‑wire modifications, and building test fixtures.
• Familiarity with industry standards and safety and compliance requirements for datacenter and compute products.
• Self‑starter who takes initiative and delivers with minimal supervision.
• Clear design documentation, effective technical communication, and strong collaboration in multidisciplinary teams.
• Bachelor\'s or Master\'s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.

Preferred

• Server board design with BMC, CPLD/FPGA board management, and OCP/DC‑SCM experience.
• FPGA design or bring‑up (Xilinx/AMD, Intel/Altera, Lattice).
• Scripting for test automation (Python).
• Customer‑facing or engineering services experience.