Senior Staff Hardware Engineer — Embedded & PCB Lead

Spectrum IT Recruitment; Buffalo Grove (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Spectrum IT Recruitment is seeking a full-time Staff Hardware Engineer in Buffalo Grove, IL. The role focuses on developing high-assurance embedded hardware from concept to production, with leadership responsibility across projects and cross-functional teams.

Applicants should have extensive hands-on hardware experience, PCB design/layout expertise, and strong problem-solving skills. On-site position with relocation assistance and a dynamic engineering environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on hardware development experience.
• 10+ years of PCB design experience using ECAD tools such as Altium Designer or equivalent.
• 5+ years of hands-on PCB layout experience, with recent activity in the last 10 years.
• Strong circuit testing, troubleshooting, and debugging capabilities.
• Experience with impedance control and length matching in PCB design.
• Experience designing microcontroller- and/or microprocessor-based systems.
• Proven track record of taking hardware projects from concept through to production.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative full-system embedded architectures for new products.
• Lead the design and development of hardware projects from initial concept through to production.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including software, firmware, mechanical engineering, sourcing and project management.
• Perform schematic capture and PCB layout using Altium Designer.
• Prototype and test new hardware designs.
• Debug, troubleshoot, and validate electronic circuits.
• Mentor other hardware engineers and provide technical guidance across the team.
• Develop detailed design specifications, schematics, and supporting documentation.
• Work with suppliers to source electronic components and assemblies.
• Manage project requirements and deadlines with PM to maintain schedules.

Skills

Hardware development

PCB design

PCB layout

Impedance control

Length matching

Testing and debugging

Measurement with test gear

Autonomy

Analytical problem-solving

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Engineering judgement

MCU/MPU systems design

From concept to production

Hardware/firmware/system diag

Oscilloscopes and analyzers

Automotive protocols knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent

Tools

Altium Designer

Job description

Spectrum IT Recruitment is seeking a full-time Staff Hardware Engineer in Buffalo Grove, IL. The role focuses on developing high-assurance embedded hardware from concept to production, with leadership responsibility across projects and cross-functional teams.

Applicants should have extensive hands-on hardware experience, PCB design/layout expertise, and strong problem-solving skills. On-site position with relocation assistance and a dynamic engineering environment.