Staff Hardware Engineer - Board-Level D

Piper Companies; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 240,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Piper Companies in San Jose, CA is seeking two experienced Staff Hardware Engineers – Board-Level Design (High-Speed Focus) to support system-level hardware development in a cutting-edge technology environment. This full-time role combines hands-on lab work with technical leadership as you drive board integration, bring-up, validation, and architectural influence from concept to production.

You will work closely with contract manufacturers and cross-functional teams to define technical

Qualifications

• Experience as hardware/system engineer through full product lifecycles.
• Experience with board bring-up and debug.
• Experience with high-speed interfaces (PCIe Gen5, 10G+ Ethernet).
• Deep understanding of signal integrity and system-level behavior.
• Hands-on lab validation and troubleshooting.
• Ability to drive technical decisions across cross-functional teams.
• Experience with vendors and contract manufacturers.

Responsibilities

• Lead system-level board design integration with hands-on execution and architecture input.
• Drive board bring-up and debug to ensure functionality and performance.
• Perform lab validation, testing, and characterization of system behavior.
• Collaborate with contract manufacturers to support build and integration.
• Evaluate chips and vendor solutions to meet design goals.
• Partner with vendors and stakeholders to define technical direction.

Skills

Board bring-up

Signal integrity

High-speed design

PCIe Gen5

10G Ethernet

Lab validation

Technical leadership

Vendor collaboration

Cross-functional influence

Debugging

Tools

HyperLynx

Ansys SI Tools

Job description

Piper Companies is seeking two experienced Staff Hardware Engineers – Board-Level Design (High-Speed Focus) to support system-level hardware development within a cutting-edge technology environment. This role plays a critical part in board integration, bring‑up, validation, and architectural influence, ensuring high-performance hardware systems are delivered from concept through production. This is a full‑time opportunity with a mix of hands‑on lab work and technical leadership responsibilities located in San Jose, CA.

Responsibilities for the Staff Hardware Engineer include:

• Leading system‑level board design integration with a balance of hands‑on execution and architectural input.
• Driving board bring‑up and debug activities (critical requirement) to ensure system functionality and performance.
• Performing lab validation, testing, and characterization to validate system behavior and reliability.
• Collaborating closely with contract manufacturers to support build, integration, and issue resolution.
• Evaluating and selecting chips, modules, and vendor solutions to support system design goals.
• Partnering with vendors and internal stakeholders to define technical direction prior to adoption.

Qualifications for the Staff Hardware Engineer include:

• Extensive experience as a hardware/system engineer completing multiple full product lifecycles.
• Strong expertise in board bring‑up and debug.
• Experience with high‑speed interfaces, including PCIe Gen5 and 10G+ Ethernet.
• Deep understanding of signal integrity and system‑level board behavior.
• Experience working in lab environments with hands‑on validation and troubleshooting.
• Ability to drive technical decisions and influence direction across cross‑functional teams.
• Proven experience collaborating with vendors and contract manufacturers.
• Experience using signal integrity tools such as HyperLynx or Ansys SI tools
• Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to operate in a fast‑paced, highly technical environment.

Compensation for the Staff Hardware Engineer Includes:

• Salary range: $240,000 - $260,000
• Comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k, PTO, holidays, and sick leave as required by law.

Keywords: Electrical Engineer, Staff Electrical engineer, hardware engineer, system engineer, board-level design, high-speed design, hardware architect, systems integration, board bring‑up, hardware debugging, system‑level validation, lab testing, signal integrity, power integrity, high‑speed interfaces, PCIe Gen5, PCIe Gen 6, 10G Ethernet, 25G, 100G ethernet, SERDES, High‑speed IO, HyperLynx, Ansys SI Tools, Hardware Integration, Compliance testing, Vendor selection, Technology Evaluation, DFM, design for manufacturing, technical leadership

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This job is open for applications on 9/18/2026 and will remain open for at least 30 days from the posting date.