Hardware Engineer

Job Title: Hardware Engineer Job Description
We are seeking an experienced Electrical Engineering (EE) Validation Engineer to support the hardware validation of next-generation smart glasses at our Sunnyvale, CA location. The role involves close collaboration with the validation lead and focuses on monitoring validation progress, reviewing contract manufacturer (CM) test reports, analyzing failures, and coordinating with EE design partners to drive issues to closure. This position requires strong hands-on measurement skills, as well as the ability to interpret data, track issues, and ensure efficient problem resolution.
Responsibilities
- Review CM-generated validation reports to verify data quality, flag anomalies, and confirm correct application of pass/fail criteria.
- Analyze validation failures to determine whether they are due to measurement errors, design defects, or assembly quality problems.
- Coordinate with EE design partners to present data, propose root cause hypotheses, and support corrective action decisions.
- Track open issues through resolution, ensuring fixes are validated and closed promptly.
- Facilitate communication between CM, EE design, layout, and firmware teams to maintain issue momentum.
- Maintain issue tracker and provide regular status updates to the validation lead.
- Monitor overall validation progress against milestones, escalating risks and blockers early.
- Develop clear, repeatable test procedures (SOPs) for CM technicians to execute independently.
- Train and guide CM engineers/technicians on proper measurement techniques, probe placement, fixture usage, and data collection.
- Define probe points and measurement access strategy, communicating to CM with annotated layout markups.
- Provide real-time technical guidance to CM when measurements yield unexpected results.
- Establish clear acceptance criteria and escalation paths for CM to follow, in alignment with the validation lead.
- Perform PI/SI measurements that require senior-level judgment.
- Validate CM measurement setups by performing correlation measurements.
- Debug escalated issues that CM cannot resolve independently.
- Develop new measurement methodologies and fixtures for novel circuits or challenging probe access.
- Support prototype bring-up and characterization during build phases.
Essential Skills
- BS/MS in Electrical Engineering.
- 4+ years of EE hardware validation experience with a strong emphasis on power integrity and signal integrity.
- Proven ability to analyze test data, identify root causes, and drive issues to closure with cross-functional teams.
- Experience reviewing test reports for correctness, identifying gaps, and driving follow-up actions.
- Ability to develop test procedures that others execute, including clear technical writing, structured SOPs, and annotated diagrams.
- Strong schematic reading skills, including tracing signal paths, understanding power distribution, and mapping circuit function from schematics and datasheets.
- PCB layout review experience, including assessing probe access, SI/PI risk, and debug strategy.
- Expert-level knowledge of lab instruments: high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, power rail probes, active/differential probes, current probes, spectrum analyzers.
- Experience with DC-DC converter characterization and high-speed digital signal measurements.
- Solid understanding of transmission line theory, impedance matching, and flex PCB signal integrity challenges.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex EE issues clearly to CM teams and design partners.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Experience working with CMs or ODMs in a validation support capacity.
- Experience with wearable, mobile, or IoT hardware (space-constrained, low-power designs).
- Familiarity with RF measurement (BLE/WiFi TX power, sensitivity, antenna return loss).
- Familiarity with proto/EVT/DVT/PVT build cycles and NPI environments.
- Experience with issue tracking systems and cross-functional coordination in hardware programs.
Work Environment
The position involves working on-site in Sunnyvale, CA. The role requires daily interaction with the validation lead, CM engineers (both remote and on-site), the EE design team, and firmware teams. Tools and technologies used include Keysight/Tektronix oscilloscopes (1 GHz), power rail probes, active probes, SMUs, VNAs, protocol analyzers, along with scripting, schematic/layout viewers (Allegro, Altium, or equivalent), and data analysis tools. Documentation and collaboration are facilitated through Google Workspace, Tasks/JIRA for issue tracking.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Sunnyvale, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $100.00 - $100.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Sunnyvale, CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Nov 14, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Sunnyvale,CA. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.

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Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
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It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
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