Job Description:
We are seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer contractor to support robotics hardware development within Client's Industrial Robotics Group. You will contribute to system-level electrical architecture across multi-board robotic platforms, execute board designs from schematic through bring-up, and provide technical review of external design partners’ schematic and layout work as directed by FTE engineers. You will perform design trade-off analysis — MCU/SoC selection, interface topology, power architecture, and sensor integration — across multiple concurrent projects, working with minimal supervision alongside a small, fast-moving hardware team led by full-time engineers.
Key Responsibilities-
- Contribute to system-level electrical architecture (block diagrams, interface definitions, voltage domains) for multi-board robotic platforms spanning compute, motor control, sensing, and communication subsystems
- Review schematics produced by external design partners (ODMs, contract engineering firms), validating component selection and design trade-offs, and flagging misalignment with the system architecture
- Execute electrical design for PCBAs supporting robotic actuator and manipulation systems — including schematic capture, layout, component selection, subsystem architecture, and design for signal integrity, manufacturability, and testability. Design in Altium.
- Perform MCU/SoC architecture trade studies and component selection analysis (e.g., evaluating ARM Cortex-R/M MCUs, EtherCAT port constraints, package options, peripheral availability) across motor control and sensor interface boards
- Design and review PCB layouts for multi-layer boards with high-speed digital interfaces (Ethernet, GMSL, USB, MIPI CSI-2, CAN-FD), ensuring impedance control, power integrity, and EMC compliance. Perform layout for simple-to-medium boards or simple-to-medium changes on complex boards (in Altium), and coordinate with external layout houses on PCB layout execution for complex PCBs.
- Design power distribution systems including DC-DC converters, LDOs, power sequencing, load switches, and protection circuits for multi-voltage robotic subsystems; debug PMIC behavior and perform root-cause analysis on power delivery issues
- Collaborate with PCB fabrication vendors — stackup selection, DFM review, material trade-offs, Gerber release coordination, and alternate vendor sourcing across multiple concurrent builds
- Perform board bring-up, functional verification, root cause analysis, and debug using standard lab equipment (oscilloscope, logic analyzer, multimeter, soldering/rework tools)
- Partner with firmware engineers on hardware-software co-development, peripheral interface definition, and BSP bring-up
- Manage design documentation including block diagrams, schematics, BOMs, design rationale, constraint files, and test reports
- Support multiple boards simultaneously at different NPI stages (schematic, layout, fab, bring-up)
Required Qualifications-
- 8+ years of experience in PCBA-level circuit design for robotics, industrial, automotive, or consumer electronics
- Experience reviewing designs produced by external engineering teams or ODMs and providing technical feedback on component selection and design trade-offs
- Proficiency with Altium Designer — schematic capture and PCB layout
- Experience with subsystem architecture and high-level electrical design for multi-board embedded systems
- Hands-on board bring-up and debug experience with standard EE test equipment
- Strong experience with communication interfaces: Ethernet (100Base-T1, 1000BASE-T), USB, MIPI CSI, SPI, I2C, CAN-FD
- Experience with EtherCAT hardware architecture — daisy-chain topology, PHY selection
- Experience with power architecture design — switching regulators, LDOs, power sequencing, high-current distribution, PMIC integration
- Experience with motor driver circuits, gate drivers, or power stage design for BLDC actuators
- Experience managing PCB fabrication vendors — stackup review, DFM, material availability, and multi-vendor coordination
- Experience with signal integrity fundamentals — constraint development, impedance control, timing budget analysis
- Ability to work independently on multiple concurrent board designs at different stages with minimal supervision
Preferred Qualifications-
- Experience with signal integrity and power integrity analysis tools (HSpice, ADS, SIwave) and package-level delay analysis using IBIS/S-parameter models
- Experience with IMU/inertial sensor integration and low-noise analog front-end design
- Experience with tactile sensor interfaces
- Experience with semiconductor vendor technical engagement for component evaluation and design support
- Experience working with contract manufacturers on DFM review and production test development
- Familiarity with functional safety hardware mechanisms (watchdogs, voltage monitors, safe-state circuits, redundancy)
Pay: $50.00 - $100.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
