Electrical Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Electrical Engineer

Job Description

This role focuses on developing electronic hardware from the ground up, including defining requirements and designing multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) to build advanced test systems. You will collaborate closely with software, firmware, and hardware teams to define test plans for new products and features, and you will take a hands-on role in designing, assembling, testing, and reworking PCB assemblies and electrical components. This position offers the opportunity to support a wide range of products across sea, land, air, and space domains, contributing to state-of-the-art technology that supports critical defense applications throughout the full product lifecycle—from ideation and design through prototyping, validation, manufacturing, and launch.

Responsibilities

• Define hardware requirements for new products and features in collaboration with cross-functional development teams.
• Design multilayer PCBs from scratch, including schematic capture, layout, and documentation, to support test systems and product hardware.
• Develop PCB designs through the entire product lifecycle, from concept and design to prototyping, testing, validation, and production support.
• Create, document, and execute comprehensive test and validation strategies for new hardware products and features.
• Design and implement test systems that support software, firmware, and hardware verification and validation.
• Perform hands-on lab work, including assembly, rework, and debugging of PCB assemblies and electrical components.
• Use lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and other test instruments to perform circuit analysis and hardware testing.
• Apply strong electrical engineering fundamentals to perform circuit design, analysis, troubleshooting, and optimization.
• Support radio frequency (RF) and software-defined radio (SDR) hardware development and testing as needed.
• Collaborate with operations and other engineering teams to ensure hardware designs are manufacturable, testable, and aligned with product requirements.
• Contribute to requirement management and component selection to ensure reliable, cost-effective, and high-performance hardware solutions.
• Use scripting and programming tools, such as Python, to automate tests and improve hardware validation efficiency.
• Participate in design reviews and provide technical input across the full product lifecycle, including ideation, design, prototyping, testing, and launch.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (BS EE) or equivalent education.
• 5+ years of hardware development experience.
• Strong electrical engineering fundamentals, including circuit design and circuit analysis.
• Experience with PCB schematic capture and layout, including multilayer PCB design.
• Hands-on experience developing PCBs through the entire product lifecycle, from concept to production.
• Proficiency with schematic capture and PCB design tools; experience with Altium is highly desirable.
• Experience with hardware testing and validation, including development of test and validation strategies.
• Proficiency with lab tools such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and logic analyzers.
• Experience with PCBA design, testing, and rework.
• Working knowledge of radio frequency (RF) systems and software-defined radio (SDR).
• Ability to define hardware requirements and manage them throughout the development process.
• Experience with scripting or programming, such as Python, to support test automation and data analysis.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with hardware test system design and implementation.
• Familiarity with requirement management practices and tools.
• Experience using LabVIEW or similar tools for hardware testing and automation.
• Knowledge of software-defined radio concepts and tools for RF hardware development.
• Experience working with software, firmware, and hardware teams in a collaborative environment.
• Exposure to component selection and evaluation for reliability, performance, and manufacturability.
• Experience in supporting products across multiple domains such as sea, land, air, and space.
• Experience contributing to the full product lifecycle, including ideation, design, prototyping, testing/validation, manufacturing, and launch.

Work Environment

You will work in a dynamic engineering environment supporting Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) programs, including platforms such as Eagle Eye, Roadrunner, Ghost, Anvil, and Fury. The role involves regular use of lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and other electronic test instruments, as well as PCB design tools like Altium and test automation tools such as LabVIEW and Python. You will collaborate closely with multiple development teams and operations, contributing to hardware that supports a broad range of applications across sea, land, air, and space. The environment emphasizes innovation, hands-on experimentation, and end-to-end ownership of the product lifecycle, from early concept through manufacturing and launch.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Costa Mesa, CA.

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $80.00/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)

This is a fully onsite position in Costa Mesa,CA.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 29, 2026.

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 withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.