Hardware R&D Validation Engineer

Position Title Hardware R&D Validation Engineer Position Description Protingent Staffing has an exciting contract opportunity for a Hardware R&D Validation Engineer with our client located in Bellevue, Washington (Onsite). Job Description This is a high-impact role sitting at the intersection of design and testing, perfect for a technical "Swiss Army Knife" who thrives in the early stages of product development. Job Responsibilities Our client is seeking a proactive engineer/technician to bridge the gap between initial design and final validation. You will be the primary driver for bringing new hardware to life and ensuring the R&D team has a stable platform for testing. First-Article Platform Bring-up: Lead the initial power‑on and functional verification of prototype boards (PCBA); troubleshoot power sequencing, clocks, and basic communication interfaces. R&D Rework & Prototyping: Perform high‑precision soldering and "white‑wire" modifications on dense PCBs to implement design fixes or enable specific test scenarios. System‑Level Triage: Debug platform‑level issues by identifying whether failures originate in the hardware (signal integrity/components), firmware, or the Linux OS environment. Layout & Schematic Support: Utilize Altium (or similar) to update schematics and PCB layouts based on R&D discoveries, ensuring design documentation matches the physical prototypes. Firmware & Environment Management: Flash and debug firmware (MCU/FPGA), manage Linux‑based test environments, and use command‑line tools to monitor system health and logs. Job Qualifications Experience Level: No Bachelor's degree required; proven "hands‑on" R&D or lab experience is the priority. Hardware Intuition: Strong understanding of electrical engineering principles with the ability to "read" a board and understand signal flow. Mastery of the Bench: Expert‑level soldering and rework skills (BGA, 0201 components, trace cutting, and jumping). Problem‑Solving: A "root‑cause" mindset—you don’t just report a failure; you investigate why it happened and how to fix it physically. Independence: Ability to take a raw prototype and a schematic and figure out the path to a functional "heartbeat." Preferred Job Qualifications Validation Tooling: Experience designing custom test fixtures or "bed‑of‑nails" setups to automate R&D measurements. Scripting: Proficiency in Python or Bash for automating repetitive hardware tests or parsing serial data. Embedded Fundamentals: Familiarity with microcontrollers and low‑level protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe) using logic analyzers and high‑speed scopes. Design Tools: Strong preference for candidates with Altium Designer experience for schematic and layout tweaks. OS Proficiency: Deep comfort within a Linux/Unix command‑line environment for system configuration and debugging. Job Details Job Type: Contract Pay Rate Range: $45/hr-$70/hr. Location: Bellevue, WA (Onsite). Benefits Package Protingent offers competitive salaries, insurance plan options (HDHP plan or POS plan), education/certification reimbursement, pre‑tax commuter benefits, Paid Time Off (PTO), and an administered 401k plan. #J-18808-Ljbffr Protingent