Electrical Engineer
Job Description
This Electrical Engineer role focuses on developing electronic hardware from the ground up to support advanced unmanned systems. You will define requirements, design and implement multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs), and build test systems that enable robust validation of new products and features. Working closely with software, firmware, and hardware teams, you will contribute across the entire product lifecycle, from ideation and design through prototyping, testing, manufacturing, and launch, while gaining hands-on experience with state-of-the-art technology that supports critical defense applications.
Responsibilities
- Develop hardware from scratch, including defining functional and performance requirements for new electronic systems and test platforms.
- Design multilayer PCBs and create complete hardware solutions to support test systems and production products.
- Perform PCB schematic capture and layout, using industry-standard tools to produce manufacturable designs.
- Develop and implement test and validation strategies for new products and new features, ensuring reliable performance and quality.
- Collaborate closely with software, firmware, and hardware design teams to integrate and validate system-level functionality.
- Design and execute tests for printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) and electrical components, including hands-on bench testing and rework.
- Use lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and other measurement tools to perform circuit analysis and debug.
- Select appropriate electronic components to meet design requirements and ensure long-term reliability and manufacturability.
- Create, maintain, and manage hardware requirements and documentation throughout the product lifecycle.
- Contribute to continuous improvement of hardware test systems, automation scripts, and validation processes to increase efficiency and coverage.
- Participate in the full product lifecycle, including ideation, design, prototyping, testing and validation, manufacturing support, and product launch activities.
Essential Skills
- Strong electrical engineering fundamentals, including circuit design, analysis, and troubleshooting.
- Experience with PCB schematic capture and layout, including developing PCBs through the entire product lifecycle.
- Proficiency with circuit analysis and use of lab tools such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and logic analyzers.
- Hands-on experience with PCBA testing, hardware test execution, and rework of electronic assemblies.
- Ability to define and develop test and validation strategies for new products and features.
- Familiarity with requirement management and documentation for hardware systems.
- Experience with scripting or programming (such as Python) to support test automation or data analysis.
- Proficiency with at least one PCB design tool; experience with Altium is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of hardware test methods and tools, including use of LabVIEW or similar environments.
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (BS EE) or equivalent education.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Experience using Altium for PCB schematic capture and layout.
- Familiarity with LabVIEW for hardware test and measurement automation.
- Experience working with multilayer PCB design and complex board layouts.
- Experience in hardware test system development and validation of complex electronic systems.
- Exposure to component selection and evaluation for reliability, performance, and cost.
- Experience with Python or other scripting languages to support testing, automation, or data processing.
- Interest in or experience with unmanned systems and defense-related technologies.
- Ability to collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary engineering teams across hardware, firmware, and software disciplines.
- Strong documentation skills for requirements, design artifacts, test plans, and test reports.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Costa Mesa, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $80.00/hr.
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)
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Costa Mesa,CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Jul 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 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.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: 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 with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall 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 applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.