Summary

Our client is an established Southern California manufacturer specializing in advanced electronic communication systems and specialized equipment for commercial, industrial, government, and other demanding applications. They are seeking an experienced Electrical Design Engineer to join their engineering team in Vista, CA, focusing on the design, development, testing, and improvement of analog and digital electronic products.

The ideal candidate will have 8–10 years of electrical or electronic design engineering experience, with advanced expertise in analog and digital circuit design, embedded systems, firmware development, PCB design, and digital signal processing (DSP). This position requires a hands-on engineer capable of managing electronic product development from initial concept through manufacturing while collaborating with engineering, quality assurance, and production teams.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Electrical & Electronic Design

  • Design, develop, and improve analog and digital electronic products, including communication equipment, intercom systems, and specialized electronic devices.

  • Develop electronic hardware, embedded software, and firmware for new products and existing product enhancements.

  • Manage electronic product development from requirements analysis and initial design through prototyping, validation, manufacturing, and product release.

  • Design and evaluate electronic circuits, printed circuit boards (PCBs), printed circuit assemblies (PCAs), and integrated electronic systems.

  • Select electronic components, integrated circuits, and supporting hardware based on performance, reliability, availability, and cost.

  • Perform circuit simulation, signal analysis, and troubleshooting to optimize product performance.

  • Support system architecture development, technical specifications, and engineering design documentation.

• Embedded Systems & Digital Signal Processing

  • Design and develop embedded electronic systems utilizing microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

  • Develop, test, debug, and maintain real-time embedded software and firmware.

  • Support digital audio signal processing and electronic communication system development.

  • Perform component-level, board-level, and system-level testing to verify product performance and reliability.

  • Address design considerations involving signal integrity, impedance matching, electromagnetic interference (EMI), digital interfaces, and power management.

  • Troubleshoot complex hardware and firmware integration issues.

  • Evaluate electronic performance and implement improvements to system functionality and reliability.

• Product Development & Engineering Documentation

  • Develop engineering documentation, including design plans, technical specifications, development schedules, design reviews, and product records.

  • Support product development activities from initial concept through production release.

  • Establish testing procedures and validation requirements for new and existing electronic products.

  • Conduct performance testing, reliability evaluations, and design verification activities.

  • Identify opportunities to improve product functionality, manufacturability, reliability, and cost efficiency.

  • Maintain accurate engineering records and documentation throughout the product lifecycle.

  • Ensure engineering activities follow established ISO quality management procedures and applicable industry standards.

• Manufacturing Engineering & Technical Support

  • Provide engineering support to manufacturing operations, including troubleshooting electronic assemblies and resolving production-related technical issues.

  • Develop and improve manufacturing test procedures, specialized test fixtures, and testing equipment.

  • Investigate electronic product failures, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.

  • Collaborate with manufacturing and quality assurance personnel to improve production processes and product reliability.

  • Support electronic component selection, supplier evaluation, and contract manufacturing activities.

  • Assist with supplier qualification and continuous quality improvement initiatives.

  • Provide technical guidance and training to production technicians and manufacturing personnel.

  • Support design changes and product improvements to address manufacturing challenges.

• Quality Assurance & Product Testing

  • Conduct electronic circuit, board-level, and system-level testing and troubleshooting.

  • Develop testing procedures to verify electrical performance, functionality, and reliability.

  • Evaluate signal integrity, EMI, digital interfaces, and other electronic performance characteristics.

  • Support failure analysis and corrective action investigations.

  • Assist with design verification, product validation, and manufacturing quality improvement.

  • Ensure engineering documentation and testing activities meet applicable quality requirements.

  • Identify opportunities to improve product quality and reduce manufacturing defects.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Project Coordination

  • Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, quality assurance, sales, and other departments.

  • Coordinate engineering activities involving internal personnel, suppliers, contract manufacturers, and technical consultants.

  • Provide technical input for product specifications, user manuals, engineering documentation, and marketing materials.

  • Support technical product evaluations, quotations, and customer inquiries.

  • Assist with customer troubleshooting and post-sale technical support.

  • Participate in engineering design reviews and product development meetings.

  • Manage multiple engineering priorities while maintaining project schedules and technical quality standards.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Required Education & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline required.

  • 8–10 years of relevant electrical or electronic design engineering experience, depending on education and qualifications.

  • Proven experience designing and developing analog and digital electronic products.

  • Strong background in electronic hardware design, circuit development, and PCB/PCA design.

  • Hands-on experience with embedded systems, firmware development, and real-time embedded programming.

  • Experience developing systems utilizing FPGAs, microprocessors, and DSPs.

  • Practical experience with digital audio signal processing and electronic communication systems.

  • Experience performing component-level, circuit-board-level, and system-level testing and troubleshooting.

  • Demonstrated experience supporting electronic products throughout the full development lifecycle, from initial design through manufacturing and ongoing production.

  • Experience working in a regulated or quality-controlled manufacturing environment.

• Electrical Engineering & Technical Skills

  • Advanced knowledge of analog and digital circuit design, analysis, and simulation.

  • Strong understanding of digital signal processing and audio communication technologies.

  • Experience designing microprocessor-based and DSP-based embedded systems.

  • Knowledge of FPGA design and integration.

  • Proficiency in embedded software and firmware development.

  • Experience with PCB/PCA design, component selection, and electronic system integration.

  • Understanding of circuit impedance matching and signal integrity.

  • Knowledge of board-level electromagnetic interference (EMI) and noise reduction techniques.

  • Familiarity with digital interfaces, power electronics, and power management.

  • Understanding of electronic performance measurements, including noise figure (NF) and 1 dB compression point (P1dB).

  • Knowledge of built-in self-test (BIST) systems.

  • Experience with electronic testing equipment, troubleshooting, and failure analysis.

  • Ability to develop manufacturing test procedures and specialized test fixtures.

• Engineering Software & Tools

  • Experience with OrCAD for electronic design and development.

  • Familiarity with AutoCAD for engineering documentation and drawings.

  • Experience with MPLAB X development tools.

  • Knowledge of Texas Instruments Code Composer Studio (TI CCS).

  • Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard engineering documentation tools.

  • Experience using engineering project scheduling and technical documentation systems.

  • Ability to learn and utilize additional engineering software as required.

• Manufacturing & Quality Knowledge

  • Understanding of electronic manufacturing processes and product assembly.

  • Experience supporting manufacturing operations and resolving production-related engineering issues.

  • Familiarity with ISO quality management procedures.

  • Knowledge of electronic product validation, reliability testing, and quality assurance processes.

  • Experience with root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement.

  • Understanding of electronic component sourcing, supplier evaluation, and contract manufacturing.

  • Familiarity with design for manufacturability (DFM) principles and product lifecycle engineering.

• Professional Skills

  • Excellent analytical, technical troubleshooting, and problem-solving abilities.

  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to engineering accuracy.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

  • Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering and manufacturing teams.

  • Strong organizational and project management capabilities.

  • Ability to manage multiple engineering projects and competing priorities.

  • Self-motivated, resourceful, and capable of working independently.

  • Strong commitment to product quality, reliability, and continuous improvement.

• Preferred Education & Experience

  • Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.

  • Experience designing electronic communication equipment, intercom systems, or digital audio products.

  • Background developing electronic products for commercial, industrial, government, or specialized applications.

  • Familiarity with CE, UL, ISO, FDA, GMP, or other applicable quality and regulatory standards.

  • Experience working with electronic component suppliers and contract manufacturers.

  • Strong understanding of product reliability, manufacturability, and continuous improvement.

  • Previous experience leading engineering projects or coordinating cross-functional technical teams.

• Work Environment & Physical Requirements

  • Position based in Vista, CA, primarily within an office-based engineering and manufacturing environment.

  • Extensive use of computers, electronic design software, and specialized testing equipment.

  • Occasional standing, walking, and climbing stairs may be required.

  • Ability to occasionally lift equipment or materials weighing up to 30 pounds.

  • Overtime may be required depending on project schedules and operational needs.

  • Limited remote work flexibility may be available depending on business requirements.

  • Successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug screening, subject to applicable law.