Top Senior Hardware Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA

Leads and develops Mechanical and Electrical Engineering teams while co-leading technical execution with Principal Engineers. Oversees electro-mechanical hardware development from concept through design, prototyping, qualification, production transition, and sustainment. Responsibilities include staffing, mentoring, resource planning, technical risk management, design reviews, configuration control, engineering process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration with Systems, Software, Production, Supply Chain, and Program teams. The role supports ruggedized, mission-ready hardware for defense and harsh-environment applications.

Develop and integrate avionics, RF, electronic warfare, and mission hardware subsystems for airborne platforms. Responsibilities include requirements development and traceability, architecture and interface management, supplier documentation and oversight, functional and performance analysis, trade studies, hardware integration and testing, troubleshooting, and verification and validation. The engineer collaborates with multidisciplinary hardware, software, firmware, and program teams while ensuring compliance with applicable standards and mission objectives.

Design, build, integrate, test, install and maintain rack-based communications hardware and cabling in lab and field environments. Produce drawings and BOMs, perform signal/power analysis, verify systems, troubleshoot complex issues, support site integration and provide stakeholder briefings. On-site role requiring travel and active security clearance.

Design complex digital boards using high-end SoC FPGAs, high-speed interfaces, microprocessors, and power supplies. Perform signal and power integrity analysis using simulation tools, support EMC certification, and apply military and space hardware design experience. The role is hybrid in San Diego and offered on a contract-to-potential-permanent basis.

Own hardware architecture, schematic design, validation, debugging, and production support for processor-based wireless products, including 5G hotspots and fixed wireless access devices. Design digital and mixed-signal subsystems, power and connectivity interfaces, and support PCB reviews, compliance, manufacturing, certification, and sustaining activities. Collaborate across engineering and supplier teams, lead complex development projects, troubleshoot hardware issues, and mentor junior engineers.

Support and maintain engineering workspace platforms (Windows VDI, Citrix, Linux HPC), provide first-line support to engineering users, deploy and validate simulation applications, build and maintain CI/CD pipelines and automated functional testing, drive automation and modernization initiatives, monitor performance, and collaborate with global DevOps and infrastructure teams to improve reliability and scalability.

Design and develop PCB circuitry for high-performance cellular base stations, covering RF, analog, digital, high-speed SerDes, and power. Own schematic capture, PCB layout, stack-up optimization, vendor/DFM reviews, board bring-up and debug, and collaborate with cross-functional domain experts to deliver reliable, power-efficient products.

Lead design, validation, and integration of high-speed analog, digital, and power electronics for spacecraft. Drive PCB layout direction, perform SPICE and signal/power integrity analysis, support manufacturing and test automation, ensure radiation and EMI/EMC compliance, and mentor junior engineers.

Lead cross-functional silicon HW/SW integration for complex SoCs/ASICs across lifecycle: pre-silicon planning, lab bring-up, firmware integration, board design, and system-level debug.

The Staff Hardware Systems Engineer leads the design and troubleshooting of embedded systems, ensuring hardware meets performance specifications and quality standards while collaborating with cross-functional teams on technical decisions.