Job Title: Electrical Engineer
Job Description
This Electrical Engineer role focuses on developing 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 perform hands-on design, testing, and rework of PCB assemblies (PCBA) and electrical components. This position offers the opportunity to work across the full product lifecycle, from ideation and design through prototyping, validation, manufacturing, and launch, on state-of-the-art technology supporting critical defense-related systems.
Responsibilities
Develop hardware from scratch, including defining technical requirements and translating them into detailed electrical designs.
Design multilayer PCBs to support complex test systems and product architectures.
Perform PCB schematic capture and contribute to PCB layout activities, ensuring designs meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements.
Develop and implement test and validation strategies for new products and new features in collaboration with software, firmware, and hardware teams.
Define detailed test plans and procedures for hardware, including functional, performance, and reliability testing.
Design, build, and execute tests for PCBAs and electrical components using standard lab tools and instrumentation.
Perform hands-on debugging, troubleshooting, and rework of PCBAs and electrical circuits to resolve design and manufacturing issues.
Conduct circuit analysis to verify design performance and ensure compliance with requirements.
Use oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and other lab equipment to characterize and validate circuits and systems.
Support requirement management activities by documenting, tracking, and validating hardware requirements throughout the product lifecycle.
Participate in component selection to meet electrical, mechanical, cost, and availability constraints.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams throughout ideation, design, prototyping, testing/validation, manufacturing, and launch phases.
Develop scripts or tools, as needed, to automate tests or data collection for hardware validation.
Support hardware test system development, including integration of measurement equipment and custom interfaces.
Contribute to continuous improvement of design practices, test methodologies, and documentation standards.
Essential Skills
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (BS EE) or equivalent technical discipline.
Strong electrical engineering fundamentals, including circuit theory, signal integrity, and power distribution concepts.
Experience with PCB schematic capture and layout workflows; ability to develop PCBs through the entire product lifecycle.
Hands-on experience with lab tools such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and logic analyzers for testing and troubleshooting.
Proficiency in circuit design and circuit analysis for both analog and digital systems.
Experience with PCBA testing, debugging, and rework in a lab environment.
Ability to develop test and validation strategies and translate them into clear, executable test plans.
Familiarity with requirement management practices for hardware development.
Entry-level candidates must demonstrate hardware development experience beyond required academic class projects.
Ability to collaborate effectively with software, firmware, and hardware teams and communicate technical findings clearly.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Experience with Altium or similar PCB design tools for schematic capture and layout is a plus.
Experience with LabVIEW or similar tools for hardware test automation is beneficial.
Scripting experience, such as Python, to support test automation, data collection, or analysis.
Familiarity with hardware test system development, including integration of instruments and custom fixtures.
Experience working across the full product lifecycle, including ideation, design, prototyping, validation, manufacturing, and launch.
Exposure to unmanned systems or aerospace and defense hardware is advantageous.
Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail in debugging complex electrical issues.
Ability to work independently in a lab environment while also contributing to cross-functional team efforts.
Work Environment
You will work in a collaborative engineering environment focused on supporting Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) programs, including platforms such as Eagle Eye, Roadrunner, Ghost, Anvil, and Fury. The role involves significant time in an electronics lab using tools such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and other standard test equipment to design, validate, and troubleshoot PCBAs and electrical systems. You will interact regularly with multidisciplinary teams across hardware, firmware, software, test, and manufacturing, contributing to products at every stage of the lifecycle. The environment emphasizes state-of-the-art technology development, hands-on experimentation, and continuous learning, with opportunities to see designs progress from concept through production and field deployment.
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 - $60.00/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 Apr 30, 2026.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:
Hiring diverse talent
Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
Ensuring growth opportunities for our people
Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.
About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we've helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC-with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.
Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.
