Hardware Engineer

Palomar

United States, California, Rancho Santa Margarita

Aug 24, 2025

Job Title:	Hardware Engineer	Job Level:	Experienced
Department:	Engineering	Job Category:	Hardware Engineering Manager
Summary
Palomar is looking for a talented and highly motivated Hardware Engineer to join the Hardware Development team and help develop electronic boards incorporated into current and future generations of our Secure Communication System (SCS).The ideal candidate will be motivated, talented and will have experience with hardware development projects in the defense and aerospace industry, working from requirements through component selection, schematic design, layout design, lab tests and software integration.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Utilize development boards and COTS evaluation boards to prove out circuit designs for new technologies Design circuits at the schematic level and select components based on given requirements Oversee board layout development, inspect final layout before production Test circuit boards to prove they function as expected, debug design errors as required and perform failure analysis on problem areas Build, test and modify product prototypes Assist in the development of production-level tests and support the product's transition to production Document results of testing and failure analysis Create Bill of Materials (BOM) and assist in creating cost estimates for related activities Participate in product design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, product designs, schedules, or potential problems
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Experience developing and managing system and test requirements through the full product lifecycle Familiarity with verification planning, test requirement development, and supporting system test execution Strong analytical and technical communication skills Preferred Qualifications: Experience in military or aerospace programs supporting system verification and test Exposure to embedded OS, RTOS architectures, or embedded firmware/software integration Familiarity with FPGA logic, electrical and mechanical interface management, and system-level integration Level I: $74,000 - 93,000 B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer engineering, or equivalent Up to 2 years of hardware development experience Familiarity with Xilinx and Microchip FPGAs Familiarity with serial communication protocols such as: I2C, SPI, PCIe, T1, Ethernet, etc. Experience with hardware testing and debugging using test equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum/logic analyzers, power meters, etc. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities Strong interpersonal skills to enable working, interfacing and interrelating with diverse personnel and dynamic teams Motivated self-starter with excellent oral and written communication skills. Must be comfortable preparing and presenting data in front of peers and/or external customers Level II: $84,000 - 109,000 B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer engineering, or equivalent 3+ years of hardware development experience Working knowledge of electrical engineering design activities with emphasis on digital systems. Familiarity with design verification, testing, and qualification of developed products Experience with Xilinx and Microchip FPGAs Experience with serial communication protocols such as: I2C, SPI, PCIe, T1, Ethernet, etc. Hands-on experience with hardware testing and debugging using test equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum/logic analyzers, power meters, etc. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities Strong interpersonal skills to enable working, interfacing and interrelating with diverse personnel and dynamic teams Motivated self-starter with excellent oral and written communication skills. Must be comfortable preparing and presenting data in front of peers and/or external customers Knowledge of engineering design process, tools, and techniques Experience with Audio systems, conferencing and distribution of audio data and Audio signal processing Experience with Micro-controllers and ARM processors Experience supporting firmware and software development and integration Level III: $103,000 - 155,000 B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer engineering, or equivalent 6+ years of hardware development experience Working knowledge of electrical engineering design activities with emphasis on digital systems. Familiarity with design verification, testing, and qualification of developed products Experience with Xilinx and Microchip FPGAs Experience with Micro-controllers and ARM processors Experience supporting firmware and software development and integration Experience with serial communication protocols such as: I2C, SPI, PCIe, T1, Ethernet, etc. Hands-on experience with hardware testing and debugging using test equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum/logic analyzers, power meters, etc. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities Strong interpersonal skills to enable working, interfacing and interrelating with diverse personnel and dynamic teams Motivated self-starter with excellent oral and written communication skills. Must be comfortable preparing and presenting data in front of peers and/or external customers Knowledge of engineering design process, tools, and techniques Experience with Audio systems, conferencing and distribution of audio data and Audio signal processing Level IV: $140,000 - $175,000 B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer engineering, or equivalent 10+ years of hardware development experience Working knowledge of electrical engineering design activities with emphasis on digital systems. Familiarity with design verification, testing, and qualification of developed products Experience with Xilinx and Microchip FPGAs Experience with Micro-controllers and ARM processors Experience supporting firmware and software development and integration Experience with communication protocols such as: I2C, SPI, PCIe, T1, Ethernet, etc. Hands-on experience with hardware testing and debugging using test equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum/logic analyzers, etc. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities Strong interpersonal skills to enable working, interfacing and interrelating with diverse personnel and dynamic teams Motivated self-starter with excellent oral and written communication skills. Must be comfortable preparing and presenting data in front of peers and/or external customers Experience mentoring junior engineers
Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear; and occasionally climb stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
Work Environment
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment can be loud. Occasional travel may apply, not to exceed 15%. Conditions upon travel may vary and will be discussed with the employee prior to travel to ensure appropriate accommodations are met.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

*Due to export control laws and government contract obligations, must be a US Citizen.*

*To comply with U.S. export laws and regulations, Palomar Products Inc. operations in the U.S. may only employ "U.S. Persons" as defined by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

**Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AAP) Employer

Palomar Products is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, medical condition, national origin, marital status, disability, pregnancy or parental status, childbirth, genetic information, or military and veteran status. Request an Accommodation. Read further information regarding Affirmative Action narrative availability.

Palomar Products participates in E-Verify: Details in English and Spanish. Right to Work Statement in English and Spanish. EEO is the law. Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.