Technical Lead Embedded Hardware Engineering

Technical Lead Embedded Hardware Engineering

We are seeking a Technical Lead Embedded Hardware Engineering to take charge of all aspects of hardware development within our organization. As the hardware lead, you will be responsible for driving key projects currently in development and upcoming initiatives, including:

1. A Real-Time Location System (RTLS) powered by Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, and
2. A Computer Vision-based Patient Monitoring System with high-speed data acquisition and hardware acceleration using NPU (Neural Processing Unit) technology.

In addition to these flagship initiatives, you will oversee other ongoing and future hardware projects across various domains.

Key Responsibilities

1. Hardware Project Leadership
• Serve as the technical lead for all hardware development efforts, ensuring alignment with overall product goals and timelines.
• RTLS Project: Lead the development of a UWB-powered real-time tracking system, focusing on precision, power efficiency, and antenna optimization.
• Computer Vision Patient Monitoring Project: Oversee the design of hardware integrating image sensors, Camera Serial Interface (CSI), PCIe, and NPU to support real-time data processing and AI-driven monitoring.
• Provide strategic direction for other current and upcoming hardware projects, ensuring scalability, reliability, and innovation throughout the design lifecycle.
2. Team Leadership & Mentorship
• Build, lead, and mentor a team of engineers specializing in embedded systems, high-speed communication, and wireless integration.
• Promote a collaborative and innovative work environment, fostering continuous learning and technical growth.
• Assign tasks, provide technical guidance, and oversee team members’ progress toward successful project completion.
3. Engineering Excellence & Quality
• Drive the development of embedded hardware architecture, circuit design, and system integration.
• Ensure robust design practices, including PCB layout optimization, signal integrity, and power management.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to validate designs and ensure compliance with regulatory standards (FCC, CE, IPC).
4. Stakeholder Collaboration
• Work closely with stakeholders across engineering, product management, and other departments to define project requirements and deliverables.
• Provide regular updates on project status, risks, and technical solutions to ensure alignment with business objectives.

Technical Skills

1. Embedded System Architecture: Expertise in the design and selection of microcontrollers, microprocessors, and other embedded system components.
2. Circuit Design: Proficient in designing both analog and digital circuits. This includes designing schematics and ensuring proper PCB layout and routing.
3. High-Speed Design: Specialized knowledge in designing high-speed interfaces and signal integrity, including:
• USB: Design considerations for USB interfaces, including signal integrity, impedance matching, and proper termination.
• CSI (Camera Serial Interface): Handling high-speed data rates and ensuring reliable transmission of image data.
• PCIe 3 (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express 3.0): Designing for high-speed PCIe interfaces, including signal integrity, trace length, and impedance control.
4. Computer Vision: Understanding of hardware requirements and considerations for implementing computer vision systems, including:
• Image Sensor Integration: Interfacing with image sensors and handling high data rates.
• Processing Units: Knowledge of hardware accelerators like FPGAs or GPUs for image processing tasks.
• Algorithms: Familiarity with hardware implementations of computer vision algorithms and their performance implications.
5. Wireless Technologies: Knowledge of wireless communication technologies, including:
• Bluetooth: Design considerations for Bluetooth interfaces, including RF design, power management, and antenna placement.
• Wi-Fi: Understanding of Wi-Fi standards (e.g., IEEE 802.11) and considerations for integrating Wi-Fi modules into hardware designs.
6. Thermal Management: Expertise in managing heat in electronic designs, including:
• Heat Dissipation: Techniques for effective heat dissipation, such as heat sinks, thermal pads, and thermal vias.
• Temperature Monitoring: Implementation of temperature sensors and thermal protection mechanisms.
• Thermal Simulation: Using simulation tools to predict thermal behavior and optimize cooling strategies.
7. PCB Design Standards: Knowledge of industry standards and best practices for PCB design, including:
• IPC Standards: Familiarity with IPC-2221 (Generic Standard on Printed Board Design), IPC-2222 (Sectional Design Standard for Rigid Organic Printed Boards), and IPC-A-610 (Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies).
• Design Guidelines: Understanding of guidelines for trace width, spacing, layer stackup, and via design to ensure reliability and manufacturability.
• Manufacturing Constraints: Awareness of constraints and requirements for PCB fabrication and assembly, including tolerances, component placement, and soldering processes.
8. EMI/EMC (Electromagnetic Interference/Electromagnetic Compatibility): Skills in designing for EMI and EMC to ensure your hardware is robust and compliant with regulations:
• EMI Mitigation: Techniques for reducing electromagnetic interference, such as shielding, filtering, and proper grounding.
• EMC Compliance: Understanding of regulations and standards for EMC, such as FCC, CE, and CISPR requirements.
• Design Practices: Implementation of best practices for PCB layout to minimize EMI, such as controlled impedance routing, proper layer stacking, and isolation techniques.
9. System Integration: Ability to integrate various hardware components effectively and ensure that they work together as intended.
10. Signal Processing: Knowledge of signal conditioning techniques, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion, and other related areas.
11. Power Management: Understanding of power supply design, battery management, and strategies for power efficiency.
12. Communication Protocols: Familiarity with communication interfaces such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and Ethernet, and their implementation in hardware.
13. Tool Proficiency:
• PCB Design Tools: Experience with tools such as Altium Designer, KiCad, EasyEDA.
• Circuit Simulation Tools: Knowledge of simulation tools like SPICE.
• Thermal Simulation Tools: Familiarity with tools for thermal analysis and management, such as ANSYS Icepak or SolidWorks Flow Simulation.
• EMI/EMC Analysis Tools: Experience with tools for EMI/EMC analysis, such as CST Studio Suite or Ansys HFSS.
• Version Control Systems: Familiarity with version control tools like Git.
14. Testing and Debugging: Skills in using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other test equipment to troubleshoot and validate hardware designs.
15. Familiarity with industry standards (e.g., IEC, UL, CE).

Managerial and Soft Skills

1. Project Management: Ability to manage hardware design projects, including planning, scheduling, and resource allocation.
2. Team Leadership: Leading a team of engineers, assigning tasks, mentoring team members, and ensuring effective collaboration.
3. Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills for identifying and addressing design issues and finding effective solutions.
4. Communication: Effective communication with team members, stakeholders, and other departments to ensure project alignment and success.
5. Risk Management: Identifying potential risks in design and development processes and implementing mitigation strategies.
6. Documentation: Creating and maintaining detailed documentation for design specifications, test procedures, and engineering changes.
7. Quality Assurance: Ensuring that designs comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
8. Customer Focus: Understanding customer needs and incorporating their feedback into design improvements and modifications.
9. Innovation: Keeping up with advancements in technology and integrating new techniques and solutions into hardware design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, Electronics, or Computer Engineering (or a related field).
• 5+ years of experience in embedded hardware development and leadership.
• Expertise in embedded system architecture, high-speed interfaces (CSI, PCIe), and wireless communication (UWB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi).
• Strong leadership, project management, and mentoring skills, with experience in guiding complex hardware projects from design to deployment.