Senior Hardware Engineer
7 days ago
Atlanta
Job Description About Coreforce Coreforce partners with law enforcement, fire, EMS, and public-sector agencies to deliver mission-critical technology that enhances safety, accountability, and operational effectiveness. Our solutions support agencies across the country in high-visibility, high-impact environments where performance and reliability matter. We are seeking a Client Success Manager - Enterprise (CSM III) to manage our largest and most complex enterprise public-safety accounts. Position Summary Coreforce is seeking a Senior Hardware Engineer to design, build, and validate next-generation embedded and IoT hardware platforms that power mission-critical public safety solutions. You will own schematic design, component selection, and design reviews for complex ARM-based systems; collaborate closely with firmware, software, and manufacturing partners; and help drive our hardware roadmap from concept through production. The ideal candidate brings deep experience with Altium, embedded systems, and high-speed digital interfaces (including PCIe and networking), is comfortable working across schematic, layout, and firmware integration, and uses AI tools daily to accelerate design, documentation, and troubleshooting. Experience in public safety, law enforcement, or other high-reliability domains is a strong plus. Essential Duties and Responsibilities The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following: Hardware Architecture and Design · Lead end-to-end hardware design for embedded and IoT devices, from requirements and block diagrams through detailed schematics and design documentation. · Own schematic capture and library management in Altium, including symbol/footprint creation, design rules, and version control. · Collaborate with firmware and software teams to define hardware-software interfaces, boot architectures, and system-level behaviors for ARM-based platforms. · Design robust power delivery and distribution networks, including Power over Ethernet (PoE) solutions where applicable. Schematic Review and Design Quality · Run and participate in formal schematic and design reviews, ensuring signal integrity, power integrity, EMC, thermal considerations, and manufacturability are addressed. · Define and enforce hardware design standards, checklists, and best practices for the team. · Partner with layout engineers to guide placement, routing, stackup selection, and high-speed constraints (including PCIe and Ethernet). Embedded Firmware Collaboration · Work closely with embedded firmware engineers to bring up new boards, debug bring-up issues, and optimize hardware/firmware interactions. · Support firmware development with clear documentation of registers, interfaces, and hardware behaviors. · Use lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers) to diagnose and resolve system-level issues that span hardware and firmware. Prototyping, Validation, and Test · Drive rapid prototyping of new concepts, including proof-of-concept boards, evaluation modules, and test fixtures. · Define and execute hardware validation plans, including functional testing, environmental and stress testing, and interface interoperability (BLE, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Cellular, PCIe, PoE). · Analyze test data, identify root causes, and implement hardware design improvements. Vendor, Supplier, and Manufacturing Partnership · Collaborate with component suppliers, contract manufacturers, and fabrication/assembly partners to ensure designs meet cost, quality, and lead-time targets. · Participate in component selection, sourcing decisions, and lifecycle management, including obsolescence and supply-chain risk mitigation. · Review and refine manufacturing documentation (BOMs, assembly drawings, test procedures) and support NPI builds. Networking and IoT Systems Integration · Design and integrate wired and wireless connectivity solutions, including BLE, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Cellular, for connected devices. · Ensure hardware designs support secure, reliable data capture and transmission in real-world network conditions. · Work with systems, software, and cloud teams to ensure end-to-end interoperability for IoT devices. AI-Accelerated Engineering · Use AI tools daily to accelerate schematic design, documentation, design reviews, test planning, and troubleshooting. · Institutionalize effective AI workflows for the hardware team (for example, generating design checklists, parsing datasheets, creating test scripts, summarizing lab findings). Cross-Functional Collaboration · Partner with product management, firmware/software engineering, quality, and field teams to translate customer and domain requirements into robust hardware solutions. · Communicate complex technical tradeoffs and risks clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. · Provide mentorship and technical guidance to other engineers and reviewers. Mandatory Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) To be considered, candidates must have: · Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (EE) or closely related field. · 7+ years of professional experience in hardware design for embedded systems or IoT devices. · Strong proficiency with Altium Designer for schematic capture and library management. · Proven experience designing with ARM processor families, including power, clocking, memory, and peripheral interfaces. · Demonstrated expertise in schematic design and formal schematic review, including cross-functional design reviews. · Hands-on experience supporting or collaborating on embedded firmware development and board bring-up. · Experience designing and validating networked or IoT devices, including at least one of: BLE, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Cellular connectivity. · Working knowledge of PCIe or other high-speed digital interfaces, including basic signal integrity considerations. · Experience with Power over Ethernet (PoE) design and integration (power budgets, isolation, protection, and safety considerations). · Day-to-day proficiency with AI tools for engineering tasks (for example, design assistance, documentation, troubleshooting, test planning). · Strong lab skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and other common hardware debug tools. · Ability to interpret complex datasheets, reference designs, and application notes and translate them into robust hardware implementations. · Excellent problem-solving, root-cause analysis, and debugging skills across hardware, firmware, and system boundaries. · Strong written and verbal communication skills, including clear design documentation and review materials. · Proven ability to work effectively in a cross-functional, fast-paced engineering environment. Preferred qualifications are desired, but not all items are necessary. · Experience with rapid prototyping, including quick-turn PCB designs, evaluation boards, and lab-based proof-of-concepts. · Background in vendor and supplier management, including working with contract manufacturers, PCB fabricators, and component suppliers. · Deeper experience with networking technologies, such as: o BLE and Wi-Fi modules or chipsets and RF design considerations. o Ethernet PHY or MAC integration, magnetics, and PoE power stages. o Cellular modems and associated certification or carrier requirements. · Experience with IoT device ecosystems, including device provisioning, remote management, and secure firmware update flows from a hardware perspective. · Exposure to public safety, law enforcement, or other high-reliability or regulated domains, including designing for reliability, auditability, and long-term support. · Familiarity with compliance and certifications relevant to embedded devices (for example, FCC, CE, safety, EMC). · Experience contributing to or defining hardware design standards, checklists, and review processes within an organization. Prior experience mentoring hardware or embedded engineers and helping shape team practices