The world's largest HVAC company in Houston, TX is seeking a Principal Engineer in Hardware Engineering to lead and participate in the development of PCB/hardware for HVAC equipment. The role requires an understanding of electro-mechanical systems and involves working closely with cross-functional teams to develop and implement hardware solutions that meet performance, quality, and cost requirements. The successful candidate must have expertise in hardware design, system integration, signal integrity analysis, and testing methodologies. They will lead design reviews, identify and resolve design issues, and provide technical guidance and support throughout the product development lifecycle. The Principal Engineer will also mentor and coach junior engineers and keep up to date with emerging technologies and industry trends to drive innovation and continuous improvement.

Position Responsibilities May Include

Technical -

• Develop PCB (BOM, Schematic and Layout), with relays, RS485, BLE, Zigbee and microcontrollers
• Schematic capture
• Component selection and symbol/footprint creation
• Pre-production design validation via SPICE Simulation
• Post-production board bring-up and validation
• Alternate/substitute parts analysis
• Perform detailed bench and lab testing of hardware
• EMI/EMC driven design
• Analyze application and determine appropriate IEC tests for the PCBs
• Create and maintain project documentation, such as design specifications and BOMs (Bill of Materials)
• Analyze and evaluate design specifications to ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations
• Develop test plans and perform testing to validate and verify PCB designs
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as mechanical and electrical engineers, to ensure successful integration of PCB designs
• Optimize designs for performance, cost, and manufacturability
• Identify and troubleshoot issues with existing PCB designs
• Manage and oversee PCB fabrication and assembly processes
• Ensure adherence to design and manufacturing standards and guidelines
• Design and implement complex multi-layer PCBs
• Develop and maintain design libraries and component databases
• Participate in design reviews and provide technical expertise and recommendations
• Evaluate and select appropriate materials and components for PCB designs
• Develop and implement PCB testing procedures and quality control measures
  
  

Other -

• Interface well with other teams to perform root cause analysis and develop solutions to production problems.
• Coordinate with production engineering and maintenance teams to lead equipment repairs and projects.
• Develop Hardware and ICT specification
• Develop MTBF and dFMEA of the PCB-A
• Performs other tasks as assigned
  
  

Nature & Scope

• Anticipates internal and/or external business challenges and/or regulatory issues; recommends process, product, or service improvements
• Solves unique and complex problems that have a broad impact on the business
• Contributes to the development of functional strategy
• Leads teams or projects with broad visibility to achieve milestones and objectives
• Typically operates with broad latitude in a complex environment
  
  

Knowledge & Skills

Technical -

• Proficient in a PCB design tool, preferably Altium
• Experience in PCB design strategies and techniques to meet strict EMI/EMC
• Experience with Signal and Power Integrity analysis methods and tools
• Skilled at schematic capture, component/footprint creation, and board layout
• Experience in microcontroller based, double layer PCB design
• Experience in EMC driven design
• Experience in converting design practices in PCB design tool rules
• Power and EMF Calculation (Steady State and transient)
• Familiarity with similar Industry standards - Automotive, Medical, Oil and Gas, Flow Control, HVAC
• PCB manufacturing: knowledgeable about PCB manufacturing processes and technologies, including surface mount technology, through-hole technology, and PCB assembly.
• Design for manufacturability: able to design boards that are optimized for manufacturing, including considerations such as PCB layer stack-up, trace routing, and component placement.
• Signal integrity: an understanding of signal integrity concepts such as crosstalk, signal reflections, and impedance matching.
• Regulatory compliance: knowledgeable about safety standards and regulatory requirements related to PCB design and manufacturing, including RoHS, REACH, and UL.
• Excellence in Microsoft office tools - including Advanced Excel, MS Project, PowerPoint, MS Word, Automation via VBA and Macro and SharePoint
• Shall posses excellent communication, ability to explain complex technical contents, desire to work in diverse, cross-functional team and work towards common objective
  
  

Process -

• Hardware Project Management and Lifecycle
• Board level Unit Testing
• Test Management Tools (JIRA, RQM, HPQC)
• Hands-on experience with measurement devices for EMI/EMC component and system level dFMEA
• Project management: able to manage projects effectively, including defining project scope, setting timelines, and managing budgets.
• Mentor and train junior engineers.
• Develop best practices training material for internal engineering training
• Effective communication skills
  
  

Experience

• 12-15 years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated ability to deliver complex Hardware projects, with distributed, medium to large size project team
• Managing multi-year Hardware projects
• Evidence of career progression
  
  

Education/Certification

• Bachelors in Electrical Engineer (with Electronics focus) required
• Masters in or PhD preferred
• Professional Engineer Designation (PE Certification) preferred
  
  

People Management: No

Physical Requirements / Work Environment

• Must be able to perform essential responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Minimal Traveling requirement of up to 10%
  
  

Reports To: Manager, Hardware Engineer.

Qualified Applicants must be legally authorized for employment in the United States. Qualified applicants will not require employer sponsored work authorization now or in the future for employment in the United States.

The Company provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of a person’s race, color, religion (including religious dress or grooming practices), creed, national origin (including language use restrictions), citizenship, uniform service member or veteran status, ancestry, disability, physical or mental disability (including HIV/AIDS), medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, request for protected leave, marital status, sex, pregnancy, age (over 40), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Company will comply with all federal and state regulations and statutes pertaining to individuals with disabilities.