Job Title: Product Design & Development Engineer

Job Overview:

We design and manufacture OBD automotive diagnostic products and measurement devices. Based at our US headquarters, you'll serve as the technical bridge between the R&D team (hardware and firmware) and global manufacturing partners. You'll drive products from early prototypes to mass production.

Hands-on circuits need a broad working grasp of electrical design to manage vendors, collaborate internationally, and validate products to global standards.

Role Overview:

1. Conceptualization & Design

Translate market requirements and user feedback into detailed mechanical or electrical architecture using CAD software.

Core Tasks

Work with Product/Marketing to finalize specs, review block diagrams, schematics, and enclosure concepts.
Manage overseas vendors for PCB layout and mechanical tooling fabrication.

Required Technical Skills

Technical Literacy: Sufficient understanding of schematics and system architectures (MCU/SoC, power, wireless) to bridge conversations between R&D and vendors.
ECAD Tools: EDA software (Altium, Allegro, or OrCAD) to review and verify multi-layer PCB layouts.

2. Prototyping

Build, test, and troubleshoot prototypes to validate form, fit, and function.

Core Tasks

Manage prototype evolution, PCBA, and tooling samples.
Diagnose functional or mechanical-electrical issues.

Required Technical Skills

Lab Equipment: Oscilloscopes, multimeters, and power supplies to evaluate prototypes.
FFF Validation: Checking mechanical tolerances, enclosure alignment, button feel, light leakage, and structural integrity.
Firmware/Scripting: Basic flashing and scripting to run diagnostic tests on functional prototypes.

3. Design for Manufacturing

Optimize parts for scalable production — balancing material selection, tooling integration, and assembly efficiency.

Core Tasks

Act as the technical gatekeeper of all R&D design freeze to overseas mass production.
Optimize BOM/component selection with IC vendors.

Required Technical Skills

Component & Supply Chain: Component sizing/packaging (SMD, BGA, QFN) and lifecycle assessment (lead times, second sourcing, EOL risks).

4. Testing & Validation

Conduct rigorous product testing (structural, thermal, or performance) and oversee regulatory compliance and safety certifications.

Core Tasks

Execute hardware and mechanical validation (environmental, thermal, electrical limits) and reliability testing (mechanical stress, drop, vibration, IP rating).
Partner with international certification bodies to prepare products for global market release.

Required Technical Skills

Hardware Validation: HVT protocols (thermal profiling, stress testing, power consumption analysis).
Mechanical Reliability: Reliability standards (drop, impact, thermal cycling, environmental chamber testing).
Regulatory Compliance: EMI/EMC testing fundamentals and global standards (CE, FCC, UL).

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration (The Global Bridge)

Partner with industrial design, marketing, supply chain, and manufacturing teams to bring products to market.

Core Tasks

Sync across the R&D team and overseas factories to align schedules and monitor the critical path to Mass Production.
Coordinate with marketing, supply chain, and industrial design to align product launch, component sourcing, and design intent.
Serve as the central authority for Engineering Change Orders (ECO) on hardware and tooling/mold modifications.

Required Technical Skills:

Engineering Document Control: Managing BOMs, Gerber files, and releasing Manufacturing Data Packages.
Technical Vendor & Project Management: Milestone tracking (Gantt charts) and coordinating root-cause analysis with SMT/tooling factories on assembly, out-of-spec, or cosmetic defects (sink marks, flashing).

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering with at least 5 years’ experience.
Strong communicator able to align cross-functional, international teams across time zones.
Willing to travel internationally; English/Chinese bilingual is a strong plus.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $85,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k)
401(k) matching
Dental insurance
Flexible spending account
Health insurance
Life insurance
Paid time off
Retirement plan

Ability to Commute:

Irvine, CA 92614 (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

Irvine, CA 92614: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Innova Electronics Corp

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