Senior Hardware Engineer - Santa Clara, CA (Hybrid)

CHEP helps move more goods to more people, in more places than any other organization on earth via our 347 million pallets, crates and containers. We employ approximately 13,000 people and operate in 60 countries. Through our pioneering and sustainable share-and-reuse business model, the world’s biggest brands trust us to help them transport their goods more efficiently, safely and with less environmental impact.   What does that mean for you? You’ll join an international organization big enough to take you anywhere, and small enough to get you there sooner. You’ll help change how goods get to market and contribute to global sustainability. You’ll be empowered to bring your authentic self to work and be surrounded by diverse and driven professionals. And you can maximize your work-life balance and flexibility through our  Hybrid Work Model . Job Description Key Responsibilities May Include: Translate system requirements into detailed hardware design specifications, ensuring alignment with firmware and software requirements. Design and develop hardware modules and systems for low-power, small-scale devices operating in challenging environments. Collaborate with Firmware and Software Engineers to ensure seamless integration of hardware with tracking and sensor telemetry applications for LPWAN or Cellular IoT networks. Develop and execute testing protocols to verify the end-to-end functionality of prototype devices, including hardware, firmware, and connectivity. Participate in technical design reviews, providing input on system architecture and deployment strategies to optimize hardware performance. Conduct simulations and prototyping to validate hardware designs and ensure compliance with system specifications and environmental constraints. Continuously explore and implement improvements to hardware development processes, enhancing performance, reliability, and efficiency. Provide technical leadership and guidance in hardware engineering, ensuring best practices in design, testing, and deployment across the team. POSITION PURPOSE We are seeking a highly motivated and hands-on Senior Hardware Engineer to play a key role in the design, development, validation, and support of hardware systems in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. This individual will be responsible for driving hardware board design efforts directly and through external design partners, while providing technical leadership across cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate combines strong technical depth in hardware design with a pragmatic, "roll-up-your-sleeves" approach, thriving in a small, agile team where versatility and execution are critical. Responsibilities include designing and testing hardware, managing and influencing subcontractors across India and China, coordinating development activities from concept through production, troubleshooting complex field issues, and driving structured root-cause analysis and resolution. SCOPE Global role MEASURES Contribute directly toward hardware design, troubleshooting and testing Manage subcontracts to successfully design hardware systems MAJOR / KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES Lead the design, development, and validation of hardware systems, including schematic capture, PCB design, hardware bring-up, and production support. Own low-power and RF hardware design for IoT products, driving architecture, component selection, power optimization, wireless integration, and technical tradeoff decisions. Perform hands-on debugging, testing, root-cause analysis, and resolution of design, manufacturing, and field issues using industry-standard lab equipment. Manage and provide technical leadership to external design partners and subcontractors in India and China, ensuring quality, schedule, and deliverable execution. Collaborate with firmware, software, mechanical, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to deliver products from concept through production. Drive project execution, design reviews, documentation, risk management, and cross-functional alignment in a fast-paced and highly dynamic environment. KEY CONTACTS Internal:  Mechanical Lead, Firmware Lead, Engineering Program Manager, Manufacturing Team, Product owner(s), SW Development Team  External:  Hardware Design Subcontractors, Contract Manufacturer and ODMs, Component Supplier, Third party vendor QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with 8+ years of experience in related fields. Strong knowledge of hardware system architecture, board-level design, and electronic component selection. Proficiency with OrCAD Capture for schematic design and PCB layout design tools. Knowledge of low-power hardware design techniques, including battery-powered system design and power optimization. Understanding of RF and wireless technologies used in IoT products, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, Thread, Zigbee, LoRa, or Cellular. Strong hardware debugging and troubleshooting skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, and other laboratory equipment. Knowledge of hardware verification, validation, and product qualification methodologies. Ability to perform root-cause analysis and drive issue resolution in a structured and organized manner. Understanding design-for-manufacturing (DFM), design-for-test (DFT), and product lifecycle development processes. Desirable : MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or related field is preferred with 5+ years of experience. Advanced knowledge of RF system design, antenna integration, RF performance optimization, and wireless certification processes. Expertise in low-power system architecture for battery-operated and energy-constrained IoT devices. Familiarity with EMI/EMC mitigation, and compliance testing methodologies. Experience with embedded hardware design. Proficiency with PCB stack-up design, board layout reviews, and manufacturing design considerations. Knowledge of hardware reliability, env