Apprentice Electrical Hardware Engineer Jobs in Illinois

Job Title: Hardware Engineer

Job Description

This role offers the opportunity to design and develop electronic hardware from concept to completion for complex embedded systems, including gauges, clusters, displays, sensors, and controllers. You will focus primarily on hands-on analog and digital hardware design while also leading multiple projects, supporting supply chain activities, and mentoring junior engineers. The position combines the agility and autonomy of a small, highly technical team with the stability and resources of a large, well-established organization.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop analog and digital hardware for embedded systems, taking projects from initial concept through to production-ready designs.
• Lead hands-on circuit design activities, including ground-up design of new boards rather than only modifying existing designs.
• Work on 3–4 projects concurrently, managing priorities, timelines, and deliverables across multiple development efforts.
• Own approximately 75% of your time in analog and digital hardware design and 25% in project management and coordination of development activities.
• Design and develop electrical schematics, perform PCB design and layout, and support board bring-up and validation.
• Work with microprocessors and microcontrollers as part of circuit board design for embedded applications.
• Support redesign and new product development for modules such as gauges, clusters, displays, sensors, controllers, and other electronic assemblies.
• Identify and research replacement components for hardware and software-driven devices to address obsolescence and supply chain constraints.
• Collaborate with suppliers and vendors to source components and support supply chain management activities.
• Assist in migrating manufacturing suppliers and ensuring continuity of production for existing and new products.
• Contribute to sustaining engineering efforts, including maintaining and improving existing hardware designs.
• Serve as a technical lead on projects, guiding and mentoring junior engineers and reviewing their design work.
• Coordinate with cross-functional engineering teams in other locations to align on requirements, design decisions, and implementation details.
• Document designs, design decisions, and test results to support traceability, manufacturing, and future maintenance.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field with 5–7 years of experience in hardware or electrical design, or a Master’s degree with 3–4 years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience in analog and digital hardware design, including hands-on circuit-level work.
• Demonstrated ability to design hardware from the ground up rather than only modifying existing designs.
• Strong experience with electrical board design and development, including schematic capture and PCB design.
• Practical experience working with microprocessors and microcontrollers in circuit board design.
• Experience working with circuits, boards, and mixed-signal designs, including DC/AC and AC/DC applications.
• Ability to manage and run multiple projects simultaneously, typically 3–4 at a time, while meeting deadlines and quality standards.
• Knowlendge in hardware design for embedded systems such as displays, clusters, modules, and telematics or similar electronic products.
• Solid understanding of electrical and electronics engineering principles applied to real-world hardware products.
• Experience collaborating with suppliers and vendors in support of component selection and sourcing.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with mixed-signal circuits and PCB boards, including working with ICs, FPGAs, and related components.
• Exposure to telematics, automotive modules, displays, clusters, or similar embedded hardware products.
• Experience with sustaining engineering, including maintaining and updating existing hardware designs, is a plus.
• Familiarity with firmware or embedded software and how it interfaces with hardware is a plus.
• Experience with program or project management activities in an engineering environment is beneficial.
• Ability to mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership on multi-disciplinary projects.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, hands-on environment with a focus on practical problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Work Environment

You will work in a small, close-knit engineering team of approximately 20 people within a modern, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. The team operates on the second floor of the facility and offers a highly collaborative, hands-on environment ideal for engineers who enjoy being closely involved with their hardware. Standard working hours are approximately 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.The atmosphere emphasizes autonomy, allowing you to own designs from concept through completion and make key technical decisions. The dress code is business casual, reflecting a professional yet relaxed engineering environment.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Woodridge, IL.

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $55.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Woodridge,IL.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 4, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.