Associate Electronics Engineer Jobs in Irvine, CA

THE OPPORTUNITY
Silvus is seeking an Engineering Technician - Electronics with a strong Electrical Engineering foundation and
working knowledge of mechanical components. This individual will perform hands-on electronics laboratory
work, execute extensive product qualification and environmental stress tests, assist design engineers with
component-level debugging, and facilitate smooth transitions to manufacturing (NPI). This position reports to
the Senior Engineering Director on the Engineering team.

This position is 100% onsite, Monday through Friday, at Silvus Technologies' Engineering and R&D Office in
Irvine, CA, near the vibrant Irvine Spectrum.

The following is a list of at least some of the current essential job functions of the position. Management may
assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time at its discretion.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Development Testing & Execution: Execute detailed functional, parametric, and performance tests on
  cutting-edge RF, digital, and mechanical designs under the direction of hardware development engineers.
• Product Qualification Support: Support Product Qualification team for environmental stress testing,
  including thermal cycle, humidity, shock, and vibration testing, to comply with internal quality plans and
  standards.
• Hands-On Laboratory Operations: Perform precision SMT soldering and rework down to fine-pitch and
  0201 component sizes. Construct custom test fixtures, fabricate complex cable/wire harnesses, and
  perform mechanical prototype assemblies.
• Hardware Debugging & Troubleshooting: Assist Engineers with isolating component-level, board-level,
  and system-level defects. Read electrical schematics and use standard laboratory diagnostic tools to
  identify root causes of hardware anomalies or failures.
• Test Equipment Management: Set up, calibrate verification, and operate standard RF and electronic lab instruments, including Vector Network Analyzers (VNAs), Spectrum Analyzers, Digital Oscilloscopes, Vector Signal Generators, Power Meters, and Programmable Power Supplies.
• Manufacturing & NPI Support: Interface with Manufacturing, Engineering, and Production teams to assist with New Product Introduction (NPI). Build, validate, and document reference test configurations and assembly workflows for transfer to contract manufacturers (CMs).
• Data Collection & Documentation: Systematically log, analyze, and format raw test data. Maintain meticulous engineering notebooks, create structured failure analysis reports, and draft standard operating procedures (SOPs) for newly designed test setups.
• Lab Maintenance & Safety: Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and ESD-compliant laboratory environment. 
  Track lab tools, coordinate routine calibration intervals for specialized instrumentation, and manage electronic component inventories.
• Perform other related duties of which the above are representative.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High School Diploma or GED with 5 years of direct electronics or RF hardware support experience.
• Proven capability to read, interpret, and navigate complex electrical schematics, PCB layout prints, assembly drawings, mechanical drawings, and multi-tier Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Exceptional hands-on skills with mechanical assembly and soldering, including the ability to reliably replace fine-pitch ICs, QFNs, and passive components under a laboratory microscope.
• Knowledge of hand assembly tools and common screw types.
• Possess an understanding of component sizes/packages and wire gauges.
• Strong familiarity with the fundamental operation of digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, variable power
  supplies, and electronic loads.
• Familiarity with basic scripting environments (e.g., Python, LabVIEW) to control instrumentation via GPIB, USB, or Ethernet interfaces is highly desirable.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. Citizen, or U.S. Permanent Resident) due to clients under U.S. federal
  contracts.
• All employment is contingent upon the successful clearance of a background check and drug test.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Associates degree in Electronics Engineering Technology (ASET) or a related technical field.
• Basic knowledge of digital electronics systems and RF system design.
• Working knowledge of thermal interface materials, gaskets, thread locker, and conformal coating.
• Familiarity with environmental and reliability standards (e.g. IP, IPC, JEDEC, MIL-STD).
• Ability to manage priorities across several projects and operate with a high level of independence.
• Exceptional methodical troubleshooting and critical thinking skills, with the endurance to stick with
  complex intermittent hardware issues until root cause analysis is achieved.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Office environment.
• Occasional exposure to heat, cold, and allergens while performing tests or demonstrations in the field.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to do the following:
  Lift up to 30 lbs.
  Perform bending and reaching movements to place items on lower and higher shelves.
  Kneeling or squatting to access lower shelves.
  Walking/Moving in the labs.