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Contract Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in California

Array Labs

Electrical Design Engineer

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

About the Job As an Electrical Design Engineer, you will design and validate the digital and mixed-signal electronics that support Array's radar payloads and satellite platforms. Your work will ...

Array Labs

Electrical Design Engineer

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

About the Job As an Electrical Design Engineer, you will design and validate the digital and mixed-signal electronics that support Array's radar payloads and satellite platforms. Your work will ...

Array Labs

Electrical Design Engineer

Redwood City, CA

$120K - $150K/yr

About the Job As an Electrical Design Engineer, you will design and validate the digital and mixed-signal electronics that support Array's radar payloads and satellite platforms. Your work will ...

Vast

Senior Electrical Design Engineer

Long Beach, CA · On-site

$162K - $230K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Vast is looking for a Senior Electrical Design Engineer, Avionics, reporting to the Director, Avionics, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of ...

Sandvik

Electrical Design Engineer

Camarillo, CA · On-site

$91K - $113K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As a Systems Engineer , you will design and develop advanced electrical and control systems for battery packs that power mining equipment. Your work will directly influence the future of mining ...

Apple

Display Electrical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$129K - $225K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

As a Display Electrical Design Engineer, you'll create cutting-edge mobile display modules, setting new standards for performance, quality, and reliability. Your contributions will directly shape the ...

Apple

Display Electrical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$129K - $225K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

As a Display Electrical Design Engineer, you will drive projects, from concept phase, all the way through engineering builds, and into volume manufacturing. You will work with internal and external ...

Matic

Senior Electrical Design Engineer

Menlo Park, CA · On-site

$160K - $240K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

About the role As a Senior Electrical Design Engineer, you'll lead the design of critical PCBs and ... Supply chain management and PCBA contract manufacturing experience * Comfort with fast-paced ...

Interface Engineering

Senior Electrical Design Engineer

Oakland, CA · On-site

$111K - $178K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Join a People-First, Employee-Owned Firm That's Redefining Flexibility and Growth Senior Electrical Design Engineer (MEP) - Oakland, CA (Hybrid) Interface Engineering Inc. At Interface Engineering ...

Apple

Display Electrical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$184K - $324K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

As a Display Electrical Design Engineer, you will drive projects, from concept phase, all the way through engineering builds, and into volume manufacturing. You will work with internal and external ...

Rehlko, LLC

Electrical Design Engineer

Pomona, CA · On-site

A safe and inclusive workplace Why You Will Love this Job Job Purpose This role will produce electrical design, engineer and develop Power Generating facilities including Energy Storage, Hydrogen ...

Interface Engineering

Electrical Design Engineer II/III

Oakland, CA · On-site

$84K - $125K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Join a People-First, Employee-Owned Firm That's Redefining Flexibility and Growth Electrical Design Engineer II/III - MEP - Oakland, CA (Hybrid) Interface Engineering Inc. At Interface Engineering ...

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Showing results 41-60

All JobsContract Electrical Design Engineer JobsContract Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in California

Contract Electrical Design Engineer information

See California salary details

$55.5K

$105.9K

$159.2K

How much do contract electrical design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract electrical design engineer in California is $105,901.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $85,100.00 and $122,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by contract electrical design engineers, and how can they be managed effectively?

Contract electrical design engineers often face challenges such as rapidly adapting to new project requirements, learning unfamiliar software or standards, and integrating into existing teams. To manage these effectively, it's important to maintain strong communication with project managers and team members, proactively seek clarification on project specifications, and stay updated on industry standards. Being adaptable and having a structured approach to documentation and design reviews can also help ensure smooth project delivery and successful collaboration.

What is the difference between Contract Electrical Design Engineer vs Electrical Project Engineer?

AspectContract Electrical Design EngineerElectrical Project Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Electrical Engineering, relevant certifications (e.g., PE)Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, project management certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentDesign offices, client sites, freelance or contract basisConstruction sites, project offices, company-employed
Industry UsageConsulting firms, engineering contractors, freelance projectsConstruction firms, industrial plants, infrastructure projects
Job FocusDesign, drafting, specifications, and technical calculationsProject planning, coordination, execution, and oversight

The Contract Electrical Design Engineer primarily focuses on designing electrical systems and specifications, often working on a contractual basis. In contrast, the Electrical Project Engineer manages project execution, coordination, and delivery. Both roles require electrical engineering credentials but differ in scope and work environment.

What is a contract electrical design engineer?

Contract Electrical Design Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and test electrical systems and components for various projects, typically on a temporary or project-based contract. They often work for engineering firms, manufacturers, or directly with clients, providing expertise in circuit design, schematics, and compliance with relevant regulations. These engineers may be involved in sectors like construction, automotive, aerospace, or electronics, and their contract status allows companies to hire specialized talent as needed for specific projects.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a contract electrical design engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Contract Electrical Design Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical engineering principles, experience with circuit design, and typically a relevant engineering degree. Proficiency in CAD software such as AutoCAD or Altium Designer, as well as familiarity with industry standards and possibly a Professional Engineer (PE) license, is often required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication make candidates stand out in this project-based role. These skills ensure precise, efficient designs that meet client specifications and industry regulations, which is critical for project success and client satisfaction.

What are the most commonly searched types of Electrical Design Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Electrical Design Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Contract Electrical Design Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Contract Electrical Design Engineer job openings:

Contract Electrical Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contract Electrical Design Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 85% Full Time, 8% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $105,901 per year, or $50.9 per hour.

Electrical Design Engineer

Array Labs

Redwood City, CA • On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted yesterday

Job description

Array Labs builds advanced radar systems to help humanity understand and respond to changes across the physical world. 
 
We're launching a coordinated fleet of radar satellites to create a high-resolution 3D map of the Earth - updated in real time - enabling faster, smarter decision-making for government and commercial organizations supporting disaster response, infrastructure resilience, and mission-critical geopolitical intelligence.
 
We design and build our satellites end-to-end, producing the world's most advanced earth observation satellites. Our fleet will deliver unprecedented levels of accuracy, coverage, and responsiveness to power critical insights precisely where they're needed most.
 
About the Job
As an Electrical Design Engineer, you will design and validate the digital and mixed-signal electronics that support Array's radar payloads and satellite platforms. Your work will include high-speed digital interfaces, precision clocking and timing distribution, power regulation and control circuits, system monitoring and telemetry hardware, and fault-tolerant satellite avionics. You will take hardware through design, prototyping, bring-up, and qualification, working closely with RF, antenna, mechanical, and systems engineers. The hardware you develop will directly affect system performance, power efficiency, stability, and overall reliability on orbit.
Responsibilities:
  • Develop advanced electronic platforms, from architecture to manufacturing
  • Work closely with software, firmware, RF, antenna, digital, and mechanical design engineers to design and validate state-of-the-art spacecraft electronics
  • Create requirements, perform system trades, select components, capture schematics, design complex electronic assemblies and manage manufacturing
  • Lead prototyping, hardware bring-up, debug, manufacturing, and test campaigns
  • Rapidly iterate on and improve electronic designs based on laboratory, environmental and on-orbit testing
Basic Qualifications:
  • B.S. in Electrical Engineering, or a related field with 0--4 years of relevant experience
  • Experience in electronics design, bring-up, and test
  • Excellent teamwork and communication skills
  • Learns new concepts rapidly, completely, and in a self-directed manner
  • High levels of self-motivation and personal accountability
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment under significant time constraints
Preferred Skills and Experience:
  • Master's degree in electrical engineering, or a related field
  • Hands-on experience with full-life cycle hardware development (concept to production) in consumer electronics, power electronics, communications, automotive, aerospace, and/or robotics
  • Background in high-speed board design, simulation, and validation techniques including PCB stack-up, fabrication considerations, layout constraints, component selection, and measurement
  • Background in electromagnetic theory and RF fundamentals such as S-parameters, transmission lines, and broadband impedance matching
  • Hands-on experience designing high-performance platforms including compute (SoCs, FPGAs, MCUs), storage (DDR, SSDs), high-speed interfaces (PCIe, SPI, JESD204B), RF components (PAs, LNAs, switches)
  • Proficiency with schematic capture and design using CAD tools such as Altium Designer (preferred); experience with Allegro and/or OrCAD is a plus
  • Experience with EMC requirements and EMI mitigation techniques
  • Experience with signal and power integrity simulation and measurement
  • Experience with EM and thermal simulation of printed circuit boards
  • Experience with analysis and simulation tools such as LTspice, ADS, and/or Microwave Office
  • Experience with data analysis and programming in MATLAB or Python
  • Hands-on experience with test equipment such as oscilloscopes and network analyzers
ITAR Requirements:
  • To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State
Equal Opportunity Employer:
  • Array Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of merit, competence, and job qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by gender, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran status, disability status, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status
$120,000 - $150,000 a year
Interview Process
We will conduct three interviews via Google Meet; the typical process takes around 3-5 weeks to complete from start to finish.
 
Hiring and Compensation Strategy
Our hiring and compensation strategy is simple:
 
1) find uncommonly good people
2) pay them uncommonly well
 
You can anticipate competitive pay, generous equity, and high flexibility between salary and equity-based compensation.
 
Why Join Array Labs?
Array Labs is launching a constellation of satellites to create the first high-resolution, real-time, three-dimensional model of Earth. Our next-generation satellite technology will offer image quality 60x greater than traditional techniques, profoundly expanding humanity's ability to understand and respond to events on a global scale.
 
In forging an affordable, accessible, accurate representation of Earth, our work has the potential to transform the face of dozens of fields, including autonomy, telecommunications, disaster relief, gaming, climate science, defense and construction.
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