Electrical Lab Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Electrical Engineer

Job Description

This role focuses on troubleshooting and improving advanced inverter and power electronics systems in a hands-on lab and manufacturing environment. You will diagnose failures from production testing and field returns, perform detailed root cause analysis, and develop corrective actions that directly enhance product quality, reliability, and manufacturability. The position offers the opportunity to work closely with cross-functional teams, support sustaining engineering and validation activities, and contribute to long-term improvements as new products launch and operations scale.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot inverter systems that fail production testing or are returned from the field.
• Perform in-depth root cause analysis on electrical, manufacturing, and quality issues affecting inverter and power electronics products.
• Read and analyze electrical schematics, PCB layouts, and detailed electrical designs to identify potential failure mechanisms.
• Use oscilloscopes, probes, multimeters, and other lab equipment to diagnose failures and characterize system behavior.
• Develop clear, practical corrective actions and repair instructions for production and field issues.
• Partner closely with Manufacturing, Quality, and Design Engineering teams to resolve product issues and improve overall product performance.
• Support sustaining engineering activities and production validation efforts to ensure robust, reliable manufacturing processes.
• Document findings, test results, and corrective actions thoroughly to support traceability and continuous improvement.
• Drive long-term corrective actions and design or process improvements to prevent recurring failures.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Supply Chain and contract manufacturers, to support production and product quality.
• Use data analysis tools to interpret test data and failure trends, supporting evidence-based decision-making.
• Contribute to a fast-paced production support environment by balancing independent troubleshooting with cross-functional collaboration.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related electronics discipline.
• 3+ years of electrical engineering experience required; 5+ years preferred.
• Proven experience troubleshooting electrical systems, PCBs, and electronic assemblies.
• Strong ability to read and interpret electrical schematics and PCB layouts.
• Hands-on electrical lab experience using oscilloscopes, probes, multimeters, and other test equipment.
• Demonstrated experience performing root cause analysis and failure investigations.
• Experience supporting products in a manufacturing, production, sustaining engineering, or validation environment.
• Experience working with PCB design tools, preferably Altium.
• Strong understanding of electronic hardware and manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency with Excel for data analysis and documentation.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced laboratory and manufacturing environment.
• Strong documentation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working with contract manufacturers and production support activities.
• Power electronics, inverter, converter, or industrial electronics experience.
• Experience using Python or MATLAB for data analysis.
• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Familiarity with sustaining engineering practices and long-term corrective action implementation.
• Ability to solve complex technical challenges in a hands-on environment.
• Interest in working on cutting-edge power electronics and inverter technology with direct impact on product quality, reliability, and manufacturing improvements.
• Motivation to grow long-term as new products launch and manufacturing operations scale.

Work Environment

This position is 100% onsite in Poway, CA, in a hands-on laboratory and manufacturing environment. You will work in a fast-paced production support setting with frequent interaction with Manufacturing, Quality, Design Engineering, and other cross-functional teams. The role combines independent troubleshooting work with collaborative problem-solving, and requires daily use of electrical lab equipment and testing tools such as oscilloscopes, probes, and multimeters. The environment is focused on supporting active production lines, performing detailed failure analysis, and implementing improvements as operations continue to scale.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Poway, CA.

The pay range for this position is $52.88 - $62.50/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 Poway,CA.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 24, 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.