Hardware Design Engineer Entry Level Jobs in California

TP-Link Systems Inc. is seeking a creative Hardware Engineer to join our systems engineering team. You will support consumer network products development and will be involved in all stages of product development, from concept to mass production. This includes initial discussions on product concepts, evaluating feasible hardware solutions, and designing the overall hardware system framework. In the mid-stage, you will focus on creating detailed circuit schematics, designing PCBs, developing and debugging prototypes, and analyzing and resolving testing issues until you produce a comprehensive and reviewed testing report. Finally, you will follow up on small-batch pilot production to ensure manufacturability and participate in addressing production issues after mass production, as well as analyzing and resolving market feedback issues to further improve our product quality.

Key Responsibilities:

• Participate in early-stage product and technology assessments, including competitive product analysis, performance testing, and evaluation of chipsets, modules, and other key components.
• Support board-level and system-level hardware design activities, including schematic design, component selection, BOM preparation, PCB layout review, and design documentation.
• Assist with prototype bring-up, hardware debugging, functional verification, and issue tracking under the guidance of senior engineers.
• Perform hardware validation tests, including functional testing, power measurements, signal measurements, thermal checks, environmental test support, and basic reliability testing.
• Use lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, spectrum analyzers, and vector network analyzers to support testing and debugging.
• Support troubleshooting and optimization of hardware designs by analyzing test data, summarizing issues, and following up on corrective actions.
• Assist with compliance and certification testing, including FCC, CE, RoHS, ESD, EMC, safety, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with firmware, software, mechanical, QA, manufacturing, project management, and supply chain teams to support product development, prototype builds, pilot runs, and production readiness.
• Help analyze hardware-related issues from validation, production, or customer feedback, and support issue reproduction, root-cause analysis, and solution verification.
• Create and maintain clear hardware documentation, including test reports, design notes, BOMs, schematic review records, issue lists, and design history files.

Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 0-2 years of relevant hardware engineering experience, including internships, co-op, research, lab, or project experience
• Strong foundation in basic circuit theory and electronic component applications, including analog and digital circuits, such as transistor-based circuits, power supplies, op-amps, filters, and common passive components
• Basic experience using lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, signal generators, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, or vector network analyzers
• Hands-on experience with schematic design, PCB layout review, circuit bring-up, debugging, or validation through coursework, projects, internships, or work experience. Familiarity with one hardware design tool such as Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro, OrCAD, or similar schematic/PCB design tools
• Strong problem-solving skills, curiosity, attention to detail, and willingness to learn new technologies and engineering practices
• Good communication skills and ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including firmware, mechanical, manufacturing, QA, and product teams
• Ability to document test results, summarize technical issues clearly, and follow up on engineering action items
• Must have continuous work authorization in the US without the need for visa sponsorships

Preferred Qualifications:

• Internship, academic project, or work experience involving system-level, module-level, or board-level hardware design and debugging, especially networking hardware products
• Familiarity with RF/wireless hardware design, including antenna-related circuits, impedance matching, RF front-end circuits, or wireless module integration. Or academic background in RF engineering, microwave engineering, antenna design, wireless communication systems, or electromagnetics is also preferred
• Basic understanding of compliance and regulatory requirements such as FCC, CE, RoHS, ESD, safety, or other relevant standards
• Basic understanding of Wi-Fi concepts, wireless communication principles, networking protocols, or hardware-related RF performance considerations

Benefits

Salary range: $100,000 - $120,000

• Free snacks and drinks
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance (partial coverage for dependents)
• Contributions to 401k funds
• Bi-annual reviews, and annual pay increases
• Health and wellness benefits, including free gym membership
• Quarterly team-building events

At TP-Link Systems Inc., we are continually searching for ambitious individuals who are passionate about their work. We believe that diversity fuels innovation, collaboration, and drives our entrepreneurial spirit. As a global company, we highly value diverse perspectives and are committed to cultivating an environment where all voices are heard, respected, and valued. We are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants, and we prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Beyond compliance, we strive to create a supportive and growth-oriented workplace for everyone. If you share our passion and connection to this mission, we welcome you to apply and join us in building a vibrant and inclusive team at TP-Link Systems Inc.