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Hardware Design Engineer Jobs in Wisconsin (NOW HIRING)

Hardware Engineer

Milwaukee, WI · On-site

$121K - $160K/yr

Design & Development Plan, design, and develop electronic components, assemblies, integrated ... Strong passion for hardware engineering and continuous improvement. Experience with VHDL or Verilog.

Lead Mechanical Design Engineer

Waukesha, WI · Hybrid

$110K - $133K/yr

We're looking for a Lead Mechanical Design Engineer eager to take on advanced engineering ... Lead design reviews, crossfunctional development teams, and support prototype hardware builds from ...

Lead Mechanical Design Engineer

Waukesha, WI · On-site

$110K - $133K/yr

We're looking for a Lead Mechanical Design Engineer eager to take on advanced engineering ... Lead design reviews, cross-functional development teams, and support prototype hardware builds from ...

Lead Mechanical Design Engineer

Waukesha, WI · Hybrid

$110K - $133K/yr

We're looking for a Lead Mechanical Design Engineer eager to take on advanced engineering ... Lead design reviews, crossfunctional development teams, and support prototype hardware builds from ...

Lead Mechanical Design Engineer

Waukesha, WI · Hybrid

$110K - $133K/yr

We're looking for a Lead Mechanical Design Engineer eager to take on advanced engineering ... Lead design reviews, crossfunctional development teams, and support prototype hardware builds from ...

Lead Mechanical Design Engineer

Waukesha, WI · On-site

$110K - $133K/yr

We're looking for a Lead Mechanical Design Engineer eager to take on advanced engineering ... Lead design reviews, cross-functional development teams, and support prototype hardware builds from ...

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Showing results 1-20

Hardware Design Engineer information

See Wisconsin salary details

$70.2K

$148.9K

$217K

How much do hardware design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for hardware design engineer in Wisconsin is $148,891.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $121,100.00 and $175,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Hardware Design Engineer, and why are they important?

To excel as a Hardware Design Engineer, you generally need a strong background in electrical engineering, circuit design, and proficiency with schematic capture and PCB layout, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with industry-standard tools like Altium Designer, Cadence, or OrCAD, and knowledge of simulation and testing equipment are typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills that help you innovate and troubleshoot efficiently. These skills and qualities ensure reliable hardware development, seamless collaboration, and successful project outcomes in a competitive tech industry.

What are Hardware Design Engineers?

Hardware Design Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and test physical components and systems for electronic devices. They work on creating circuit boards, microprocessors, memory devices, and other hardware used in computers, smartphones, and various electronic products. These engineers use specialized software tools to plan and simulate hardware designs before building and evaluating prototypes. Their work is essential for bringing new technology products to market and improving existing devices.

Is there a demand for hardware engineers?

Hardware Design Engineers are in high demand due to the growth of electronics, IoT, and embedded systems industries. Employers seek professionals skilled in circuit design, FPGA, and CAD tools, with job opportunities available across various sectors including consumer electronics, automotive, and telecommunications.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior hardware design engineers with extensive experience, advanced skills in FPGA, ASIC, or PCB design, and often in specialized industries like aerospace or semiconductor manufacturing can earn $500,000 or more annually. High compensation typically involves leadership roles, bonuses, stock options, or working in high-demand, high-cost regions.

What are some typical challenges Hardware Design Engineers face when collaborating with cross-functional teams?

Hardware Design Engineers often work closely with firmware, software, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless integration of their designs. A common challenge is aligning the hardware specifications with changing software requirements or manufacturing constraints, which may require iterative design adjustments. Effective communication and documentation are essential to avoid misunderstandings and ensure that all teams are synchronized throughout the product development cycle. Building strong relationships across disciplines can greatly enhance the efficiency and success of collaborative projects.

What do hardware design engineers do?

Hardware design engineers develop and test electronic circuits, components, and systems used in computers, consumer electronics, and industrial equipment. They create schematics, select appropriate components, and use CAD tools to design hardware that meets performance and safety standards, often collaborating with software engineers and testing teams.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior hardware design engineers, especially those with extensive experience, specialized skills in FPGA or ASIC design, and working in high-demand industries like aerospace or semiconductor manufacturing, can earn $300,000 or more annually. Compensation often includes bonuses, stock options, and other incentives, particularly at large tech companies or in leadership roles.

What Does a Hardware Design Engineer Do?

A hardware design engineer uses their advanced knowledge of computer systems and schematics to develop and build useful hardware. Their duties include identifying hardware needs, building new hardware pieces, and testing and analyzing the results to ensure the system works as desired. Hardware design engineers must have in-depth knowledge of computer components and processes to understand internet-ready computer systems. They must maintain their knowledge of the latest software and networking needs so they can design hardware that interacts with the internet appropriately. Hardware design engineers work in teams with software developers to ensure that all components are capable of working together.

What is the difference between Hardware Design Engineer vs Electronics Engineer?

AspectHardware Design EngineerElectronics Engineer
Primary FocusDesigning and developing hardware components and systemsDesigning, testing, and troubleshooting electronic circuits and devices
Required SkillsCircuit design, PCB layout, hardware testingCircuit analysis, component selection, electronic testing
Work EnvironmentHardware labs, manufacturing facilities, R&D departmentsElectronics labs, research centers, manufacturing
Common CertificationsIEEE certifications, PCB design certificationsCertified Electronics Technician (CET), IEEE certifications

While both roles involve working with electronic systems, Hardware Design Engineers focus on creating physical hardware components like circuit boards, whereas Electronics Engineers often work on electronic circuit design, testing, and troubleshooting. Both roles are essential in electronics development and often collaborate in product development cycles.

What are popular job titles related to Hardware Design Engineer jobs in Wisconsin? For Hardware Design Engineer jobs in Wisconsin, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Hardware Design Engineer jobs in Wisconsin look for? The top searched job categories for Hardware Design Engineer jobs in Wisconsin are:
Infographic showing various Hardware Design Engineer job openings in Wisconsin as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 97% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $148,891 per year, or $71.6 per hour.
Senior Embedded Hardware Engineer

Senior Embedded Hardware Engineer

Extreme Engineering Solutions

Verona, WI • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago


Job description

Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES) is seeking a highly motivated individual to join one of our skilled and tight-knit design teams in creating rugged, high-performance embedded computing solutions. This person will be involved in all aspects of board-level product design through the formal transfer to production. This key position has broad exposure to and close interaction with electrical and mechanical design, software integration and debug, qualification testing, and production planning.
Duties and Responsibilities
Perform engineering work related to hardware design, debugging, and electronic system testing. Specific responsibilities may include the following:
  • Lead and participate in product development, integration, debug, product testing, and customer support.
  • Perform digital circuit design, through component selection, simulation, and schematic entry.
  • May perform as the technical contact with external customers in partnership with a Project Manager.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally to identify best fit solutions and to quickly resolve technical issues and ensure a high level of product quality.
  • Provide guidance in the creation and execution of design verification, qualification, and production test plans.
  • Create and review product technical documentation.
  • Debug hardware problems down to the component level.
  • Lead others through solving complex problems by coaching/mentoring early career engineers.
  • Be a trusted resource to less senior engineers and review their work.
  • Manage customer and internal requirements throughout the design process.
  • Work with project managers, technical leads and team members to ensure that design checks are performed in a timely fashion.

Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related engineering field.
  • Minimum of seven (7+) years of related engineering experience.
  • Experience delivering project goals across one or more concurrent projects.
  • Highly organized with a strong attention to detail.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including mechanical, signal integrity, PCB, power, programmable logic, project management, and software.
  • Experience solving complex problems and making informed technical decisions with a demonstrated ability to consider all relevant factors when proposing technical solutions.
  • Experience reviewing others' work and providing constructive feedback.
  • Demonstrated ability to present technical data in a manner that facilitates quick decisions.
  • Track record of guiding PCB layout engineers.
  • Experience with complex eCAD software such as Siemens Xpedition, Altium or Cadence Allegro.
  • Ability to work efficiently and independently with a strong sense of urgency and ownership.
  • Ability to work onsite from our facility located at 9901 Silicon Prairie Parkway in Verona, WI.

Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in all areas of the engineering development life cycle: requirement gathering, design, development, testing, debug, deployment, and sustaining maintenance.
  • Ability to translate product specifications into requirements.
  • Familiarity with any of the following: Intel x86 architecture or ARM architecture, Xilinx FPGA or SoCs, Linux or VxWorks operating systems, SPICE simulation, Ethernet, PCIe, DDR4, MIL-STD 1553, C or C++ programming, Python, HDL.
  • Experience with embedded products form factors (VPX, COM Express, XMC, VME, cPCI, ATCA).
  • Familiarity with military requirements (MIL-STD 810, 461, 464, 704, 1275, DO-160, 178).

Compensation and Benefits
X-ES offers a competitive compensation package and excellent benefits, including:
  • No-deductible, low-copay group health and dental insurance (90% employer paid)
  • Health and wellness benefits coverage eligibility begins on the first of the month following your start date
  • Life insurance and long-term disability insurance (100% employer paid)
  • Paid time off, plus eight paid holidays a year
  • 401(k) employer match up to 4%, subject to plan terms & waiting periods. Roth option is available.
  • Participation in the 100% employee-owned Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) at no cost to employees

X-ES also takes a casual, small-business approach to company culture. At our state-of-the-art office and manufacturing facility located in Madison's growing tech corridor, there's no formal dress code, flexible day shift scheduling, and dedicated personal workspaces. Our employees kick back at regular company events and enjoy lunches from local pizza places and food carts. At X-ES, we strive to offer a comfortable, relaxed environment for our employees to do their best work.
About X-ES
When "rugged enough" isn't rugged enough for embedded computing systems, industry leaders in the military, aerospace, industrial, and commercial sectors turn to Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES). Because we strive to be the premier provider of mission-critical embedded products while delivering exceptional levels of customer and employee satisfaction, we hire strong contributors and give them space to thrive. As a 100% employee-owned company, our employees both drive and directly benefit from our success. Together, we meticulously design and build products that stand up to some of the most extreme conditions on the planet.
X-ES is located on the far west side of Madison, WI. The company designs and manufactures rugged embedded computing solutions for a variety of applications. For more information, visit www.xes-inc.com.
X-ES is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other category protected by law.
All X-ES job postings and application procedures are posted in compliance with Section 39.08 of the Madison General Ordinances.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.