Independent Contractor Electrical Hardware Engineer Jobs in Wisconsin

This Senior Hardware Engineer role focuses on developing, testing, and optimizing printed circuit board (PCB) solutions for residential and power products. You will work closely with hardware and software engineers, as well as product teams, to deliver robust analog, digital, RF, and mixed-signal electronic designs. The position combines new product development with sustaining engineering, emphasizing reliability, compliance, and high-volume manufacturability within a connected, cloud-based IoT environment.

• Lead key portions of new product development from concept validation through design for manufacturing for analog, digital, RF, and mixed-signal electronic circuit designs used in residential power systems.
• Contribute to sustaining engineering efforts for existing product lines by supporting updates, improvements, and issue resolution.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define electrical hardware requirements, specifications, and overall system architecture.
• Define, plan, and execute hardware functional, environmental, and lifecycle validation test plans to ensure product reliability and performance.
• Support product safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and environmental compliance activities throughout the development lifecycle.
• Participate in electrical hardware design reviews and drive continuous improvement of products, tools, and development processes.
• Troubleshoot and resolve hardware issues during product development, verification, and testing phases.
• Document electrical system design, architecture, implementation details, and test results in a clear and traceable manner.
• Use standard electronics laboratory tools, including oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and digital multimeters, to analyze, debug, and verify proper operation of electronic circuits and systems.
• Occasionally develop custom electrical equipment or fixtures to support specialized product features, functions, or test needs.
• Collaborate in planning electrical hardware development tasks, project timelines, and budgets to ensure projects meet schedule and quality targets.
• Mentor and support less experienced team members in electrical engineering design, best practices, and problem-solving.
• Contribute to compliance-related activities, including designing for UL and other safety standards, EMI/EMC considerations, and regulatory approvals.
• Work primarily at the integrated circuit (IC) level, including interfacing with engines and motor drivers where required.
• Support board bring-up and test activities, including contributing to embedded C/C++ software used for hardware validation.

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering is required; a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field is preferred.
• 6+ years of work experience in electrical hardware development, depending on educational background.
• Proven experience collaborating with or leading technical teams in the development of electrical hardware.
• Hands-on experience with circuit capture and PCB design tools such as OrCAD.
• Experience in PCB design and layout for analog, digital, RF, and mixed-signal circuits.
• Experience with electronic circuit board modeling and simulation techniques, such as PSpice.
• Experience with wireless systems, ideally including BLE, Wi‑Fi, ISM bands, and LTE.
• Working knowledge of microcontrollers, microprocessors, memory devices, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and communication interfaces.
• Ability to use standard electronics lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and digital multimeters for analysis and debugging.
• Strong motivation, with the ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment and work independently to achieve results.
• Strong engineering background in power systems and electronics, including familiarity with UL products and power system design.
• Experience with EMI and EMC considerations in electronic hardware design.

• Experience designing for high-volume manufacturing, including considerations for end-of-line test systems.
• Experience with compliance for collocated radio designs and working with regulatory agencies such as FCC and IC, as well as protocol-specific certifications and international compliance specifications.
• Experience working with control systems used in power systems applications.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience contributing to C/C++ software for embedded systems, especially during board bring-up and hardware test.
• Experience with module integration in wireless or IoT systems.
• Experience designing for compliance with UL certification and design standards.
• Awareness of EMI/EMC testing processes and requirements.
• Exposure to PCB layout practices and constraints.
• Experience with compliance and sensing-related design work, including sustaining responsibilities for existing products.
• Experience interfacing with engines and motor drivers in electronic control applications.
• RF knowledge is beneficial but not required.
• Experience working primarily at the IC level in complex electronic systems.

This role operates within a connected, cloud-based IoT environment, supporting both sustaining engineering and new product development initiatives. You will typically spend about three days per week onsite in a laboratory setting, with some flexibility in scheduling. The lab environment includes standard electronics test and measurement equipment used for PCB development, validation, and troubleshooting. The work emphasizes collaboration with multidisciplinary engineering teams and offers exposure to cutting-edge residential and power system technologies. The environment values a strong engineering mindset, rigorous testing and compliance, and continuous improvement in both products and processes.

This is a Permanent position based out of Milwaukee, WI.

The pay range for this position is $98900.00 - $125600.00/yr.

Full benefits- health, dental, vision, 401K

This is a hybrid position in Milwaukee,WI.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 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 without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

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