Electrical Hardware DRE

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Design Release Engineer (DRE) – Electrical Hardware Engineering (HWE) to drive the hardware design, release, schematics validation, and manufacturing integration of automotive electronic hardware components.In this role, you will take full component-level ownership of electronic hardware units including Electronic Control Units (ECUs), power electronics boards, sensor hardware, microcontrollers, PCBA layouts, and internal circuit protection mechanisms. Operating remotely, you will act as the core bridge between hardware development, software/system integration, and plant operations across Mexico during vehicle launch phases.

Key Responsibilities

• Hardware Component Release: Lead the complete hardware life cycle (design, release, supplier tooling, and lifecycle management) for electronic control units (ECUs), PCBAs, and embedded hardware modules in PLM systems.
• Schematics & PCBA Review: Evaluate component-level circuit designs, schematic diagrams, PCB layouts, microcontrollers, gate drivers, voltage regulators, and thermal dissipators to ensure robust electrical hardware performance.
• Hardware-Level Validation & DVP&R: Define and execute hardware Design Verification Plans & Reports (DVP&R), including Environmental (environmental/thermal shock), EMC/EMI compliance, Electrical Fast Transient (EFT), ESD, and overvoltage/short-circuit protection testing.
• Tier-1 Supplier Leadership: Manage Tier-1 electronic hardware suppliers through Design for Manufacturability/Assembly (DFM/DFA) reviews, component selection, EOL (End-of-Life) component obsolescence mitigation, and hardware release milestones.
• Manufacturing & Launch Support: Travel to assembly plants and launch centers in Mexico during pre-production builds (TT, PP, MP1/MP2) to troubleshoot hardware faults, pinout/connector fitment issues, board-level failures, and EOL (End-of-Line) programming/diagnostic errors.
• Root Cause & Issue Resolution: Lead rigorous hardware failure analysis (8D, 5-Why, FTA) for returned field units, bench failures, and assembly line rejects; execute Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) for hardware circuit or BOM revisions.

Qualifications & Skill Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechatronics, or Hardware Engineering.
• Experience: Minimum 5+ years of direct engineering experience as an Electrical Hardware DRE, PCBA Hardware Release Engineer, or Electronic Component Engineer in automotive or heavy mobility applications.
• Electronic Hardware Design: In-depth knowledge of embedded hardware architectures, low-voltage power distribution, analog/digital circuit design, microcontroller interfaces, power MOSFETs/transistors, and PCBA manufacturing processes (SMT).
• Automotive Testing & Standards: Hands-on familiarity with automotive EMC/EMI standards (CISPR 25, ISO 11452, ISO 7637), thermal dissipation analysis, and electrical stress analysis.
• CAD & PLM Tools: Experience using hardware CAD/EDA review tools (Altium, OrCAD, or Mentor Graphics) alongside 3D packaging tools (CATIA V5/V6 or Siemens NX) and PLM software (Teamcenter or Enovia).
• Bilingual Communication: Fluency in both Spanish and English (written and spoken) to collaborate seamlessly with international design teams and local assembly facilities in Mexico.
• Travel Flexibility: Willingness and ability to travel up to 35% within Mexico to support plant builds, testing facilities, and supplier manufacturing lines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with EV high-voltage/low-voltage hardware conversion units, On-Board Chargers (OBC), Battery Management Systems (BMS) hardware, or inverter boards.
• Familiarity with Functional Safety hardware requirements under ISO 26262 (ASIL ratings and hardware architectural metrics).
• Prior experience supporting Tier-1 electronic manufacturing services (EMS) or OEM vehicle assembly plants in Mexico.