At Trane TechnologiesTM and through our businesses including Trane® and Thermo King®, we create innovative climate solutions for buildings, homes, and transportation that challenge what's possible for a sustainable world. We're a team that dares to look at the world's challenges and see impactful possibilities. We believe in a better future when we uplift others and enable our people to thrive at work and at home. We boldly go.
This
Senior Electrical Hardware Design Engineer
position will develop and maintain embedded electronics systems for the transport refrigeration units that are produced by Thermo King. Components will include automotive graded analog & digital electronic devices, controllers, displays, sensors, communication systems, and related components for Thermo King NA/EMEA. This role will provide engineering support for a wide variety of Thermo King product platforms and will also offer the right candidate the opportunity to utilize their current skills and develop new ones by working on a diverse set of technologies.
Core Job Responsibilities (others may be added):
Developing, modifying, and producing new Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Schematics and Layouts using Altium Designer.
Maintaining PCBA fabrication data including BOM, Libraries, Data Packages.
Perform circuit simulation, analysis and DFMEA/PFMEA to ensure robust design.
Experience with different microcontroller architectures and various communication links (CAN, SPI) and their impact on HW design.
Evaluate analytical and experimental test results following engineering principles to verify that products meet technical requirements and validating that the design solutions meet customer needs.
Familiar with techniques for designing PCBs to support signal integrity and controlled impedance layer stackups.
Responsible and collaborate with the development of requirements, technical designs, and Validation Test Plans & Reports.
Qualify printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) manufacturing processes, tools, testing, etc.
Apply systematic problem-solving skills to define issues, identify root causes, develop, qualify, and implement corrective actions in a timely manner.
Interpret, condense and present test data/results.
Maintain orderly project records. Document and communicate project status as required both verbally and in written form.
Release engineering component prints in product life cycle management systems - Windchill, Arena Solutions, etc.
Education and/or Experience Required
Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering (or related discipline) and at least 5 years of electrical hardware or electronics development work experience is required.
Master's Degree is a plus.
Essential Skills or Knowledge:
Hardware design and/or integration experience with embedded systems, controllers, displays, sensors, transducers, switches, and displays.
Experience with Altium Designer.
Experience with RF Test equipment, Oscilloscope, Spectrum Analyzer, Multi-meter, PC based diagnostic and simulation tools.
Ability to develop cooperative working relationships with cross-functional teams, (program manager, manufacturing, service, training, supply/product management, sales, etc.)
Proficient with MS Office applications (Excel, Project).
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Experience with Mentor Graphics, Arena Solutions, Windchill, LTspice, and Mathworks tools (Matlab, Simulink, Stateflow) helpful but not mandatory.
Annual Compensation Range is $75,000 to $140,000 annually. Disclaimer: This salary range is based on US national averages. Actual pay is a result of seniority/experience level, merit and geographic location where the actual work is performed.
We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits and programs. We are 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, pregnancy, age, marital status, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any legally protected status.
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How to hire a senior electrical design engineer
Senior electrical design engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring senior electrical design engineers in the United States:
- In the United States, the median cost per hire a senior electrical design engineer is $1,633.
- It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
- Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
- On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new senior electrical design engineer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.
How to hire a senior electrical design engineer, step by step
To hire a senior electrical design engineer, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a senior electrical design engineer:
Here's a step-by-step senior electrical design engineer hiring guide:
- Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
- Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
- Step 3: Make a budget
- Step 4: Write a senior electrical design engineer job description
- Step 5: Post your job
- Step 6: Interview candidates
- Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior electrical design engineer
- Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
What does a senior electrical design engineer do?
A senior electrical design engineer specializes in designing and developing small and large-scale electrical systems and structures. They may work in different industries such as telecommunications, power generation, and even manufacturing. Their duties typically include identifying and meeting the needs of clients or companies, producing and presenting drafts and diagrams, managing budgets and schedules, and establishing guidelines for a smooth and safe workflow. Above all, as a senior engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to fellow engineers, all while implementing the company's safety regulations and policies.
Post a senior electrical design engineer job for free, promote it for a fee
Identify your hiring needs
The senior electrical design engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.
Determine employee vs contractor statusIs the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?A senior electrical design engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior electrical design engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.
This list shows salaries for various types of senior electrical design engineers.
Type of Senior Electrical Design Engineer Description Hourly rate Senior Electrical Design Engineer Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs). $41-69 Engineer Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more $31-62 Consulting Engineer A consulting engineer is a professional who aids in the planning, designing, and construction of a project from the public and private clients. Consulting engineers are required to advise on the best component suitable according to the needs of their clients... Show more $34-62 Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:- Electrical Design
- RF
- PCB
- FPGA
- Circuit Design
- Design Development
- Firmware
- Mentor Graphics
- UL
- System Design
- CAD
- I2C
- Ethernet
- Test Equipment
Responsibilities:- Manage the PCB layout, PCB fabrication, procurement, assembly, and verification of all boards and flex.
- Develop tools using Perl script to automate integration/verification process.
- Assist with firmware development base in VHDL and preform complete FPGA verification and checkout at the unit level.
- Code the VHDL design, direct the PCB design and assembly, and perform integration and testing.
- Generate AutoCAD drawings for QC and assembly.
- Complete construction documents with the use of AutoCAD.
Make a budget
Including a salary range in your senior electrical design engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior electrical design engineer salary can vary based on several factors:- Location. For example, senior electrical design engineers' average salary in montana is 37% less than in california.
- Seniority. Entry-level senior electrical design engineers earn 40% less than senior-level senior electrical design engineers.
- Certifications. A senior electrical design engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
- Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a senior electrical design engineer's salary.
Average senior electrical design engineer salary
$112,599yearly
$54.13 hourly rateEntry-level senior electrical design engineer salary$87,000 yearly salaryUpdated January 22, 2026Average senior electrical design engineer salary by state
Rank State Avg. salary Hourly rate 1 California $144,973 $70 2 New Mexico $124,344 $60 3 Massachusetts $120,964 $58 4 Texas $116,162 $56 5 Washington $114,468 $55 6 Maryland $113,448 $55 7 New York $108,303 $52 8 Arizona $108,232 $52 9 Florida $107,134 $52 10 Nevada $107,077 $51 11 Colorado $104,643 $50 12 Pennsylvania $104,451 $50 13 Oregon $101,958 $49 14 Indiana $101,934 $49 15 Minnesota $101,450 $49 16 Georgia $100,067 $48 17 Illinois $97,122 $47 18 Wisconsin $95,149 $46 19 North Carolina $93,831 $45 20 Michigan $92,296 $44 Average senior electrical design engineer salary by company
Rank Company Average salary Hourly rate Job openings 1 Rivian $135,984 $65.38 42 2 Tesla $125,217 $60.20 21 3 BorgWarner $125,172 $60.18 10 4 Portland General Electric $122,728 $59.00 7 5 Amazon $121,341 $58.34 441 6 KLA $118,321 $56.89 33 7 Renesas Electronics $117,862 $56.66 18 8 OSI Systems $117,565 $56.52 9 Lam Research $117,136 $56.32 10 10 Alarm.com $116,381 $55.95 11 Avnet $115,292 $55.43 12 EXP $114,510 $55.05 66 13 Sonos $114,365 $54.98 14 PEAK Technical Staffing USA $114,292 $54.95 15 Tetra Tech $113,954 $54.79 96 16 RBC Medical Innovations $113,799 $54.71 17 Professional Engineering Consultants $113,551 $54.59 1 18 LSI $111,797 $53.75 1 19 Radio Systems Corp $111,185 $53.45 20 Goodwin Recruiting $110,894 $53.31 11 Writing a senior electrical design engineer job description
A senior electrical design engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior electrical design engineer job description:
Senior electrical design engineer job description example
Post your job
There are a few common ways to find senior electrical design engineers for your business:
- Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
- Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
- Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
- Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
- Post your senior electrical design engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior electrical design engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
Your first interview with senior electrical design engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.
It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new senior electrical design engineer
Once you have selected a candidate for the senior electrical design engineer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.
It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.
Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new senior electrical design engineer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a senior electrical design engineer?
Recruiting senior electrical design engineers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.
You can expect to pay around $112,599 per year for a senior electrical design engineer, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for senior electrical design engineers in the US typically range between $41 and $69 an hour.
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Updated January 22, 2026