Staff System Hardware Architect

Piper Companies is seeking a Staff System Hardware Architect to support advanced hardware development within the high-performance computing and electronics manufacturing industry onsite near San Jose, CA. The ideal Staff System Hardware Architect role is ideal for a staff-caliber board-level designer who thrives in hands-on system integration, board bring-up, and high-speed interface validation while influencing overall system architecture.

Responsibilities of the Staff System Hardware Architect:

• Lead system-level PCB board design efforts with a focus on high-speed interfaces and overall board behavior.
• Own board bring-up, debugging, and lab-based hardware validation activities.
• Execute characterization, performance testing, and signal integrity validation; provide structured feedback to internal design teams.
• Drive product qualification, including compliance testing and reliability validation.
• Work closely with contract manufacturers and manufacturing partners to support build, test, and production readiness.
• Evaluate, select, and integrate chips, modules, and critical components; collaborate directly with component vendors.
• Guide overall system design direction, acting as a lead/architect within the hardware organization.

Qualifications of the Staff System Hardware Architect:

• 10+ years of electrical engineering experience with multiple full product lifecycle completions (design through production).
• Must be eligible to work in the United States and obtain and maintain an Active U.S. Government Secret Clearance.
• Demonstrated expertise in board bring-up and hardware debugging (must-have).
• Strong high-speed board design experience, including PCI Express Gen 5 (or newer) and 10G+ Ethernet.
• Deep understanding of signal integrity and system-level PCB behavior.
• Hands-on experience with SI tools, with strong preference for HyperLynx; Ansys SI tools are a plus.
• Ownership mindset with the ability to influence technical direction without formal people management responsibility.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.

Compensation for the Staff System Hardware Architect:

• Salary range: $210,000 - $260,000 depending on experience
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and paid time off

This job opens for applications on 05/22/2026. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.

Keywords: Senior Electrical Engineer, Staff Electrical Engineer, Board-Level Design, PCB Systems Design, High-Speed Interfaces, PCIe Gen5, PCI Express Gen 6, Ethernet, Signal Integrity, SI Engineering, Board Bring-Up, Hardware Debug, Lab Validation, Compliance Testing, Reliability Testing, Product Qualification, System Architecture, Hardware Architect, HyperLynx, Ansys SI, High-Speed PCB, Systems Engineering

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