About the Role
We are hiring a Hardware Engineer to own the full hardware quality loop – from RMA diagnostics and hands-on rework, through root cause analysis, to driving design improvements that feed back into production. This is not a pure bench technician role and not a pure design role. It sits squarely in the middle: you diagnose real-world failures, identify systemic issues, update schematics and BOMs, and work with our contract manufacturer (CM) to ensure changes land in production.
You will be the single point of ownership for returned hardware, and the bridge between field failures and design improvements. You need to be equally comfortable with a soldering iron and with Altium (or equivalent), and you must be able to communicate technical findings clearly – both internally to engineering and externally to our CM.
If you have worked in a fast-moving, small-team environment where you had to figure things out without a playbook – and you are energised by that kind of ownership – this role is for you.
What You Will Do
RMA Diagnostics & Root Cause Analysis
- Receive, log, and triage returned devices from customers globally
- Execute structured diagnostic routines to identify root cause – distinguishing hardware faults, firmware issues, handling damage, and environmental failures
- Document all findings: failure mode, test results, probable root cause, and recommended disposition
- dentify recurring failure patterns across RMA batches and escalate systemic issues
Hands-On Rework & Repair
- Perform component-level rework to a high standard: SMD soldering, module replacement, connector repair
- Re-flash firmware on repaired units and validate against test criteria before return or redeployment
- Maintain a clean, traceable repair log for each unit processed
- Operate and improve existing test jigs for BEAM Nodes and sensor products
Design Improvement & Engineering Change
- Translate RMA findings into actionable improvement plans with clear problem statements, proposed fixes, and expected impact
- Update schematics to reflect approved design changes
- Update Bills of Materials (BOMs) to reflect component changes, alternates, or obsolescence replacements
- Work with the engineering team to review and validate proposed changes before release to production
Contract Manufacturer (CM) Interface
- Prepare and deliver structured reports to the CM on design changes, BOM updates, and quality findings
- Review CM build reports, first-article inspection results, and production yield data
- Coordinate with CM on engineering change orders (ECOs) and ensure changes are implemented correctly
- Support new product introduction (NPI) activities at the CM as needed
Quality & Process
- Support pre-shipment QC checks and maintain the QC checklist for new product releases
- Recommend and implement improvements to test procedures, rework SOPs, and QC gates
- Maintain jig calibration records and flag anomalies
What We Are Looking ForMust Have
- Degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering (or closely related discipline)
- 3–5 years of hands-on experience in electronics diagnostics, repair, or test – ideally in a production, RMA, or NPI environment
- Strong SMD rework skills – fine-pitch components; BGA rework experience is a plus
- Proficient with bench equipment: oscilloscope, multimeter, logic analyser, soldering station
- Ability to read, interpret, and update schematics and PCB layouts independently
- Experience with EDA tools (specifically for schematic edits, BOM management, and design review
- Systematic fault-finding approach – you work through a diagnostic process, not just replace parts until something works
- Clear, structured documentation and reporting habits – your reports should be ready to send to a CM without editing
- Self-directed and proactive – you do not wait to be told what to fix next
Good to Have
- Prior experience interfacing with a contract manufacturer (ECOs, build reports, yield analysis)
- Exposure to IoT or wireless hardware (LoRa, BLE, GPS modules, embedded MCUs)
- Experience with UART, JTAG, or SWD debug interfaces
- Familiarity with DFM/DFA principles
- Experience in a startup or small-team environment where you wore multiple hats
- Experience writing or refining test procedures and work instructions
What This Role Is Not
This is not a full-time R&D or new product design role – you will not be designing boards from scratch. It is also not a production line technician role. You sit in the critical middle ground: someone with the engineering depth to update schematics and BOMs and the hands-on skill to diagnose and fix boards at the bench. We need someone who closes the loop between field failures and production improvements, and who can represent Ackcio's hardware quality standards to our CM.
What We Offer
- Direct exposure to a globally deployed IoT hardware product used on major infrastructure projects
- Flat team structure – you will work directly with the COO and engineering team with visibility into the full product lifecycle
- Ownership of the hardware quality loop from diagnosis through design improvement to CM implementation
- Opportunity to shape Ackcio's hardware quality and CM processes as we scale across APAC, EMEA, and the Americas
- Competitive compensation benchmarked to mid-level hardware engineer roles in Singapore
