IoT Hardware Evaluation & Customization Engineer

We are looking for a hands-on Hardware Evaluation & Customization Engineer to lead our technical relationship with manufacturing partners. You will audit supplier designs, run lab and field validation on samples, drive customizations on firmware and hardware, and build the in-house knowledge base that currently sits with our suppliers. Over time, you will identify products where local assembly or finishing in Dammam makes financial sense. Key Responsibilities • Supplier evaluation: Read and critique supplier schematics, BOMs, and datasheets; identify cost-cutting, weak component choices, undersized regulators, fake-branded ICs, poor antenna design. • Sample validation: Run lab tests on supplier samples EMC pre-checks, thermal, IP rating verification, RF/antenna performance, battery life claims, vibration. • Customization: Request and validate hardware customizations (housing, connectors, antenna placement, sensor additions, branding) from suppliers and verify delivery. • Firmware customization: Modify, reflash, harden, and debug firmware on supplier modules (ESP32, STM32, MTK, Quectel, etc.) not from scratch, but enough to own the device behavior. • Supplier scorecard: Maintain a quality / lead-time / responsiveness / IP-protection scorecard across all current and candidate suppliers. • Field reliability: Investigate field failures in Saudi worksite conditions and feed findings back to suppliers as design change requests. • Certification support: Coordinate SASO, CE, and FCC submissions; ensure supplier documentation supports certification. • Localization roadmap: Identify 1 2 products where in-house assembly or final customization in Dammam is financially viable; lead the technical transition. • Cross-team support: Provide technical support to production, QC, and field installation teams. • Bachelor s or Master s degree in Electronics, Electrical, or Mechatronics Engineering. • 3 6 years in IoT/embedded hardware, ideally including direct work with Chinese ODM/OEM suppliers. • Strong ability to read and audit schematics and BOMs (Altium / KiCad / Eagle) full from-scratch design is not required. • Firmware experience in C/C++ for ESP32, STM32, or similar sufficient to customize and harden supplier firmware. • Hands-on with cellular (4G/LTE), GPS, BLE, Wi-Fi, or LoRa modules. • Comfortable with lab tools (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzer, environmental chambers). • Experience with version control (Git) and Agile workflows. • Strong written and verbal communication for supplier negotiation. Preferred Qualifications • Prior experience managing Chinese ODM relationships and NDAs/IP agreements. • Familiarity with edge AI hardware (NVIDIA Jetson, Rockchip) and camera modules. • Exposure to fleet trackers, ADAS, DMS, or industrial safety devices. • Experience preparing products for SASO, CE, or FCC certification. • Mandarin language ability is a strong plus (not required).