Location: Sunnyvale, CA, 
Duration: 6 months 


Description
Amazon LEO is an initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

As a Hardware Engineer, you will be a part of the team of experts working on the development of advanced antenna systems. You will own or contribute to the following:

· Design and optimization of different blocks of antennas system
· Design the proof of concept systems and prototypes for the next generation of the antennas
· Design of RF circuitry in collaboration with RF team
· Design of automated test systems, test fixtures and factory test
· Bring-up and test campaigns of the active antennas
· Lead and review PCB layout


At Amazon, we hire the best minds in technology to innovate and build on behalf of our customers.
As a hardware engineer, you will work alongside Senior Electrical Engineers supporting the design, debug, validation and optimization of the products. You will be involved in projects from concept through production, gaining exposure to the complete design lifecycle.

Export Control Requirement:
Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Basic Qualifications
- MS degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering, or equivalent experience
Preferred Qualifications
- PhD in electrical engineering or computer engineering, or equivalent experience
- 1+ years of experience in using schematic
- 1+ years of experience with Mentor Graphics or Cadence layout tools
- 1+ years of experience using lab equipment, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multi-meters

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.


The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.


Hi Prashanth,
 
Meeting Notes – Thomas Zwingman Onsite
Attendees: Thomas Zwingman, SPECTRAFORCE team
Meeting Type: Onsite client meeting / role alignment
Team: Amazon Lab126 / Devices – Product Integrity / Hardware Reliability
1. Team Overview
Thomas sits under the broader Lab126 / Amazon Devices organization, within Product Integrity.
His team partners closely with the Hardware team. Hardware designs and develops the product, while Product Integrity validates whether the product meets expectations, specifications, durability, compliance, and reliability requirements before and during launch.
The team focuses heavily on testing, abuse testing, evaluation, and reliability. They test how products perform under real customer use cases such as drops, backpack vibration, bending, sitting pressure, outdoor exposure, hail, snow, wind, rain, and general wear and tear.
Examples discussed:

• Ring cameras / doorbells exposed to outdoor conditions
• Kuiper / Leo outdoor product testing
• Backpack vibration testing
• Sit test / bend test
• Drop testing
• Battery / safety-related considerations
• EU compliance requirements, including future replaceable battery expectations

2. Team Structure
Thomas’s direct team is approximately 15–20 people, primarily based in Sunnyvale.
Additional structure:

• 1–2 team members in Seattle
• Dotted-line team in China supporting testing/manufacturing-related work
• China team supports projects tied to manufacturing locations and product testing near supplier/manufacturing hubs

Most team members are engineers. Some may be technicians operating tools, but even those roles are often closer to test engineering.
3. Current Roles Discussed
Two main role areas were discussed:
Role 1: Hardware Reliability Engineer / Product Integrity
Focus:

• Product reliability testing
• Use-case and abuse-case testing
• Product durability
• Safety and compliance awareness
• Consumer electronics reliability

Candidates discussed:

• Phuong
• Yuwei

Role 2: Hardware Development Engineer
Focus:

• Broader hardware / systems development
• Cross-functional debugging
• System integration
• Working across electrical, mechanical, display, and product teams

Candidates discussed:

• Katrina
• Philip

Thomas said the profiles looked aligned overall and similar to people who have done well on his team.
4. Ideal Candidate Profile
Thomas is leaning more toward a systems-oriented engineer rather than someone purely electrical.
He wants someone who can work across:

• Electrical issues
• Mechanical issues
• Display-related issues
• Hardware development
• Product reliability
• System integration
• Cross-functional debugging

Ideal candidate traits:

• Strong consumer electronics background
• Experience with hardware reliability or product integrity
• Able to plug in quickly with minimal training
• Self-starter
• Independent
• Strong communication skills
• Can explain specific projects, achievements, and impact
• Has worked on similar product lines or in similar organizations

Target companies / backgrounds:

• Apple
• Meta
• Google Hardware
• Intel
• AMD
• NVIDIA
• Samsung
• Other major semiconductor or consumer electronics companies

Consumer electronics experience is especially helpful.
5. Resume Feedback from Thomas
Thomas wants resumes to show more than responsibilities.
He specifically wants to see:

• What the candidate is currently working on
• Specific project details
• Product/application area
• Achievements
• Business or engineering impact
• Examples of ownership
• Clearer technical depth

For example, if someone worked on AR glasses or wearables, the resume should clearly explain what they owned and what they accomplished.
Action: SPECTRAFORCE to personally rescreen candidates and gather more detail on projects, achievements, impact, and current work.
6. Experience Level / Level Setting
Thomas is flexible on exact years of experience, but the key factor is whether the person can operate independently.
General preference:

• 5+ years is helpful
• Open to level-setting depending on depth of experience
• Needs someone experienced enough to plug and play
• Not looking for someone who requires months of training

Because these are contingent roles, he wants someone who can contribute quickly.
7. Badge / Hiring Model Discussion
Both green badge and yellow badge options were discussed.
Thomas’s team can use both depending on the need.
Notes:

• Green badge may be faster and easier through PATH
• Yellow badge may be more common for certain project-based work
• SPECTRAFORCE is not currently part of the newer preferred vendor network for yellow badge/SOW work
• If Thomas wants faster movement, green badge may be the better path
• Once opened as green badge, it cannot easily flip back to yellow because of worker classification rules
• SPECTRAFORCE has calls coming up to better understand the yellow badge/vendor network process

Thomas asked how this impacts him and wants clarity before going through internal effort.
Action: SPECTRAFORCE to follow up with more information on the yellow badge/SOW vendor network and provide a contact or bridge intro if available.
8. Hiring Process / Timeline
Thomas indicated the process is still somewhat unclear and tied to approvals.
Notes from discussion:

• Hiring pipeline may be difficult depending on approval path
• Green badge may move quicker
• Timeline could potentially be around 1–2 weeks once moving
• Interview process may include phone screen and onsite/panel rounds
• Calendar / approvals are still pending
• Need to understand whether req will be opened as green badge or yellow badge

9. Key Open Questions / Follow-Ups
Questions to clarify with Thomas:

• Which headcount should be prioritized first?
• Are approvals moving forward?
• Should roles be opened as green badge or yellow badge?
• Does Thomas prefer hardware reliability first or hardware development first?
• Is Seattle difficult to fill?
• Any internal changes impacting headcount?
• What is the best way to stay aligned moving forward?
• Should communication continue via email, group chat, or recurring check-ins?

10. SPECTRAFORCE Action Items

• Rescreen all presented candidates personally
• Gather stronger project details, achievements, and measurable impact
• Confirm candidate openness to green badge contingent model
• Clarify whether candidates are open to yellow badge if needed
• Send refined candidate summaries back to Thomas
• Follow up with PATH / vendor contacts regarding yellow badge/SOW network
• Provide Thomas with clear next steps for opening a green badge req
• Stay aligned on approvals and timeline
• Continue sourcing for similar profiles from Apple, Meta, Google Hardware, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, Samsung, and consumer electronics backgrounds

11. Overall Takeaway
The meeting went positively. Thomas was engaged, gave detailed insight into his team, and confirmed that the candidate profiles were generally aligned with what he would look for. The biggest priorities now are clarifying the badge model, understanding approvals, and strengthening candidate summaries with more specific technical ownership, achievements, and impact.
  
 
At SPECTRAFORCE, we are committed to maintaining a workplace that ensures fair compensation and wage transparency in adherence with all applicable state and local laws. This position’s starting pay is: $ 75.00/hr.