PCB Design Engineer II

Job Title: Platform Design Engineer II

Location: Markham, ON

Duration: 12 Months

Job Type: Temporary Assignment

Work Type: Onsite

Pay Rate: $45.00 - $45.00/Hr

Overview:

TekWissen is a global workforce management provider headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan that offers strategic talent solutions to our clients world-wide. This Client is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Santa Clara, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for business and consumer markets. Global company that specializes in manufacturing semiconductor devices used in computer processing. The company also produces flash memories, graphics processors, motherboard chip sets, and a variety of components used in consumer electronics goods.

Job Description:

Role Overview:

• We are seeking a hands-on engineering technologist to support competitive analysis of notebook, desktop motherboard, and GPU platforms.
• The role combines advanced PCB rework, board-level reverse engineering, power instrumentation, component identification, BOM cost estimation, and PCB construction analysis.
• The successful candidate will modify densely populated laptop boards, perform fine-pitch BGA replacement and re-balling, and install current- and voltage-measurement connections for FPGA-based data-acquisition systems.
• Much of this work involves competitor hardware for which schematics, board-view files, and detailed design documentation are unavailable.
• Candidates with advanced smartphone or laptop motherboard repair experience, combined with strong electronics fundamentals and analytical skills, are encouraged to apply.

Job Duties:

Competitive Platform and PCB Analysis:

• Analyze CPU/APU/GPU PCBs from competitive platforms, including notebooks, PC motherboards, and graphics cards.
• Identify electrical components and reverse engineer board topology, architecture, power distribution, and key interfaces.
• Investigate boards without schematics using microscope inspection, component markings, available datasheets, continuity and resistance measurements, signal probing, and trace/via mapping.
• Identify voltage regulators, power stages, inductors, rail connections, and multiphase regulator arrangements.
• Compare competitor implementations with internal and customer designs to identify differences in component selection, integration, layout, and system architecture.

Precision Soldering, BGA Rework, and Board Modification:

• Perform microscope-assisted soldering and rework on densely populated, multilayer laptop and graphics PCBs.
• Remove, re-ball, align, and replace fine-pitch BGA devices using appropriate rework equipment, thermal profiles, board support, and inspection methods.
• Remove and replace small surface-mount components and fine-pitch devices, including work in confined areas near sensitive components.
• Lift, reposition, and reinstall inductors and other power components to support current-measurement modifications.
• Perform pad and trace repair, fine-wire attachment, and circuit modifications while preserving PCB integrity and adjacent circuitry.
• Apply appropriate ESD precautions, thermal management, cleaning, and mechanical strain relief.
• Inspect completed work and verify electrical connectivity and platform functionality before and after modification.

Power Instrumentation and Benchmarking:

• Determine suitable instrumentation points on boards where schematics and design documentation are generally unavailable.
• Install low-resistance current-sense shunts in selected power paths, with Kelvin sense connections and separate rail-voltage measurement leads.
• Instrument multiple power rails and regulator phases, including densely populated boards requiring modifications at eight or more inductor locations.
• Distinguish individual power rails from phases of a shared rail and document the corresponding measurement arrangement.
• Select or implement suitable shunt values in collaboration with the engineering team, considering current range, voltage drop, power dissipation, measurement sensitivity, and circuit impact.
• Route, secure, label, and connect measurement wiring to FPGA-based acquisition systems through the appropriate analog conditioning and ADC circuitry.
• Verify channel mapping, calibration, signal quality, and repeatability, and assess whether board modifications affect platform operation.
• Measure power at system inputs and selected ASIC supply rails under standardized workloads to compare power consumption, performance, and efficiency.

Component Identification and BOM Cost Estimation:

• Create and maintain estimated PCB bills of materials, including component identification, quantities, package types, and key electrical characteristics.
• Investigate components with unclear markings or specifications using available documentation, circuit context, and collaboration with component engineers.
• Use internal cost databases and available supplier information to estimate component and board costs.
• Compare competitor BOMs with internal and customer designs to identify cost drivers and opportunities for simplification or integration.
• Document assumptions and confidence levels for uncertain component identifications and cost estimates.
• Collaborate with component engineers, silicon vendors, and suppliers to clarify device characteristics and evaluate cost-effective alternatives.

PCB Stack-Up and Construction Analysis:

• Coordinate with PCB delamination and cross-section service providers to investigate layer stack-ups and board construction.
• Analyze layer count, dielectric materials, copper layers, vias, pad stacks, and trace geometries.
• Identify HDI construction approaches and assess their implications for routing density, manufacturability, and cost.
• Combine physical analysis and electrical measurements to investigate high-speed signal routing and infer chip ball assignments for selected interfaces.
• Document findings and compare competitor PCB construction with internal and customer platforms.

Reporting and Recommendations:

• Prepare clear reports covering board architecture, component selection, estimated BOM costs, PCB construction, and measured power/performance results.
• Maintain annotated board photographs, connection maps, rework records, instrumentation diagrams, and measurement configurations.
• Highlight design and architecture choices that influence cost, power efficiency, integration, and manufacturing complexity.
• Present findings to engineering teams and recommend improvements for future competitive platform designs.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Electronics Engineering Technology diploma, related technical training, or an equivalent combination of practical experience and demonstrated technical capability. A bachelor’s degree is not required.
• Typically 3–5 years of relevant experience in board-level troubleshooting, advanced electronics rework, hardware validation, prototype modification, or platform analysis.
• Demonstrated experience removing, reballing, and replacing fine-pitch BGA devices on densely populated multilayer PCBs.
• Strong microscope-assisted soldering skills, including small surface-mount component handling, fine-wire attachment, and pad/trace repair.
• Practical experience with BGA rework stations, temperature-controlled soldering equipment, hot-air tools, board preheaters, and suitable inspection equipment.
• Ability to investigate and modify complex PCBs without schematics or board-view files using systematic electrical measurements and physical inspection.
• Sound understanding of electronic components, power distribution, buck converters, multiphase regulators, and current-measurement principles.
• Competence with oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, laboratory power supplies, and power-measurement equipment.
• Ability to identify components, interpret datasheets, and prepare structured technical records and component lists.
• Familiarity with complex PCB and system assemblies, including FFCs, fine-pitch connectors, and custom cables.
• Strong attention to workmanship, repeatability, documentation, and clear communication.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience:

• Advanced smartphone or laptop motherboard diagnosis and repair experience.
• Previous competitive hardware analysis, teardown, BOM estimation, or power/efficiency benchmarking experience.
• Familiarity with PCB stack-up analysis, HDI construction, delamination, or cross-section interpretation.
• Working knowledge of platform interfaces such as LPDDR, GDDR, PCIe, USB, DisplayPort, eDP, HDMI, SPI, and eSPI.
• Experience with current-sense amplifiers, ADCs, FPGA-based data-acquisition hardware, and measurement calibration.
• Familiarity with PCB BOM cost optimization through component selection, integration, and design simplification.
• Relevant IPC-7711/7721 training or certification.
• Experience using X-ray inspection to assess BGA connections.

TekWissen® Group is an equal opportunity employer supporting workforce diversity.