Electrical Engineer (Hardware Design)

Can you start with a problem before somebody hands you the answer?

Some engineering roles are about applying a known solution well. This one is for the person who gets interested when the solution isn't obvious yet.

At Tangent, we work on complex electrical engineering problems where the path from idea to working product often requires research, experimentation, modelling, conceptual design and a willingness to go back to first principles.

We're looking for an Electrical Engineer who can think critically and creatively, dig into the science behind a problem, challenge assumptions, and then turn that thinking into practical engineering.

You do not need to be a senior engineer. You do need to be genuinely curious.

What you'll do

• Explore complex technical problems where the answer may not already exist.
• Develop concepts from first principles before moving into detailed electrical design.
• Research technologies, components, architectures and technical approaches to determine what might work and why.
• Design and develop electrical hardware using Altium or equivalent tools.
• Use simulation, modelling, prototyping and testing to validate ideas before committing to a final design.
• Work across electrical, firmware, mechanical and systems disciplines to solve broader product problems.
• Take designs beyond proof of concept into validation, qualification, documentation, certification and production.
• Work within Tangent's ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 quality systems.
• Participate in technical reviews and explain your thinking clearly to engineers, clients and other stakeholders.
• Contribute to the engineering practices and technical capability of the team as your experience grows.

What we'd like to see on your resume

We're deliberately leaving room for different career paths. Your background could include:

• A Master's degree or PhD in engineering, physics, applied science or another technically rigorous field where you conducted meaningful research.
• Research experience in industry, academia, product development or an R&D environment.
• Experience with conceptual design, feasibility work, technology development or technically ambiguous problems.
• Electrical engineering experience involving PCBA design, analog, mixed-signal, RF, high-speed design or related hardware development.
• Experience using Altium or an equivalent electrical design platform.
• Experience with Spice-based simulation tools such as LTSpice, TINA-TI or similar.
• Engineering work that progressed beyond theory into something that was built, tested, validated or commercialized

A P.Eng. is not required. However, engineering experience beyond a new-graduate level and progress toward professional registration would be an asset. Tangent would especially value someone who could become a P.Eng. and stamping engineer as they continue to develop.

What we'll be looking for in the interview
Your resume can tell us what you've worked on.The interview will tell us how you think. Expect us to ask about situations where:

• You were given a problem without a clear solution.
• You had to learn something outside your existing expertise.
• Your first idea didn't work and you had to rethink the problem.
• You used scientific or engineering principles to challenge an assumption.
• You compared competing technical approaches and made a recommendation.
• You turned research or theory into something practical.
• You had to explain a complicated technical issue to someone who wasn't deep in the details.
• We aren't particularly interested in whether you can recite the "right" engineering answer.
• We want to understand how you get there.

How we work at Tangent
Innovation

• You stay curious, challenge assumptions and look for better ways to solve difficult technical problems.

Accountability

• You own your work, follow through, surface risks early and take responsibility for the quality of what you deliver.

Client Service

• You understand the problem behind the request, communicate clearly, and make decisions with the client's broader goals in mind.

Teamwork

• You share information, ask for help when you need it, contribute your expertise and make the people around you better.

These aren't words on a wall. They show up in how we design, review, communicate and make decisions every day.

Why work with Tangent
Compensation: Competitive and based on experience and capability.
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week.
Time off: 20 days PTO, used however you choose.
Benefits: Health and Dental, Life and Disability insurance.
Interesting problems: Regulated, technical and cross-disciplinary work where engineering judgment actually matters.
Real ownership: The opportunity to follow ideas through research, design, testing and implementation rather than handing them off halfway through.

About Tangent
Tangent Design Engineering Ltd. develops complex products and systems for clients in regulated and technically demanding industries, including medical devices, hazardous locations, defence, aerospace and industrial applications.

Our quality management system is registered to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016, and our engineers work across disciplines to take ideas from early technical exploration through design, validation, certification and production.

Interested?
If you're the kind of engineer who sees an unfamiliar technical problem and immediately wants to understand what's actually going on underneath it, we'd like to hear from you.
Apply and tell us about something difficult you've had to figure out.