Principal Electrical Engineer, Wireless Design Services (Hopkins, MN - Hybrid)

Description Since 1985, Digi International has been a pioneer in wireless communication, forging the future for connected devices and responding to the needs of the people and enterprises that use them. Before the Internet of Things was a thing, we built M2M and IoT devices, adapted to evolving network standards, and optimized data communications around the most advanced protocols and emerging technologies. From radio frequency modems to gateways, cellular routers, networking devices, embedded system-on-modules (SOM) and single-board computers (SBCs), Digi's solutions have continually grown to serve an extensive breadth of applications across the IoT landscape. Today, our IoT offerings include sensor-based solutions, a sophisticated platform for remotely monitoring device deployments of any size, anywhere, as well as professional design, implementation and certification teams to help you carry out your vision, no matter how large or small. Position Digi International is seeking an experienced Principal Electrical Engineer to join our Wireless Design Services (WDS) team. This role is a hands-on technical position responsible for defining architecture, solving complex engineering challenges, and driving innovation across embedded and wireless product designs from concept through production. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience developing connected and wireless products, strong systems engineering expertise, and a proven track record of delivering products from concept through manufacturing. This individual will serve as a subject matter expert, mentor other engineers, influence engineering processes and tools, and contribute to the technical direction of future products and services. Location: Hopkins, MN - Hybrid What You Will Do Technical Expertise & Collaboration Foster a collaborative, innovative, and customer-focused engineering culture. Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers across multiple disciplines. Share best practices and engineering knowledge with team members. Support recruiting, onboarding, and professional development initiatives. Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering tools, methodologies, and development processes. Stay current with emerging technologies, industry trends, and regulatory requirements. Electrical Engineering & System Architecture Architect and lead all electrical aspects of product development from concept through production release. Define system-level requirements, architecture, interfaces, and design strategies. Perform component selection, circuit design, schematic capture, and PCB layout oversight. Analyze design tradeoffs involving performance, reliability, manufacturability, cost, power consumption, and product lifecycle considerations. Design, develop, troubleshoot, debug, test, and modify complex electronic circuits and embedded hardware platforms. Develop and review engineering documentation including requirements, architecture, design specifications, verification plans, and manufacturing support documents. Lead product integration, verification, validation, production support, and sustaining engineering activities. Create and execute test strategies to ensure product quality, performance, and compliance. Project & Business Leadership Provide technical leadership on multiple concurrent development programs. Identify project risks, develop mitigation plans, and communicate status to stakeholders. Partner with Project Management, Sales, and Business Development teams to support customer engagements and proposal development. Lead technical estimating activities and provide engineering input for project quotations and resource planning. Present technical solutions and recommendations to customers, executive leadership, and cross-functional teams. Compliance & Regulatory Lead certification and regulatory compliance efforts for new product development. Navigate applicable regulatory requirements including FCC, UL, ETL, ETSI, PTCRB, FDA, and other industry-specific standards as applicable. Develop compliance, verification, and test strategies early in the product lifecycle to ensure successful product certification and deployment. Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline. 10+ years of progressive electrical engineering experience developing commercial products, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Proven experience leading products from concept through manufacturing and production release. Deep hands-on expertise in: Electrical circuit design Schematic capture PCB design and layout review Component selection Hardware testing and troubleshooting Embedded hardware development Strong understanding of systems engineering principles including: Requirements definition System architecture Design and integration Verification and validation Product lifecycle management Ability to independently establish technical approaches and execute complex engineering tasks with minimal oversight. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams and influence across organizational boundaries. Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously. Desired But Required Experience developing wireless and connected products from concept to production. Familiarity with Digi International System-on-Module (SOM) and XBee product families. Experience with wireless communication technologies and protocols, including: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Cellular, GPS/GNSS, LoRa Understanding of RF design fundamentals and wireless product certification. Expertise implementing and championing systems engineering methodologies within engineering organizations. Experience developing automation, scripting, or software tools to improve engineering productivity and test efficiency. Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. This includes, but is not limited to, work visas, employment-based visas, or residency sponsorship. Candidates must have valid work authorization in the United States at the time of application. Visa applications of any kind will not be considered. Digi International offers a distinctive Total Rewards package including a short-term incentive program, new hire stock award, paid parental leave, open (uncapped) PTO, and a hybrid work environment in addition to our competitive medical, health & wellbeing, and compensation offerings. The anticipated base pay range for this position is $111,000 – $174,000. Pay ranges are determined by role, job level, and primary work location. The range displayed reflects the reasonable range we anticipate paying and is influenced by factors including experience, education, skills, and work location. Compensation decisions are based on the individual qualifications of each candidate and are reviewed annually. At Digi, we embrace diversity and inclusion among our teammates. It is critical to our success as a global company, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain talented people from diverse backgrounds. We are committed to providing an environment of respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates.