Job Description

Technical Lead I (Electrical Eng III – HW Design Sustaining Engineering)

What you will do

In this role, you will be part of product development team to manage & deliver new product functionalities, modify existing product’s functionalities or improve product functionalities as required.

The HW technical lead will provide technical guidance to the Embedded HW development group in the design, development and test of HW product for Fire detection systems.

You will work within a multi-disciplined engineering team consisting of electronics engineers, mechanical engineers, PCB Layout design engineers , Manufacturing, suppliers and supply chain firmware engineers, software engineers, programmers and scientists focusing on applied research and new technology innovations to provide new and improved products and solutions for our customers.

How you will do it

• Work on the requirements from marketing team and convert them to Product Functional Specifications.
• Responsible for owning the Product Functional Specification of the product and associated technical documentation such as installation manual, user guide etc.
• Lead the hardware design and product qualification part of the product.
• Work on architecture of Hardware design while considering the end-to-end system perspective.
• Work closely with members of cross-functional teams (analog, digital, RF, Mechanical, PCB Layout, Software, PV&V)
• Hands on experience with Microcontroller and Microprocessor based embedded design, development and troubleshooting issues.
• Expert understanding of multilayer PCB design process - best practices, design reviews, minimization of errors and process improvement.
• Experience in Schematic design & Layout tools: Altium Designer
• Investigates and troubleshoots Manufacturing issues.
• Assist the Component Engineering Group with component second sourcing activities.
• Fabricate test and programming jigs for product development use.
• Perform detailed analysis on competitors’ products, including performance analysis and product BOM cost estimation.
• Assists with system level testing.
• Executes testing on prototypes and collects data for analysis.
• Experienced in handling equipment like Oscilloscope, RF measurement Spectrum analyzers and debugging tools
• Expert technical skills in DFMEA, VA/VE, DFM, DFT, Failure and Root cause analysis
• Experience in Product compliance testing as per IEC, CE, EN, FCC and UL standards. Having hands-on experience on EMI/EMC designs and testing is a must.
• Strong documentation and presentation skills with the confidence and ability to work with senior executives.
• Able to work efficiently as a part of a team and independently.
• Able to handle a project team of 2-3 hardware engineers.
• Participates in the evaluation of hardware and software compatibility recommending program specifications.
• Recommends program refinements and changes to better achieve desired functionality and/or enhance program capabilities. Counsel designers in the use of various design tools.
• Previous experience in Fire detection or suppression is an advantage.

Information Security Responsibilities

• Adhere to JCI policies, guidelines and procedures pertaining to the protection of information assets.
• Adhere to JCI product security standards and guidelines for secured software product development.
• The software, licenses, shall be deployed and used only in accordance with JCI licensing agreements.
• Unless provided in the applicable license, notice, or agreement, copyrighted software shall not be duplicated, except for backup and archival purposes.
• Any software that is acquired illegally or does not have a valid license shall not be deployed or used. Copying of third party materials without an appropriate license is prohibited.
• The employees, contractors or third-party personnel shall not copy, extract or reproduce in any way, copyrighted material from the Internet on information systems provided by organization, other than permitted by copyright law.
• Implement appropriate physical and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information assets.
• All employees, contractors and third parties shall be responsible to report all information security incidents, alerts, warnings and suspected vulnerabilities, in a timely manner, and share such information only with authorized personnel.

What we look for

As an Electrical Engineer – Sustaining, you’ll focus on maintaining and enhancing existing fire detection hardware – including control panels, detectors, and notification devices. Your work will help ensure long-term product reliability, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze and resolve hardware issues in existing products

• Collaborate with global engineering, customer support, and compliance teams

• Implement design improvements and cost optimizations

• Support product lifecycle activities, including component obsolescence and redesigns

• Maintain documentation and ensure alignment with regulatory standards

What You Bring

• Degree in Electrical Engineering

• 9+ years’ experience in embedded hardware design and troubleshooting

• Strong communication and organizational skills

• Proficiency with debugging tools (oscilloscope, logic analyzer)

Preferred Skills

• Experience with low-power analog circuit design

• Knowledge of AC/DC and DC/DC converters

• Familiarity with microcontrollers and embedded systems

Why Sustaining Engineering Can Be an Exciting Career Move for Design Engineers

Many engineers assume that sustaining work is less appealing because it focuses on existing products and other people’s designs. In reality, sustaining engineering offers a dynamic, fast-paced environment where your problem-solving skills truly shine. Instead of long development cycles, you’re solving real-world issues in real time—customer problems, production challenges, and supplier constraints—often under tight deadlines. People are counting on you to deliver solutions that keep operations running and products performing. This urgency creates a sense of impact and purpose that’s hard to match.

Sustaining engineering is also intellectually stimulating. You’re constantly dropped into new and unexpected challenges, requiring you to quickly learn unfamiliar designs or technologies, assess options, and make decisions. It’s like an ongoing series of technical escape-room puzzles—perfect for engineers who thrive on variety and complexity. Beyond the thrill of problem-solving, you’re adding tangible value to the company, protecting its reputation, and building a broad skillset that makes you indispensable. Over time, you’ll develop a rich CV filled with diverse technologies and unique challenges, positioning yourself as a highly versatile and valuable engineer.

Why Consider Sustaining Engineering?

• Fast-paced, impactful work: Solve urgent problems that directly affect customers and production.
• Constant variety: Every day brings new challenges across different technologies and designs.
• Skillset expansion: Gain exposure to a wide range of systems, components, and troubleshooting techniques.
• High visibility and value: Your solutions protect the company’s reputation and keep operations moving.
• Career security and growth: Become a go-to expert with a broad, impressive portfolio of experience.
• Ideal for problem-solvers: Perfect for engineers who enjoy intellectual challenges and quick thinking.

Johnson Controls is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information, please view EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please visit www.johnsoncontrols.com/tomorrowneedsyou