Component Engineer

Official Job Title: Senior Component Engineer

Role Focus: Component Engineering (AOS/EOL & AML) and Altium CAD Librarian

Objectives:

Do you want to serve a higher purpose?

Are you looking for a career and not just another job?

The people at Industrial Scientific are making a difference. We believe that great people working with great tools in a supportive environment will deliver better products and services and do their best work for our customers. Our leaders understand the critical elements of breakthrough performance: bringing out the best in people; creating a climate of trust, openness and high performance; fostering candor and initiative; and treating people fairly and with dignity. Industrial Scientific provides the environment, leadership, and support that enable employees to exceed their career expectations.

Industrial Scientific’s product development team includes skilled engineers, designers and technicians in the disciplines of electrical, mechanical, and firmware engineering.  Third-party design partners are used (both locally and abroad) to augment our in-house team or to provide specific expertise. For the most part, we build what we design – often in our modern manufacturing factory right here in Western Pennsylvania, with design work happening in Pittsburgh as well as Bangalore, India and Shanghai, China.

We design and develop a wide variety of world-class gas detection instruments, sensors, accessories, and infrastructure for worker connectivity and remote management. Our designs include the latest mixed-signal embedded computing technology, mechanical packaging, miniaturization, and compelling user interfaces.  We partner with a dedicated in-house application software team to provide feature-rich web-based applications that help our customers keep their workers safe. 

The Component Engineer is an experienced, independent contributor who owns the health of the electrical component base used across Industrial Scientific's product portfolio. This role leads the response to allocation, obsolescence, and supply (AOS) issues and end-of-life (EOL) notifications by identifying and qualifying alternate components and completing the work to update Approved Manufacturer Lists (AML). Just as importantly, this person understands our designs well enough to recognize when a 'simple AML add' is not simple, when a proposed substitute differs in form, fit, function, electrical performance, or agency-certification impact, and when a component change may drive a design change. In those cases, the Component Engineer brings the Electrical Engineers in early with a clear technical assessment and proposed path forward. The role also serves as the Altium CAD Librarian and Windchill part data owner, ensuring that engineers and designers have accurate, released, ready-to-use symbols, footprints, models, and part records to complete schematic and layout work.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

This position sits at the intersection of electrical engineering, supply chain, and design infrastructure. The Component Engineer will work closely with Electrical Engineers, Designers, Supply Chain, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Compliance/Agency Certification, and external suppliers and design partners to keep products buildable, compliant, and ready for both new product development and sustaining engineering.

The duties may include, but are not limited to:

Component Engineering – AOS, EOL, and AML Management

• Monitor, triage, and drive resolution of allocation, obsolescence, and supply (AOS) issues and manufacturer end-of-life (EOL), last-time-buy, and product change notifications (PCNs) for electrical and electronic components.
• Research, identify, and evaluate alternate and second-source components using manufacturer data, distributor databases, and lifecycle tools; complete the documentation and engineering change work required to update the AML.
• Perform technical comparisons of proposed alternates against the current approved part, including electrical parameters, tolerances, temperature ratings, package and land pattern, pinout, mechanical fit, and reliability data.
• Review the schematic and PCB context in which a component is used to determine whether a substitution is a drop-in AML addition or whether it carries design, performance, firmware, or layout impact.
• Recognize when a component change may affect agency approvals and hazardous-location certifications (UL, CSA, ATEX, IECEx, MSHA, etc.), intrinsic-safety parameters, or critical-component lists, and escalate appropriately.
• Engage Electrical Engineers when a component change may require a design change, presenting a clear technical assessment, risk summary, and recommended options to support an engineering decision.
• Author and process engineering change requests/orders for component and AML changes, and support verification or qualification activities as needed.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Manufacturing to assess inventory, last-time-buy quantities, and transition timing for affected components and assemblies.
• Proactively assess component lifecycle and supply risk across active products and new designs, and recommend preferred parts to reduce future obsolescence exposure.
• Maintain compliance data for components, including RoHS, REACH, and conflict minerals information, in coordination with Compliance and Quality.

Altium CAD Librarian

• Own the Altium component libraries, creating, reviewing, releasing, and maintaining schematic symbols, PCB footprints, 3D models, simulation models, and component parameters.
• Ensure footprints follow IPC land-pattern standards and internal design rules, and are suitable for Industrial Scientific's PCB fabrication and assembly processes.
• Administer and maintain the Altium environment, including managed libraries, templates, design rules, output job files, user settings, permissions, and configuration standards.
• Provide everything engineers and designers need to complete schematic capture and PCB layout work, including timely creation of new parts to support project schedules.
• Provide first-line Altium support to engineers and designers, troubleshooting library, project setup, and data consistency issues.
• Define, document, and continuously improve library standards, naming conventions, review checklists, and release workflows.

Windchill Part Data Management

• Create and maintain electrical part records in Windchill, including manufacturer, manufacturer part number, AML/AVL associations, lifecycle status, compliance attributes, and supporting documentation.
• Maintain alignment between Altium, Windchill, ERP, and BOMs; support BOM validation, part number cleanup, and duplicate part reduction.
• Follow, enforce, and help mature corporate engineering change and part release processes.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience
• 5+ years of experience in component engineering, electrical design, ECAD library management, or a closely related role supporting electronic hardware products
• Solid working knowledge of electronic components, including passives, discretes, ICs, power devices, connectors, batteries, sensors, and electromechanical parts
• Ability to read and interpret schematics, PCB layouts, datasheets, and component drawings well enough to judge the design impact of a component change
• Hands-on experience creating schematic symbols and PCB footprints in Altium Designer
• Experience managing component obsolescence, EOL notifications, alternate part qualification, and AML/AVL updates
• Experience with PLM systems and engineering change processes; Windchill preferred
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail
• Self-starter with the ability to work as part of a team while also meeting individual responsibilities

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years of relevant experience
• Experience administering Altium 365, Concord Pro, or another managed ECAD library environment
• Familiarity with IPC-7351 land-pattern standards and PCB fabrication and assembly processes (DFM/DFA)
• Experience with component lifecycle and sourcing tools such as SiliconExpert, IHS/Accuris, Octopart, or distributor portals
• Knowledge of agency approval and hazardous-location requirements (UL, CSA, ATEX, IECEx, MSHA) and how component changes affect certification
• Familiarity with compliance requirements such as RoHS, REACH, and conflict minerals
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., Oracle or SAP) and BOM management
• Experience in embedded electronic systems, battery-powered devices, or industrial safety products

Soft Skills:

• Able to work effectively in a formal product development team environment
• Able to exercise independent, sound judgment, including knowing when an issue requires engineering involvement
• Clear, concise technical communicator who can summarize component risks and options for engineers, supply chain, and management
• Highly organized and disciplined in following and improving established processes
• Able to manage multiple concurrent AOS/EOL issues and commit to and work under deadlines
• Demonstrated understanding of Stage-Gate development process
• Collaborate with suppliers, third-party, and offshore development teams when needed

Fortive Corporation Overview

Fortive's essential technology makes the world safer and more productive. We accelerate transformation in high-impact fields like workplace safety, build environments, and healthcare.

We are a global industrial technology innovator with a startup spirit. Our forward-looking companies lead the way in healthcare sterilization, industrial safety, predictive maintenance, and other mission-critical solutions. We're a force for progress, working alongside our customers and partners to solve challenges on a global scale, from workplace safety in the most demanding conditions to advanced technologies that help providers focus on exceptional patient care.

We are a diverse team 10,000 strong, united by a dynamic, inclusive culture and energized by limitless learning and growth. We use the proven Fortive Business System (FBS) to accelerate our positive impact.

At Fortive, we believe in you. We believe in your potential—your ability to learn, grow, and make a difference.

At Fortive, we believe in us. We believe in the power of people working together to solve problems no one could solve alone.

At Fortive, we believe in growth. We're honest about what's working and what isn't, and we never stop improving and innovating.

Fortive: For you, for us, for growth.

About Industrial Scientific

Industrial Scientific designs and manufactures gas detection products and solutions that protect workers from hazardous conditions around the world. Since our beginnings in 1985, we have pioneered numerous technologies, including the first 3-gas detector, 6-gas detector, wireless gas detector, and even the first gas detector to be included on a NASA space shuttle. Today, we continue to innovate and expand our hardware and software offerings to equip the connected workers of the future. Our latest solutions make it possible to see and respond to hazards in real time, bringing us one step closer to our vision of ending death on the job by 2050.

We Are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Fortive Corporation and all Fortive Companies are proud to be equal opportunity employers. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or other characteristics protected by law. Fortive and all Fortive Companies are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Individuals who need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment application process, please contact us at applyassistance@fortive.com.

Fortive Corporation Overview

Fortive's essential technology makes the world safer and more productive. We accelerate transformation in high-impact fields like workplace safety, build environments, and healthcare.

We are a global industrial technology innovator with a startup spirit. Our forward-looking companies lead the way in healthcare sterilization, industrial safety, predictive maintenance, and other mission-critical solutions. We're a force for progress, working alongside our customers and partners to solve challenges on a global scale, from workplace safety in the most demanding conditions to advanced technologies that help providers focus on exceptional patient care.

We are a diverse team 10,000 strong, united by a dynamic, inclusive culture and energized by limitless learning and growth. We use the proven Fortive Business System (FBS) to accelerate our positive impact.

At Fortive, we believe in you. We believe in your potential—your ability to learn, grow, and make a difference.

At Fortive, we believe in us. We believe in the power of people working together to solve problems no one could solve alone.

At Fortive, we believe in growth. We're honest about what's working and what isn't, and we never stop improving and innovating.

Fortive: For you, for us, for growth.

About Industrial Scientific

Industrial Scientific designs and manufactures gas detection products and solutions that protect workers from hazardous conditions around the world. Since our beginnings in 1985, we have pioneered numerous technologies, including the first 3-gas detector, 6-gas detector, wireless gas detector, and even the first gas detector to be included on a NASA space shuttle.Today, we continue to innovate and expand our hardware and software offerings to equip the connected workers of the future. Our latest solutions make it possible to see and respond to hazards in real time, bringing us one step closer to our vision of ending death on the job by 2050.

We Are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Fortive Corporation and all Fortive Companies are proud to be equal opportunity employers. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or other characteristics protected by law. Fortive and all Fortive Companies are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Individuals who need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment application process, please contact us at applyassistance@fortive.com.