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Principal Electrical Engineer - NPD

Milwaukee Tool · Brookfield, WI · Full time

Posted Aug 31, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a hard field or test failure you led the investigation on. What was the root cause?

What they are checking: Principal-level problem solving that reaches the true root cause.

How do you mentor engineers on schematic and layout reviews?

What they are checking: Technical leadership that raises the quality of the whole team's work.

Tell me about a time you introduced a new technology into a product line.

What they are checking: Whether they can drive innovation from concept to production.

What would you do

A product team wants to cut cost by removing a protection circuit. How do you respond?

What they are checking: Holding a line on safety and reliability while engaging with cost goals honestly.

How do you balance schedule pressure in NPD with the testing needed to be confident in a design?

What they are checking: Judgment about risk and when to push for more validation.

About the work

Walk me through the electrical architecture of a cordless power tool you designed or know well.

What they are checking: System-level understanding of battery, power stage, controller and protection working together.

How do you design a power stage to handle high stall currents in a heavy-duty tool?

What they are checking: Deep knowledge of MOSFET selection, thermal limits and current protection.

How do you design for EMC from the start rather than fixing it at the end?

What they are checking: Layout, grounding and filtering habits that avoid late compliance surprises.

How do you work with firmware engineers to define what the hardware must support?

What they are checking: Clear interfaces between hardware and firmware early in development.

How would you approach electronics that must survive dust, water, vibration and drops on a jobsite?

What they are checking: Designing for harsh environments with potting, conformal coating and mechanical support.

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The full job description

As published by Milwaukee Tool.

Job Description: Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.; Sponsorship is not available for this position at this time. INNOVATE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES! At Milwaukee Tool we firmly believe that our People and our Culture are the secrets to our success – so we give you unlimited access to everything you need to create disruptive new technologies and solutions on our electrical engineering teams. Our Engineering Team is responsible for giving life to the batteries, motors, and electronics that power solutions changing the lives of our users. Every developmental phase of these critical components happens in-house under the watch of this team. We continue to invest in electrical engineering resources to design and develop leadership in electronic capabilities; something unique within the industry. And we’re pushing the limits in firmware engineering, power electronics, embedded systems, machine learning, and the use of artificial intelligence. Behind our doors you’ll be empowered every day to own it, drive it, and do what it takes to design and develop the biggest breakthroughs in the industry. Meanwhile, you’ll have the support and resources of the fastest-growing brand in the construction industry to make it happen. Year after year, our team continues to make significant breakthroughs in the industry. We’re just getting started. To learn more about our story click HERE . The Principal Embedded Systems Engineer will lead the design and implementation of testing of embedded systems and identify engineering trends to drive strategies and Milwaukee Tool’s technical direction. You will work through the product development process in a team environment interacting with cross-functional stakeholders such as hardware, firmware, product development, and reliability engineers. You’ll also be DISRUPTIVE through these duties and responsibilities: • Lead the development of concepts/schematics/test plans/procedures and test cases for new product embedded systems and subsystems development. • Define and drive technical roadmaps identifying critical electronic components and creating robust design architectures. • Mentor and coach the team in engineering best practices including task management, Gantt charts, root cause analysis, circuit / PCB design, and PCBA manufacturing. • Effectively communicate and motivate up, down and across the organization to a diverse range of technical and non-technical team members. • Own technical project schedules and work break down structure. • Drive urgency in project schedules and accountability for establishing and achieving key project metrics that meet the organization’s needs. • Ensure the project is given the time and resources required to succeed by creating and managing robust project roadmaps and resource plans with converged project scope. • Develop plans to evaluate and assess the emerging technology market space to fit/compliment Milwaukee Tool product initiatives and development. • Champion technology investigations including system requirements, architecture definitions, and reusability strategies. • Quickly, effectively, and candidly frame-up and escalate business risks/opportunities to senior leadership. What TOOLS you’ll bring with you: • Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering Computer Engineering, or related field. • 7+ years of embedded systems experience. • 3+ years of experience leading, project managing, or mentoring a team. • Understanding of digital circuits and the interaction between firmware and electronics. Ability to realize component level design. • Practical knowledge in analog/digital system tradeoffs and design, especially related to signal integrity, noise analysis, and margin considerations. • Familiarity with using schematic capture, PCB layout software, SPICE, and knowledge of industry best practices. • Expertise in C programming and related development tools and processes, especially relating to microcontroller peripherals. • Strong leadership experience. • Self-motivated, organized, efficient, process oriented with a strong work ethic. • Excellent problem-solving skills, exercises independent judgement and works well under pressure in a dynamic environment. • Ability to travel 10% of the time (domestic and international). Other TOOLS we prefer you to have: • Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field. • Working knowledge of a second modern programming language such as Python or C++. We provide these great perks and benefits: • Robust health, dental and vision insurance plans. • Generous 401 (K) savings plan. • Education assistance. • On-site wellness, fitness center, food, and coffee service. • And many more, check out our benefits site HERE . Milwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer.

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