Product development · Engineer for your project
An electronics and embedded engineer for your project
Need a freelance electronics or embedded engineer for part of your project? Conceptech, an Israeli engineering company, adds a lead engineer and specialists as needed: a freelancer's flexibility, with a contract and continuity.
- For
- Team leads and founders who need experienced hands for a defined piece of hardware or firmware work
- You get
- A lead engineer accountable for the work, with specialists only when needed
- First step
- A call with an engineer about the task, then a written proposal
Freelancer or company
Freelancer or engineering company: what's the difference?
Both models can work. The difference shows when the work grows, changes or stops halfway.
A freelance hardware engineer suits a well-defined task in one discipline, when someone on your side manages it. An engineering company suits a task that may grow into other disciplines, or work that mustn't stop if one person becomes unavailable. An honest comparison, on five points:
- Availability: a freelancer is available depending on their workload at the time. With us, a lead engineer is accountable for the project, and when more hands are needed, another specialist engineer joins.
- Continuity: when a freelancer moves on, the knowledge goes with them. With us, the work is documented along the way and the project stays the company's responsibility, even when a new engineer joins.
- Breadth: a freelancer usually works in one or two disciplines. With us, specialists join as needed: boards, firmware, mechanics, testing and manufacturing preparation.
- Contract and NDA: you can sign with a freelancer too, but the agreement is with one person. With us, the contract is with a company, we sign an NDA on request when the project calls for it, and IP is agreed in the contract.
- Cost: in both models it depends on scope, the experience required and how long the work runs. Compare the cost of the delivered result, not just the cost of an hour.
If you need someone for a short task in one discipline and you have someone to manage it, a freelancer may fit. If the task touches several disciplines or has to hold up over time, an engineering company takes the coordination off your hands.
Where we help
What can one of our engineers help with?
Defined pieces of hardware and firmware work that can be handed over, checked and closed. Each ends with a documented deliverable.
Firmware development
Drivers, logic and communications such as CAN and FDCAN, RS-485 or Modbus, inside your existing codebase or as a new module.
Output: Code in your repository, documented
Board and PCB design
Schematic, component selection and board layout in DipTrace, Altium or OrCAD, in whichever tool your team uses.
Output: Schematics, Gerbers and BOM
Board bring-up
A new board back from the manufacturer: we check the rails, flash the first firmware and test every circuit until the board works and there's a list of what to fix.
Output: Bring-up report and fix list
Test fixtures and HIL benches
A fixture for testing boards, or a HIL bench that tests the firmware automatically on every code change.
Output: A fixture or test bench, with a test procedure
Debugging
A fault that keeps coming back in the field, or on one unit in every few: we reproduce it, measure and find the cause, in the board, the firmware or between them.
Output: Root cause and a proposed fix
Design and code reviews
A second pair of eyes on a schematic, layout or code before an order or release: protection, grounding, part availability, certification and production readiness.
Output: Findings report and recommendations
Documentation
Design documents, test instructions and manufacturing packs, including for work done before we joined, so your team can carry on without us.
Output: Documents in the format your team works with
Working in your team
How does one of our engineers fit into your team?
We work in your tools and processes, report at a rhythm agreed up front, and work remotely or on site, as the work requires.
- Your tools: code goes into your repository and through your review process, and design work happens in your tools, such as DipTrace, Altium or OrCAD for boards, and Fusion 360, SolidWorks or Inventor for mechanics.
- Reporting: the reporting rhythm and format are agreed at the start, for example a regular written update and a short meeting with the team lead.
- Remote or on site: most code and design work can run remotely. Hands-on hardware work, such as board bring-up and testing, is planned ahead: at your site, or on units shipped to us.
- One point of contact: a lead engineer is accountable for the work and stays your point of contact, even when a specialist in another discipline joins.
We work with companies abroad too, through remote collaboration, with English-speaking engineering throughout the project.
The team
Who joins your project?
A lead engineer is accountable for the work, with specialist engineers brought in per project, only in the disciplines it needs.
PCB layout
Board layout, routing, stack-up and grounding, with fabrication files ready to order.
- DipTrace
- Altium
- OrCAD
Electronics
Electrical architecture, schematics, component selection, protection and power supplies.
Firmware and embedded
Code for microcontrollers and embedded Linux, drivers, real-time behaviour and automated tests.
Mechanical design
Enclosures, mechanisms and machine frames, designed for the way they will be made.
- Fusion 360
- SolidWorks
- Inventor
Manufacturing preparation
Manufacturing packs, design-for-manufacture changes, and coordination with the manufacturers we work with, including local manufacturers in Israel for urgent and sensitive work.
Projects are led by an engineer with 10+ years of engineering experience across startups, automotive and robotics, including FCC and UL certification.
Engineer for your project: FAQ
How soon can you start?
It depends on scope and on our workload at the time, so we answer after a first call rather than up front. We usually reply within 3 working hours, by email or phone. In the call we go through the task, your tools and your target date, and tell you plainly whether and when we can start.
Do you sign an NDA?
Yes. We sign an NDA on request when the project calls for it. When one of our engineers joins your team and works in your code or design, that's usually the case.
Who owns the code and the design?
Ownership of the code, design files and IP is agreed in the contract for each project, before work starts. When the work happens in your repository and your tools, the files are with you throughout.
Which tools do you work with?
For board design, DipTrace as the main tool, plus Altium and OrCAD, and KiCad when the client requires it. For microcontrollers, STM32, ESP32, nRF, Infineon, Texas Instruments and Microchip, and any AVR- or ARM-based MCU. For mechanical design, Fusion 360 as the main tool, plus SolidWorks and Inventor. For communications, CAN and FDCAN, RS-485, RS-232, Modbus, EtherCAT, BLE and Wi-Fi. If your team uses another tool, we check that in the first call.
Do you work by the hour or to a defined scope?
Either way: a defined scope with deliverables, or time-based work with regular reporting. The task decides which fits, and either way you get a written proposal before work starts.
Do you work with teams outside Israel?
Yes. We work with founders and companies abroad through remote collaboration, with English-speaking engineering throughout the project, and we welcome partnerships. Code, design and reporting run in your team's tools and language.
Tell us what your project is missing, and we'll propose how to fill it
Describe the task, the tools your team works with and your target date. An engineer will reply with a first direction and a proposal for the next step.
Usually a reply within 3 working hours, by email or phone