Tech Company Targets Spokane

A Northern California company is opening a Spokane Valley office, planning for a staff of nine printed circuit board designers within several months.

Hunter Technology Corp., based in Santa Clara, will move part of its operations to Spokane to reduce operating costs, said Joseph O’Neil, the company’s general manager.

The Spokane staff will all be printed circuit board designers, earning between $50,000 and $70,000 a year, said Randy Chase, who was named Hunter’s Spokane manager.

Even in that range, Spokane’s circuit board designer salaries will be about 30 percent less than comparable jobs in the Silicon Valley, Chase said. “Plus, we’re recruiting people to the jobs here, and rents are much lower here,” he added. Chase recently moved here from the California office. He expects to hire two designers by Jan. 1 and a total of nine by July 1. They’ll work from leased space in the Spokane Valley, at 12310 E. Mirabeau Parkway.

Printed circuit designers take drawings from hardware engineers, then create the footprint of integrated circuits and connectors that produce a working circuit board.

“Designers are in such high demand that their salaries have really increased,” said Chase.

Hunter’s Spokane staff will initially focus on helping the company’s Santa Clara designers meet high demand for printed board designs.

That office in Northern California has a staff of more than 600, according to industry reports.

Over time, the Spokane group will spend time establishing contracts with area tech firms. Chase said he’ll target the key hardware companies here, such as Alcatel, Agilent, Telect and World Wide Packets, all in the Valley.

Chase said he’ll also try to develop intern programs with area colleges, community colleges and universities.

The company’s arrival was announced Wednesday by the Spokane Area Economic Development Council. Chase said the EDC helped Hunter in selecting the new Spokane site.