Senior Electrical Engineer (Hardware tech Lead)

The Role: Senior Electrical Engineer (Hardware Tech Lead) At our startup, you’ll design, build, and deploy mission-critical hardware that powers connected autonomous systems for U.S. defense operations. This is a hands-on, high-ownership, cross-functional role spanning electrical engineering, systems design, mechanical integration, embedded collaboration, and field deployment. You won’t be confined to a bench — you’ll own real systems that ship, fly, and operate in the real world. Responsibilities • Own the full electrical lifecycle: concept, schematics, PCB layout, prototyping, validation, and production • Design high-speed digital, analog, signal integrity, and power electronics systems • Engineer for reliability in harsh environments (temperature, vibration, ingress, EMI/EMC) • Integrate hardware with drones, radars, cameras, RF sensors, and multi-domain platforms • Rapidly iterate with direct customer feedback and real-world deployment data • Operate at the intersection of hardware, product, and systems — not a narrow bench role Who Thrives Here • Product-minded engineers who engage directly with customers • Builders who reduce ambiguity and drive execution • System thinkers who balance EE decisions with mechanical constraints and user experience • People who want their work deployed in real missions • Engineers who thrive in founder-level ownership and pace Required Qualifications • 5+ years designing and releasing custom PCBAs • Deep expertise in high-speed digital, signal integrity, analog, and power electronics • Proficiency with KiCad, LTSpice, oscilloscopes, and logic/spectrum analyzers • Experience designing reliability-critical hardware • Familiarity with OnShape and Git • Strong ability to read and interpret specifications, drawings, and data sheets Preferred Qualifications • Aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability hardware experience • RF design, custom magnetics, power electronics, or sensor integration • Comfort supporting hardware in field deployments Culture • No assholes • High-ownership, emotionally mature team • Collaborative, ambitious, and low-ego environment • Teammates who “full-send” and cover for one another • Partnership-driven mindset with vendors and customers Team Vision (Next Two Years) • Scale from ~25 to ~120 employees • Build balanced electrical and mechanical engineering teams • Expand R&D and manufacturing capabilities • Launch multiple new product lines with significant greenfield development What Success Looks Like in Year One • Own multiple hardware designs from concept through deployment • Bring clarity and structure to a fast-moving engineering pipeline • Deliver reliable, production-ready hardware for real missions • Set technical direction, remove ambiguity, and accelerate execution