Application Engineer, Data Center Hardware/Firmware

Utilidata, Inc.; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 160,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible paid time off

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Employer-match 401k

Mentorship and growth opportunities

Job summary

Utilidata, Inc. is looking for a seasoned Application Engineer to work onsite in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The role involves collaborating with product teams to design and implement hardware integration layers for customer environments.

Qualified candidates should have over 8 years of hardware and embedded firmware engineering experience, with a strong background in FPGA development and excellent communication skills. A competitive salary of $160,000 to $195,000, along with benefits, is offered.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on hardware and firmware engineering experience.
• Proven ability to design, implement, and validate hardware solutions.
• Strong communication skills to present technical content.

Responsibilities

• Partner with teams to assess customer environments and build integrations.
• Design and implement hardware integration layers.
• Own end-to-end technical execution for customer integrations.

Skills

Hardware Design

Embedded Firmware Engineering

FPGA Development

PCB-Level Design

Communication Skills

Data Center Protocols

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree (nice to have)

Tools

Embedded Linux

Design Review Checklists

Validation Procedures

Job description

Utilidata is a fast-growing NVIDIA-backed AI company enabling AI data centers to dynamically orchestrate power and unlock more compute capacity from existing energy infrastructure. For over a decade, we have applied AI to the electric grid — bringing real-time visibility and power‑flow control to complex energy infrastructure. Our Karman platform, built on a custom NVIDIA module, brings that same capability to AI data centers, giving operators a way to better use the power already available to them.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Product and GTM teams pre‑contract to assess customer hardware environments and build proof‑of‑concept integration layers that demonstrate Karman's value
• Design and implement the hardware integration layer between Karman and customer infrastructure; review both Utilidata and customer hardware designs to identify integration points and gaps
• Write and modify embedded firmware to adapt Karman to each customer's platform
• Own end‑to‑end technical execution for customer hardware integrations, from kick‑off through design, validation, release, and deployment
• Lead customer‑facing technical calls, on‑site visits, and requirements reviews with customer engineering, IT, and operations teams
• Create and maintain customer integration artifacts, including HW Design Review Checklists, Validation and Test Checklists, Installation and Power‑Up Guides, HW Release Timelines, KPI trackers, and After‑Action Reports
• Develop HW Design Collaterals covering layout, schematic, power, IO, signal integrity, thermal, and RFI requirements
• Produce SOM and metrology bring‑up documentation, including HW Bring‑Up and Power‑Up Guides and design reviews for schematics, layouts, and test results
• Track hardware KPIs and risks; elevate and coordinate resolution across engineering teams
• Take an AI‑first approach to automating processes and generating integration and deployment artifacts
• Participate in roadmap meetings, sprint planning, and design reviews with the HW team to maintain current product knowledge
• Serve as the feedback loop between field deployments and core engineering, translating integration learnings into product improvements
• Build out repeatable processes, templates, and best practices to scale the Application Engineering function

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands‑on hardware and embedded firmware engineering experience, with a demonstrated ability to independently design, implement, and validate hardware solutions from concept through production
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, computer science or similar field OR equivalent training and on‑the‑job experience
• Proven experience designing hardware integration points, including PCB‑level design, interface definition, and system bring‑up, owned end‑to‑end
• FPGA development experience spanning both hardware design/RTL and firmware
• Proficiency writing, modifying, and debugging embedded firmware independently
• Working knowledge of embedded and data center interfaces and protocols (e.g., I2C, UART, PCIe, Ethernet)
• Ability to read and critically review schematics, PCB layouts, and test results
• Demonstrated ability to produce structured engineering artifacts, including design review checklists, test plans, validation procedures, and deployment documentation
• Strong communication skills with the ability to present technical content to both engineering and non‑engineering audiences
• High learning agility in fast‑moving, early‑stage product environments
• Experience in data center infrastructure, power electronics, or energy management hardware
• Willingness to travel for customer kick‑offs, on‑site reviews, and deployment validation

Enhanced Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineer or related field
• Familiarity with System‑on‑Module (SOM) platforms or metrology hardware
• Knowledge of power quality, thermal management, or power sequencing
• Experience with embedded Linux, BSP bring‑up, or Yocto‑based OS customization
• Familiarity with on‑device messaging and serialization patterns (e.g., ZeroMQ, Protobuf, gRPC, REST APIs)
• Prior experience in a customer‑facing technical role such as Field Application Engineer or systems integration engineer

Salary Range

$160,000 to $195,000 base compensation depending on experience plus stock options. Salary will be commensurate with an individual's skills, training, years of experience, and in line with internal compensation bands.

Location

This position is based onsite at our company headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with flexibility for occasional remote work.

EEO Statement

Utilidata values the diversity of our team. We provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or childbirth, sexual orientation, genetics, genetic information, marital status, or status as a covered veteran or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws.

Benefits

• Empowering employees to solve problems and work together to make a difference
• Providing mentorship and growth opportunities as part of a collaborative team
• A flexible work environment with flexible paid time off
• Competitive compensation and benefits, including health, dental, vision, and employer‑match 401k