Electrical & Controls Technician

Approach Venture LLC; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Fully stocked kitchen

Job summary

Approach Venture LLC in Hawthorne, CA is seeking an Electrical & Controls Technician to support the assembly, integration, and testing of electrical and instrumentation systems for next-generation power hardware. This hands-on role involves building control panels, wiring data acquisition systems, and assisting engineers during commissioning and testing.

You will interpret schematics, install sensors, and troubleshoot hardware in a fast-paced startup environment, contributing to the

Qualifications

• 3 years of hands-on experience as an Electrical Technician or related role.
• Experience assembling and wiring control panels or data acquisition hardware.
• Ability to read electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and P&IDs.
• Knowledge of sensors, signal conditioning, grounding, and shielding.
• Experience terminating connections and cable harnesses.
• Proficient with multimeters, oscilloscopes, crimping tools, soldering gear.
• Familiarity with LOTO and NFPA 70E safety procedures.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with engineers.

Responsibilities

• Assemble and wire electrical control panels, junction boxes, enclosures, and cable harnesses from drawings.
• Install and integrate data acquisition hardware and PLC systems.
• Wire sensors such as thermocouples, RTDs, and pressure transducers.
• Route and label cabling with proper grounding and shielding.
• Perform electrical inspections and continuity testing.
• Troubleshoot faults using meters and scopes.
• Support commissioning and system testing.
• Maintain wiring documentation and as-built drawings.
• Assist with test stand assembly and hardware integration.

Skills

Electrical troubleshooting

Instrumentation

Data acquisition

PLC systems

Sensor integration

Education

Associate’s degree in electrical technology

Military technical training

Electrical certification

Tools

Multimeters

Oscilloscopes

Crimping tools

Soldering equipment

Electrical testing tools

Job description

Electrical & Controls Technician – Build and Test Next-Generation Power Systems

Hawthorne, CA | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join a well-funded, early-stage energy technology startup developing advanced power generation systems. The company is building compact, high-performance turbine technology designed to deliver reliable power across a range of energy applications.

We are looking for an Electrical & Controls Technician to support the assembly, integration, and testing of electrical and instrumentation systems for next-generation power hardware. You will work directly with controls and test engineers to build control panels, install sensors, wire data acquisition systems, and troubleshoot electrical hardware during commissioning and testing. This is a hands‑on position working with real hardware in a fast‑moving development environment. You will play an important role in bringing new power generation technology from engineering development into operational testing.

About Us

We are a venture-backed energy technology startup developing advanced thermal and power generation systems for industrial and emerging energy markets. Our team combines mechanical engineering, electrical systems, controls, and hardware testing to develop compact, scalable power solutions. Based in Hawthorne, California, we are building and testing our next generation of hardware with a small, highly technical team.

Job Duties

• Assemble and wire electrical control panels, junction boxes, enclosures, and cable harnesses using engineering drawings and electrical schematics.
• Install and integrate data acquisition hardware, PLC systems, and instrumentation used for monitoring and controlling test equipment.
• Wire and configure sensors, including thermocouples, RTDs, pressure transducers, flow meters, accelerometers, and rotational speed sensors.
• Route, terminate, and label electrical, communication, and instrumentation cabling while maintaining proper grounding, shielding, and signal integrity.
• Perform electrical inspections, continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, and point‑to‑point wiring verification.
• Troubleshoot electrical faults, instrumentation issues, and communication problems using multimeters, oscilloscopes, and other diagnostic equipment.
• Support commissioning and operation of electrical and controls hardware during system‑level testing.
• Maintain accurate wiring documentation, equipment records, and as‑built electrical drawings.
• Assist with test stand assembly, hardware integration, and general electrical troubleshooting as needed.

Qualifications

• 3 years of hands‑on experience as an Electrical Technician, Controls Technician, Instrumentation Technician, or Test Technician.
• Experience assembling and wiring electrical control panels, PLC systems, or data acquisition hardware.
• Ability to interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs).
• Working knowledge of industrial sensors, signal conditioning, electrical grounding, and shielding practices.
• Experience terminating electrical connections, assembling cable harnesses, and troubleshooting electrical systems.
• Proficiency using multimeters, oscilloscopes, crimping tools, soldering equipment, and other electrical assembly and diagnostic tools.
• Familiarity with industrial electrical safety procedures, including lockout/tagout (LOTO) and NFPA 70E practices.
• Ability to work independently on hands‑on electrical assembly and troubleshooting tasks while collaborating with engineering teams.

Preferred Experience

• Experience supporting electrical and instrumentation systems for turbines, engines, rotating machinery, or high‑pressure test equipment.
• Background in aerospace, propulsion, industrial energy, power generation, or hardware development environments.
• Experience building industrial electrical control panels in accordance with UL 508A or NEC standards.
• Familiarity with National Instruments hardware, including cRIO, cDAQ, PXI, or LabVIEW.
• Working knowledge of industrial communication protocols such as CAN, EtherCAT, or Modbus.
• Experience supporting hardware commissioning, system integration, or engineering test campaigns.
• Associate’s degree in electrical technology, military technical training, or a relevant electrical or instrumentation certification.
• Previous experience in an early‑stage startup or fast‑paced hardware development environment.

Why Join Us

• Join a well‑funded, early‑stage company developing advanced power generation technology.
• Work directly with experienced engineers on the assembly, integration, and testing of real hardware.
• Take ownership of electrical and controls hardware from initial assembly through commissioning and system testing.
• Gain hands‑on exposure to advanced energy systems, industrial controls, and high‑performance rotating machinery.
• Work within a small, technical team where your contributions directly influence hardware development and testing.
• Meaningful equity ownership.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Fully stocked kitchen.

Compensation Details

$35 – $60 per hour, depending on experience.