Electrical Engineer I

etc; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation

Healthcare

Flexible PTO

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

etc, the Exploration Technology Corp in San Francisco, is seeking a hands-on electrical engineer to build space hardware systems. You'll design mixed-signal circuit boards, perform hardware testing, and collaborate with diverse teams on multiple engineering projects.

We're looking for someone with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and at least 2 years of professional experience. The role offers opportunities to work on cutting-edge missions and competitive compensation in the range of $75,000 - $110,000 annually.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in electrical hardware design, preferably in aerospace.
• Strong knowledge of design practices for EMI/EMC mitigation.

Responsibilities

• Design mixed-signal circuit boards and electrical architectures.
• Perform hands-on board bring-up, debugging, and validation.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams on project support.

Skills

Electronics Design & Layout

Electrical Harness Design

Prototyping and Debugging Skills

Analog and Digital Circuit Design

Communication Protocols (I²C, SPI, UART, CAN, Ethernet)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

KiCad

Circuit Simulation Tools

Job description

etc, the Exploration Technology Corp, is a team of techno-optimists and outdoors adventurers. We are motivated by the challenge of solving tough engineering problems, committed to creating sustainable change, and driven by a curiosity to explore and understand both our natural world and the universe.

For decades, the tools and technologies developed for spaceflight, defense, and exploration have not only helped us expand our understanding of the universe but have also supported human advancement here on Earth. We carry this legacy forward, knowing that innovation in these areas can lead to solutions that help people everywhere.

At etc, we are actively developing cutting‑edge exploration and defense missions. If you join the team, you will have the opportunity to work on hardware and software for US Department of Defense missions, NASA programs, and much more.

About the role

We're hiring a hands‑on electrical engineer to join our team building space hardware systems, working across multiple disciplines. In this role, you'll take real flight hardware from concept to delivery, focusing on electronics, avionics, and power systems while integrating closely with mechanical structures and software. While you should be experienced with board‑level design, this isn’t a narrow specialist role; we are seeking a generalist who sees the big picture, moves fast, and thrives on solving a new problem every day.

What you’ll do

• Electronics Design & Layout: Design mixed‑signal circuit boards and electrical architectures. Own the process from schematic capture and component selection to PCB layout (using Altium or KiCad).
• Electrical Harness Design and Build: Designing, pinning out, documenting and building electrical harnesses for data and power following best practices. Include harness drawings and pinout documents.
• Lifecycle Systems Engineering: Design new electrical subsystems from first principles to meet power and data requirements. Support performance specification definition, verification planning, and technical documentation throughout the product lifecycle.
• Hardware Bring‑up & Testing: Perform hands‑on board bring‑up, debugging, and validation using lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, etc.). Troubleshoot complex interactions between hardware and firmware.
• Cross‑Domain Engineering (Land/Air/Sea/Space): Conceive, design, develop, build, test, and deploy engineered systems for extreme environments with an emphasis on space.
• Project Support: Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, manage PCB fabrication/assembly vendors, and provide technical support for integration and testing in San Francisco and at customer facilities.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field.
• Experience: 2+ years of professional experience in electrical hardware design, preferably in aerospace, ocean, robotics, or similar.
• Technical skills:
  • Proficiency in EDA tools for schematic capture and PCB layout
  • Experience with analog and digital circuit design and communication protocols (I²C, SPI, UART, CAN, Ethernet)
  • Strong hands‑on prototyping and debugging skills: soldering (SMT/Through‑hole), harness fabrication, etc.
  • Knowledge of best design practices for EMI/EMC mitigation and signal integrity
• Preferences:
  • Expeditionary mindset: you have the curiosity and drive to ask big questions about the natural world and deploy systems to extreme environments to answer those questions
  • Experience with space systems, satellites (CubeSats/SmallSats), or aerospace avionics
  • Knowledge of NASA STD 8739 workmanship standards
  • Experience with circuit simulation tools (SPICE) and power/signal integrity analysis
  • Experience with environmental testing and standards (e.g. NASA GEVS, MIL‑STD‑461)
  • Hands‑on experience with laboratory equipment in a clean‑room environment

What we offer

• Equity participation, healthcare, flexible PTO, and professional development opportunities.

The pay range for this role is:

75,000 - 110,000 USD per year (San Francisco)