Electrical Engineer IV

ACV Auctions; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans and disability

Dental and Vision options

Life Insurance

Paid time off and holidays

Employee Stock Purchase Program

401(k)

Job summary

ACV Auctions is seeking a senior electrical engineer to drive end-to-end hardware development for next‑generation platforms. You will bridge R&D prototypes and scalable systems designed for rugged environments, working cross‑functionally with systems, mechanical, firmware, and safety teams.

The role emphasizes concept through production, high‑speed PCB design, secure interfaces, and manufacturability. Candidates should have extensive hardware experience and strong English communication skills,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or equivalent technical field.
• 8+ years of professional experience in hardware engineering, taking complex electronic systems from concept through mass-production (EVT, DVT, PVT, SOP).
• Extensive experience with industry-standard EDA tools (Altium Designer or Cadence Allegro) for multi-layer PCB design, high-speed routing, and signal integrity.
• Strong understanding of power distribution, low-noise analog circuitry, high-speed digital design, and protection circuitry.
• Experience with serial and network communication buses (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN/CAN FD, RS232/RS485, USB, PCIe, Ethernet).
• Experience with high-speed serial interfaces (GMSL, FPD-Link) and sensing tech (cameras, LiDAR, radar).
• Proficiency in Python, C/C++, or Bash for firmware verification tools and data analysis.
• Familiarity with STM32, NXP, TI, ARM Cortex chipsets and secure boot concepts.
• Knowledge of IEC 60068, ISO 26262 and automotive standards; AI tools in engineering workflows.
• Strong English communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead hardware lifecycle from concept to manufacturing hand-off.
• Translate system requirements into testable specs for compute, sensing, power and interfaces.
• Ruggedize prototypes for manufacturability, reliability, and cost efficiency.
• Create test plans and run bring-up, debugging, and validation with test equipment.
• Collaborate with Mechanical, Firmware, and Software teams on packaging, thermal management, and IP protection.
• Integrate edge compute modules (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) with multiple sensors.
• Lead root-cause analysis for hardware failures from testing to field operation.
• Oversee fabrication with manufacturing partners and troubleshoot assembly issues.

Skills

PCB design

High-speed digital design

Power distribution

Schematic capture

Python

C/C++

System integration

English

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics

Tools

Altium Designer

Cadence Allegro

Job description

If you are looking for a career at a dynamic company with a people-first mindset and a deep culture of growth and autonomy, ACV is the right place for you! Competitive compensation packages and learning and development opportunities, ACV has what you need to advance to the next level in your career. We will continue to raise the bar every day by investing in our people and technology to help our customers succeed. We hire people who share our passion, bring innovative ideas to the table, and enjoy a collaborative atmosphere.

Who we are

ACV is a technology company that has revolutionized how dealers buy and sell cars online. We are transforming the automotive industry. ACV Auctions Inc. (ACV), has applied innovation and user-designed, data driven applications and solutions. We are building the most trusted and efficient digital marketplace with data solutions for sourcing, selling and managing used vehicles with transparency and comprehensive insights that were once unimaginable. We are disruptors of the industry and we want you to join us on our journey. Our network of brands include ACV Auctions, ACV Transportation, ClearCar, MAX Digital and ACV Capital within its Marketplace Products, as well as, True360 and Data Services.

At ACV we focus on the Health, Physical, Financial, Social and Emotional Wellness of our Teammates and, to support this, we offer:

• Multiple medical plans including a high deductible, low cost health plan
• Company-sponsored (paid) Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life Insurance
• Comprehensive optional benefits such as Dental, Vision, Supplemental Life/AD&D, Legal/ID Protection, and Accident and Critical Illness Insurance
• Generous paid time off options, including uncapped vacation days, the greater of 3 paid sick days or in accordance with the applicable state or local paid sick leave law, 6 paid company holidays, 2 floating holidays, parental leave, bereavement leave, jury duty leave, voting leave, and other forms of paid leave as required by applicable law or regulation
• Employee Stock Purchase Program with additional opportunities to earn stock in the Company
• Retirement planning through the Company’s 401(k)

Who we are looking for

A Engineer IV, Electrical to drive the design, validation, and production-grade deployment of our next-generation hardware platforms. In this role, you will bridge the gap between experimental R&D prototypes and scalable, mass-producible systems designed for rugged, real-world environments. You are a highly technical, hands-on engineer with a passion for end-to-end hardware development—from conceptual design, schematic capture, and high-speed PCB layout to laboratory testing, firmware integration, and manufacturing scale-up. You will work cross-functionally with systems, mechanical, firmware, and safety teams to deliver robust, high-performance, and secure hardware architectures.

What you will do

• Lead the hardware lifecycle from concept, schematic capture, and PCB layout/routing to high-volume manufacturing hand-off.
• Decompose system-level product requirements into testable component and subsystem specifications covering compute, sensing, communication, and power distribution.
• Optimize and ruggedize early-stage prototypes, ensuring experimental hardware is redesigned for manufacturability (DFM), assembly (DFA), reliability, and cost-efficiency.
• Build out test frameworks, write test plans, and lead bring-up, debugging, and validation campaigns using multimeters, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.
• Partner closely with Mechanical Engineers on packaging, thermal management, and ingress protection (IP) for high-vibration and extreme-temperature environments. Coordinate with Firmware and Software teams to align on timing budgets, register maps, and peripheral interfaces.
• Package and integrate high-performance edge compute modules (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) with multiple sensing modalities (cameras, LiDAR, radar, IMUs).
• Lead root-cause analysis for cross-domain hardware failures surfaced during bring-up, environmental testing, or field operation, and feed findings back into the design loop.
• Oversee manufacturing partners, direct the fabrication of prototypes, and troubleshoot assembly line issues to ensure high-quality yield.

What you will need

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or equivalent technical field.
• 8+ years of professional experience in hardware engineering, taking complex electronic systems from concept through mass-production (EVT, DVT, PVT, SOP).
• Extensive experience with industry-standard EDA tools (such as Altium Designer or Cadence Allegro) for multi-layer PCB design, high-speed routing, and signal integrity.
• Strong understanding of power distribution, low-noise analog circuitry, high-speed digital design, and protection circuitry.
• Hands‑on experience with serial and network communication buses, including I2C, SPI, UART, CAN/CAN FD, RS232/RS485, USB, PCIe, Ethernet and automotive ethernet.
• Experience working with high-speed serial interfaces (e.g., GMSL, FPD-Link) and integrating modern sensing technologies (cameras, LiDAR, radar, and GNSS).
• Competency in scripting and low-level programming (Python, C/C++, or Bash) to write custom firmware verification tools, automate test equipment, and analyze raw sensor data.
• Deep familiarity with modern microcontroller architectures (such as STM32, NXP, TI, ARM Cortex chipsets) and secure boot/hardware security concepts.
• Familiarity with hardware testing and deployment standards for high reliability systems, such as IEC 60068, AEC or automotive functional safety standards (ISO 26262).
• Experience in leveraging AI tools to accelerate Mechanical Engineering workflow.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English.

Our Values

Trust & Transparency | People First | Positive Experiences | Calm Persistence | Never Settling

At ACV, we are committed to an inclusive culture in which every individual is welcomed and empowered to celebrate their true selves. We achieve this by fostering a work environment of acceptance and understanding that is free from discrimination. ACV is committed to being an equal opportunity employer regardless of sex, race, creed, color, religion, marital status, national origin, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, disability, military status, status as a veteran, or any other protected characteristic. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires reasonable accommodation, please let us know.

For information on our collection and use of your personal information, please see our Privacy Notice.

No immigration or work visa sponsorship provided for this position.

Compensation

The compensation range for this position is listed in the "Job Details" section at the bottom of this posting. Please note that final compensation will be determined based upon the applicant's relevant experience, skill set, location, business needs, market demands, and other factors as permitted by law.