Electrical Engineer - Robotics

HDT; Fredericksburg (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

HDT in Fredericksburg, Virginia seeks a Robotics Electronics Engineer to create robotic devices for military and scientific applications. Your role will include leading electronics projects, interfacing sensors, and designing complex circuit systems.

Candidates should have 3-7 years of experience, a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, and familiarity with design tools like Altium and Eagle. The position offers a dynamic work environment focused on innovative engineering solutions.

Qualifications

• 3-7 years relevant work experience is required.
• Strong written and oral communication skills are necessary.
• Experience with designing boards with complex mechanical integration requirements.

Responsibilities

• Create robotic devices for medical, military, and scientific applications.
• Design and debug systems involving sensors and communications.
• Prepare detailed documentation for understanding designs.

Skills

Sensor interfacing

Communication busses

Analog circuits

Digital logic

Microcontrollers

Power electronics

Troubleshooting under pressure

Circuit design and simulation

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s Degree (strongly preferred)

Tools

Altium

Eagle

Spice

Job description

Some jobs aren't just tough — they’re brutal. Too toxic. Too remote. Too dangerous for humans to handle. That’s where we come in.

At HDT, we build robotic arms and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) with military-grade strength and precision engineering, built for the extremes and adaptable to any challenge. Behind the toughest hardware is a team energized by complex problems. Bring us a challenge, and we’ll engineer the solution.

That’s the mindset. That's the mission. That’s Built for Brutal.

Overall Summary

Creates novel robotic devices for diverse applications in medical, military, and scientific research fields. Participates in all aspects of design from requirements analysis, architecture definition, design, circuit capture, layout, manufacturing, testing, and documentation. Design aspects may range from interfacing with sensors and communication buses, power supplies and power management, brushless motor control electronics as well as microcontrollers, DSPs, and microprocessors for controlling robotic devices. Must be comfortable with hands‑on debugging that spans the mechanical, electrical, and control system domains typical of robotic systems. Translates objectives to results and deliverables with little oversight and direction. Leads electronics development projects of moderate to high complexity. Works in a highly-collaborative, multi-disciplinary team environment.

Primary and Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Demonstrates skill in electronics design:
  • Sensor interfacing: potentiometers, encoders, temperature, current, gyros, accelerometers, IMUs, etc.
  • Communication busses: RS232/RS422/RS485, CAN bus, USB, Ethernet including GigE, SPI, I2C, Bluetooth, etc.
  • Analog circuits: op‑amps, comparators, filters
  • Digital logic: logic gates, flip‑flops
  • CPUs: MCUs, DSPs, ARM processors, SoCs and SOMs
  • Power electronics: AC/DC and DC/DC power supplies and power management, brushless motor control (MOSFETS, drivers), power generators, battery systems, etc.
  • Drafting of assembly drawings for cables and wiring harnesses
• Demonstrates skill in circuit design, simulation, and prototyping
• Demonstrates strong problem‑solving skills and troubleshooting under pressure
• Familiar with schematic capture for complex systems and circuits
• Demonstrates skill with wire harness layout and harnessing software
• Demonstrates skill with DFM, BOM management, PCB fabrication data generation
• Demonstrates skill with PCB manufacturing and board/assembly house interfacing
• Performs required testing for system development and proof of concept
• Prepares required documentation at a detailed level for full understanding
• Familiarity with Altium
• Familiarity with Spice
• Familiarity with instrumentation & tools required for debug, test and integration of embedded systems, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, etc.

Years Experience

3‑7 years relevant work experience

Level of Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science from an accredited school or equivalent experience required; Master’s Degree strongly preferred

Experience / Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Experience working under tight timelines
• Possesses effective oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrates ability to communicate designs to technicians correctly
• Design for EMI/EMC
• Familiarity with EMI/EMC lab testing
• Experience with designing boards with complex mechanical integration requirements and tight manufacturing tolerances
• Experience in the creating technical documentation in a regulated environment
• Familiarity with military standard testing processes and techniques
• Familiarity with Eagle
• Development of device drivers in C/C+
• Experience with programmable logic design (CPLD, FPGA, VHDL, Verilog)
• Possesses quality orientation and high attention to detail
• Possesses strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with customers, vendors, employees and managers at all levels within the company
• Possesses strong computer skills with demonstrated proficiency in standard business software packages (e.g., Microsoft Office)

Export Compliance

** This position requires access to or use of export‑controlled technical data or technology controlled by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Accordingly, applicants must be U.S. Persons or must be eligible to obtain the required export authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce. A U.S. Person is defined as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident, or a person who is a protected individual under the Immigration and Naturalization Act (8 U.S.C. 1324(b)(a)(3)).

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.