Electrical Engineer – UUVs & Undersea Electronics

Saronic Technologies; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental & Vision insurance

Generous PTO

Parental leave

Competitive salary

401(k) retirement

Stock options

Life & disability insurance

Pet insurance

Free lunch

Unlimited drinks & snacks

Job summary

Saronic Technologies Inc. seeks a Senior Electrical Engineer to lead design, development, and testing of electrical/electronic systems for unmanned underwater vehicles and subsea platforms.

The role requires hands-on leadership across architecture, detailed design, troubleshooting, vendor coordination, and field testing in harsh marine environments. Strong collaboration with cross-functional teams is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/ Electronics/ Computer Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years of electrical engineering experience with embedded, ruggedized, or mission-critical electronics.
• Experience designing, integrating, troubleshooting electrical systems for harsh-environment platforms (UUVs/AUVs/ROVs).
• Strong knowledge of analog and digital circuit design, power electronics, embedded systems, interfaces, and sensor integration.
• Familiarity with Ethernet, RS-232, RS-485, CAN, SPI, I2C, USB, timing signals.
• Experience with battery-powered systems, power budgeting, grounding, EMI/EMC mitigation, fault protection.
• Hands-on experience building, testing, debugging prototype hardware.
• Ability to produce clear engineering docs and test procedures.
• Strong problem-solving in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary team environment.

Responsibilities

• Design electrical architectures for UUVs, AUVs, ROVs and subsea payloads.
• Develop power distribution, battery interfaces, motor control electronics, embedded boards, sensor interfaces, and data acquisition systems.
• Create schematics, PCB layouts, wiring diagrams, interface control documents, and design documentation.
• Select components for subsea/high-reliability applications (connectors, penetrators, batteries, sensors, processors).
• Integrate electronics into pressure housings, subsea enclosures, and hull structures.
• Address pressure, corrosion, thermal, sealing, shock, vibration for long-duration underwater operation.
• Develop interfaces for sonar, inertial nav, depth sensors, Doppler, cameras, thrusters, and mission computers.
• Support electrical integration of propulsion, navigation, control, communications, payloads, energy storage.

Skills

Embedded electronics

Power systems

Sensor integration

Communications

Ruggedized hardware

Analog/digital circuit design

Power electronics

Embedded systems

Documentation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (preferred)

Job description

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Job Overview

We are seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer to lead the design, development, integration, and testing of advanced electrical and electronic systems for unmanned underwater vehicles, undersea sensors, and subsea mission systems. This role is ideal for an experienced engineer with strong expertise in embedded electronics, power systems, sensor integration, communications, and ruggedized hardware designed for harsh marine environments.

The Senior Electrical Engineer will work closely with mechanical, software, systems, autonomy, and test engineering teams to deliver reliable undersea platforms and payloads capable of operating in demanding subsea conditions. The role requires a hands-on technical leader who can move between architecture, detailed design, troubleshooting, vendor coordination, and field testing.

Responsibilities

• Electrical System Design
  • Design and develop electrical architectures for UUVs, AUVs, ROVs, subsea payloads, and related support equipment.
  • Develop power distribution systems, battery interfaces, motor control electronics, embedded control boards, sensor interfaces, communication buses, and data acquisition systems.
  • Create schematics, PCB layouts, cable drawings, wiring diagrams, interface control documents, and electrical design documentation.
  • Select components for subsea and high-reliability applications, including connectors, penetrators, batteries, sensors, embedded processors, power converters, and communication modules.
• Undersea Electronics & Integration
  • Integrate electronics into pressure housings, subsea enclosures, wet-mate interfaces, and vehicle hull structures.
  • Support design considerations related to pressure, corrosion, galvanic isolation, thermal management, sealing, shock, vibration, and long-duration underwater operation.
  • Develop and troubleshoot interfaces for sonar, acoustic modems, inertial navigation systems, depth sensors, Doppler velocity logs, cameras, payload sensors, thrusters, and mission computers.
  • Support electrical integration of autonomous vehicle subsystems, including propulsion, navigation, control, communications, payloads, and energy storage.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Typically 7+ years of electrical engineering experience, with significant experience developing embedded, ruggedized, or mission-critical electronics.
• Experience designing, integrating, and troubleshooting electrical systems for UUVs, AUVs, ROVs, subsea systems, marine robotics, defense systems, aerospace systems, or other harsh-environment platforms.
• Strong knowledge of analog and digital circuit design, power electronics, embedded systems, communication interfaces, and sensor integration.
• Familiarity with electrical interfaces such as Ethernet, RS-232, RS-485, CAN, SPI, I2C, USB, serial communications, and timing/synchronization signals.
• Experience with battery-powered systems, power budgeting, DC power distribution, grounding, isolation, EMI/EMC mitigation, and fault protection.
• Hands‑on experience building, testing, debugging, and modifying prototype hardware.
• Ability to create clear engineering documentation, test procedures, interface control documents, and technical reports.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to work in a fast‑paced engineering environment with multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.
• Experience with subsea electrical connectors, pressure‑rated housings, cable assemblies, penetrators, oil‑filled systems, or wet‑mateable interfaces.
• Experience with undersea navigation, acoustic communications, sonar systems, payload electronics, or vehicle control systems.
• Knowledge of UUV mission architectures, autonomy systems, subsea sensing, or maritime defense applications.
• Experience with environmental qualification testing, including pressure, temperature, vibration, shock, salt fog, humidity, and EMI/EMC testing.
• Experience supporting ocean testing, field operations, vessel‑based deployments, or customer demonstrations.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, where required.
• Eligibility to access export‑controlled technical information, where required by the role.

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Occasional standing and walking within the office
• Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment
• Visual acuity to read screens, documents, and reports
• Occasional reaching, bending, or stooping to access file drawers, cabinets, or office supplies
• Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages)

Benefits

• Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services
• Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents
• Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check‑ups, orthodontics, and vision care
• Saronic pays 100% of the premium under the basic plan for employees and 80% for dependents
• Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays
• Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents
• Competitive Salary: Industry‑standard salaries with opportunities for performance‑based bonuses
• Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan with company match
• Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success
• Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short‑and-long-term disability coverage
• Pet Insurance: Discounted pet insurance options including 24/7 Telehealth helpline
• Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office

Saronic CCAA Notice for Candidates and California Employees

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.