Electronics Technician, Drone Assembly

WingXpand, Inc.; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

WingXpand is expanding what's possible with autonomous systems and is seeking an electronics technician to solder, rework boards, and fault-find in complex systems. You will build and repair wire harnesses, perform PCB work, bring up electrical systems, and troubleshoot fielded units.

The role blends assembly, testing, and integration with robotics hardware across air, ground, and maritime domains. You will learn robotics assembly and mechanical integration while collaborating closely with

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on electronics work (assembly, repair, harness building, test, or field service).
• Strong soldering skills (through-hole and surface-mount) on real production hardware.
• Ability to troubleshoot an electrical system to the component level and explain the path taken.
• Comfortable reading schematics, wiring diagrams, and technical documentation.
• Proficient with a multimeter and oscilloscope, familiar with bench test practices.
• Willingness to cross-train into mechanical assembly and composites.
• High attention to detail and ability to follow procedures exactly.
• Reliable, self-motivated, and able to thrive in a fast-moving production environment.

Responsibilities

• Build, modify, and repair wire harnesses and cable assemblies including crimping, splicing, potting, and strain relief.
• Perform through-hole and surface-mount soldering and PCB rework including component replacement and trace repair.
• Troubleshoot electrical and electromechanical systems to the component level using meters and scopes.
• Bring up, test, and validate electrical assemblies before integration.
• Diagnose returned units, isolate the fault, and document findings for engineering.
• Read and work from schematics, wiring diagrams, and BOMs.
• Maintain ESD-safe practices and a clean bench.

Skills

Soldering

Troubleshooting

Schematic reading

Multimeter use

Attention to detail

Fast-paced production

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate degree / technical training

Tools

Oscilloscope

Multimeter

Soldering station

PCB rework tools

Job description

WingXpand is Expanding What's Possible™ with Autonomous Systems, building long-endurance, backpackable smart plane drones and robotics systems that support defense, public safety, disaster response, and commercial missions. Our platforms operate across air, ground, and maritime domains, integrating autonomy, AI-powered sensing, edge computing, and networked systems to deliver real-world intelligence and threat detection. We design, build, and deploy complete systems — hardware, software, and data — and we move fast. As WingXpand scales, we are seeking high performers to grow with our team.

Job Description

We're looking for an electronics technician who can solder well, rework a board, and find the fault in a system nobody else can figure out.

That's the core of this job. You'll build and repair wire harnesses, do component-level work on PCBs, bring up and test electrical systems, and troubleshoot them when something doesn't behave. Our aircraft, rovers, and watercraft are dense with electronics — power distribution, autopilots, radios, payloads, sensors — and when a unit fails on the bench or comes back from the field, you're the one who helps isolate the fault, trace it to the board, the harness, or the connector, and either repair it or hand our engineers a clear picture of what's wrong.

The job doesn't stop at the bench. You'll learn robotics assembly — airframe buildup, mechanical integration, final assembly and test — and there may be composite work as well. We'd rather teach the assembly side to someone strong on electrical than teach electrical to someone strong on assembly. If you've already done both, that's a real advantage. If you haven't, come ready to learn and we'll train you.

If you've spent time on a line doing the same solder joint four hundred times a shift, this is the opposite. We build aircraft, rovers, and watercraft in low volume and high variety — in a given week you might build up a prototype harness, tear into a unit that came back from a range, bring up a payload nobody has flown yet, and help get a production batch out the door. It's also genuinely cool hardware: a plane with an 8-foot wingspan that packs into a backpack and expands in under two minutes, going to people who use it for real.

You'll work directly with our electrical and mechanical engineers, along with the rest of the production team, which means the person who designed the board is sitting a few feet from your bench. When something in the design makes your job harder, you say so and it gets changed. That doesn't happen at bigger shops.

Key Responsibilities

Electrical and electronics

• Build, modify, and repair wire harnesses and cable assemblies, including crimping, splicing, potting, and strain relief.
• Perform through-hole and surface-mount soldering and PCB rework, including component replacement and trace repair.
• Troubleshoot electrical and electromechanical systems to the component level using multimeters, oscilloscopes, and bench supplies.
• Bring up, test, and validate electrical assemblies before integration.
• Diagnose returned and failed units, isolate the fault, and document findings for engineering.
• Read and work from schematics, wiring diagrams, and bills of material.
• Follow ESD-safe practices and maintain a controlled bench.

Assembly and integration

• Support the assembly of airframes, mechanical systems, and subassemblies following documented work instructions.
• Integrate electronics into vehicles and perform functional checkout.
• Prepare and integrate 3D printed parts for production use.
• Support composite fabrication and finishing as needed.
• Inspect and test completed assemblies, and get units ready to ship.

Shop and process

• Use hand tools and shop equipment safely.
• Keep accurate build records, test results, and traceability documentation.
• Work with engineering to improve build processes, work instructions, and design for manufacturability.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on electronics work: assembly, repair, harness building, test, or field service.
• Strong soldering skills, through-hole and surface-mount, on real production hardware.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot an electrical system to the component level and explain how you got there.
• Comfortable reading schematics, wiring diagrams, and technical documentation.
• Proficient with a multimeter and oscilloscope, and familiar with bench test practices.
• Willingness to cross-train into mechanical assembly and composites.
• Strong attention to detail and the discipline to follow written procedures exactly.
• Reliable, self-motivated, and comfortable in a fast-moving production environment.
• High school diploma or equivalent.

Additional Qualifications

• IPC certification — J-STD-001 soldering, IPC-A-610 acceptability, or IPC/WHMA-A-620 cable and harness assembly.
• Military electronics or avionics background, or FAA A&P or avionics experience.
• Associate degree or technical school training in electronics, electrical technology, or a related field.
• Experience with drones, RC aircraft, robotics, or other battery-powered electromechanical systems.
• Experience with lithium battery systems, power distribution, or motor controllers.
• RF, radios, antennas, or tactical communications experience.
• Experience with composites, carbon fiber, or lightweight aerospace materials.
• Familiarity with 3D printing and post-processing.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, medical device, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Experience working to a documented quality system or building traceability records.
• Passion for drones, robotics, aerospace, or building advanced hardware.

Every full-time employee at WingXpand receives stock options. Equity is a core part of how we pay, not an afterthought, and early team members share directly in the company's growth as we scale. Additionally, we offer medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) retirement savings plan, and unlimited paid time off for vacation, illness, and personal needs, plus paid company holidays.

What Else You Need to Know

This role requires access to technology controlled under U.S. export regulations. Applicants must qualify as a U.S. Person as defined at 22 CFR 120.62, which includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, and persons granted asylum or refugee status.
WingXpand is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application or interview process, contact [e-mail] and we'll arrange it.