End-to-End Hardware Engineer, Defense Prototyping

Kform; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Kform is a next‑generation defense manufacturer partnering with leading defense and dual‑use startups to transform advanced ideas into production‑ready hardware. We span design, engineering, prototyping, manufacturing, quality, and production readiness so critical products make it from whiteboard to real‑world use.

If you thrive on building, learning at speed, and delivering under demanding timelines, you’ll fit right in. Our customers can’t wait years—our work helps them win in weeks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related technical field.
• 3–5 years in product design, hardware development, prototyping, test, or multidisciplinary engineering.
• Strong capability in at least one core discipline (ideally electrical or mechanical).
• Working knowledge spanning embedded software, electronics, mechanical design, manufacturing, quality, test, and systems integration.
• Advanced proficiency in Altium or a comparable primary design tool.
• Hands‑on experience with rapid prototyping, fabrication tools, electronics, test equipment, and physical hardware.
• Clear documentation skills across design intent, revisions, results, and decisions.
• Proven problem solving and the ability to operate independently within a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end development of multidisciplinary hardware: mechanical subassemblies, electronic architectures, embedded controls, fixtures, test assets, and production‑ready components.
• Design electronics in ECAD (primarily Altium), collaborating tightly with mechanical and firmware teams.
• Bridge decisions across mechanical, electrical, software, manufacturing, and quality to optimize the full system.
• Rapidly prototype proof‑of‑concepts using hands‑on fabrication, electronics, test equipment, and iterative build‑measure‑learn loops.
• Develop, integrate, or support embedded software to connect electromechanical systems into functioning prototypes and products.
• Plan and execute verification for performance, reliability, durability, manufacturability, and safety—then analyze results, isolate failure modes, and drive evidence‑based design changes.
• Create clear documentation of intent, revisions, test results, tradeoffs, and lessons so designs transfer smoothly into production.
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program teams to improve designs for manufacturability, assembly, inspection, cost, schedule, and reliability.
• Model strong engineering practice while mentoring junior teammates in problem solving, documentation, and ownership.
• Independently lead smaller projects from ambiguous requirements to delivered outcomes.
• Continuously improve Kform’s engineering and manufacturing systems.

Skills

Electrical design literacy

Embedded development

Prototype build and test

Design for manufacturability

Technical documentation

Problem solving

Ownership and accountability

Education

Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics

Tools

Altium

ECAD

Job description

Kform is a next‑generation defense manufacturer partnering with leading defense and dual‑use startups to transform advanced ideas into production‑ready hardware. We span design, engineering, prototyping, manufacturing, quality, and production readiness so critical products make it from whiteboard to real‑world use.

If you thrive on building, learning at speed, and delivering under demanding timelines, you’ll fit right in. Our customers can’t wait years—our work helps them win in weeks.