Founding Electrical Engineer

Laran; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Soundryx, Inc. in Los Angeles seeks a Founding Electrical Engineer to design a custom PCB microphone array and power systems critical to the platform. You will own MCU/FPGA choices, drive ruggedized hardware, and collaborate with DSP/ML teams on HW/SW co-design for export-controlled projects.

The role emphasizes field-ready hardware, DFM/DFX, and early process establishment, with a strong emphasis on autonomy and multi-day operation in outdoor environments.

Qualifications

• 4–8 years in electrical/embedded hardware (startup or product‑ship preferred).
• Shipped boards with MCUs or FPGAs, high-speed digital, mixed‑signal, and power.
• Proven PCB design - fab - bring-up cycle ownership.
• Battery integration (Li‑ion/LiFePO4, charging, protections, fuel gauging).
• Environmental/ruggedization experience (IP67/68, potting, gasketing, coatings).
• Nice-to-have: beamforming algorithms implemented.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of a custom PCB microphone array (schematic, layout, bring-up; Altium/KiCad).
• Own embedded MCU/FPGA choices and real-time audio processing pathways.
• Drive DFM/DFA, vendor selection, EVT/DVT/PVT, and production test fixtures.
• Architect battery & power systems (PMICs, charging, protections) for multi-day autonomy.
• Engineer for the outdoors: sealing, thermal, vibration, corrosion, IP-rating minded.
• Collaborate with DSP/ML on HW/SW co-design; define clean ICDs/APIs for the stack.
• Establish early hardware processes (libraries, test plans, component risk, ECOs).

Skills

Embedded hardware design

PCB layout & bring-up

Altium / KiCad

Battery integration

Rugged environmental design

FPGA/MCU selection

Hardware testing

Beamforming (nice-to-have)

Tools

Altium Designer

KiCad

FPGA design tools

Job description

Founding Electrical Engineer

(Los Angeles, ITAR-Eligible)

Location: Los Angeles, CA (onsite)

Company: Soundryx, Inc.

Laran builds rugged, low-cost acoustic sensors that detect small drones and other threats across vast areas.

As our Founding Electrical Engineer, you’ll design the custom PCB microphone array and power systems that anchor our platform—and you’ll be the first line ready to support US-only, export-controlled projects when they arise.

What You’ll Do

• Lead design of a custom PCB microphone array (schematic, layout, bring-up; Altium/KiCad).
• Own embedded MCU/FPGA choices and real-time audio processing pathways.
• Drive DFM/DFA, vendor selection, EVT/DVT/PVT, and production test fixtures.
• Architect battery & power systems (PMICs, charging, protections) for multi-day autonomy.
• Engineer for the outdoors: sealing, thermal, vibration, corrosion, IP-rating minded.
• Collaborate with DSP/ML on HW/SW co-design; define clean ICDs/APIs for the stack.
• Establish early hardware processes (libraries, test plans, component risk, ECOs).

What You’ve Done

• Four to eight years in electrical/embedded hardware (startup or product‑ship preferred).
• Shipped boards with MCUs or FPGAs, high-speed digital, mixed‑signal, and power.
• Proven PCB design - fab - bring-up cycle ownership.
• Battery integration (Li‑ion/LiFePO4, charging, protections, fuel gauging).
• Environmental/ruggedization experience (IP67/68, potting, gasketing, coatings).
• Nice-to-have: Implemented beamforming algorithms.

Additional Requirements

• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, or willingness and ability to obtain shortly after joining (we’ll reimburse and train).

Why Join Laran

• First chair, big canvas: You’ll help push our hardware platform to new heights.
• Field-proven impact: Your hardware will help secure the world against mechanized adversaries.
• Ownership: Competitive salary + meaningful early equity.

Compensation

• Salary: $130,000–$180,000
• Equity: 2% - 4% of the fully-diluted cap table for Soundryx, Inc. as calculated on offer grant date. The grant is offered as options on a standard four-year vesting schedule with a one-year cliff.

Export Control (ITAR-Eligibility)

Caution

While Laran’s commercial product is designed for broad exportability, this role may involve access to export-controlled technical data. Under US regulations, access is limited to US persons A.

US Persons Include

• US citizens
• Lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders)
• Individuals granted asylum in the United States
• Individuals admitted to the United States as refugees
• US non-citizen nationals (e.g., born in American Samoa)B

Laran is an equal opportunity employer. Some positions are limited to US Persons under export control laws.

Footnotes

• 22 C.F.R.
• 120.62 — ITAR definition of “US person” (eCFR)
• 8 U.S.C.
• 1408 — “Nationals but not citizens of the United States at birth”