Hardware Engineer

Proto-Town; Lockhart (TX); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Part time

Job summary

Proto-Town is seeking a tinkerer to work on ML-driven crystal growth systems in Lockhart, TX. Ideal candidates are curious and hardworking, with strengths in sensors and microcontroller programming.

The role includes building sensing rigs and debugging, with significant opportunity for prototyping and mechanical fabrication. Flexible hours are available, and there is a potential to convert to full-time.

Qualifications

• Experience building sensing systems with various sensors.
• Ability to program microcontrollers for control loops.
• Skills in breadboard prototyping and fabrication.

Responsibilities

• Build the sensing side of growth rigs with various sensors.
• Program microcontrollers for sensor sampling and control.
• Prototype-level fabrication and mechanical scaffolding.
• Manage heater control and motor drives.
• Debug rigs to ensure consistent operation.

Skills

Strong sensor integration experience

Solid microcontroller programming

Real breadboard and prototype-fab skills

Light mechanical fab: basic CAD, 3D printing

Job description

Proto-Experiments runs ambitious projects. Our current focus is ML-driven crystal growth systems that close the loop between sensors, ML-driven control, and physical hardware. We're looking for a tinkerer whose core strengths are sensors, microcontroller programming, and breadboard-level fabrication. A lot of this role is figuring out how to prototype and build. Materials science or ML background is a plus but not required. Hiring ASAP.

Crystal growth is the immediate project, but Proto-Experiments has other unusual builds in the pipeline. If it is a good fit, there is real opportunity to keep working together on what comes next.

What you'll do

• Build the sensing side of our growth rigs: thermocouples, optical sensors, cameras, pressure sensors – selecting them, wiring them cleanly, and getting clean signals out of noisy environments.

• Program the microcontrollers running the rigs: sensor sampling, control loops, motor sequencing, and host comms.

• Breadboard and prototype-level fabrication: protoboards, harnesses, simple carrier boards, plus 3D-printed brackets and basic mechanical scaffolding.

• Power side: heater control, motor drives, PID loops, MOSFETs, isolation, grounding.

• Take rigs from "works on the bench" to "runs reliably for a 72-hour growth," and debug across the stack when they don't.

We're looking for

• A natural tinkerer – someone who learns quickly, stays deeply curious, works extremely hard, and brings creativity to the bench.

• Strong sensor integration experience

• Solid microcontroller programming

• Real breadboard and prototype-fab skills

• Light mechanical fab: basic CAD, 3D printing

You don't need every one of these. We care more about mindset and attitude.

Logistics

• Contract: Hours flexible. Hiring ASAP. Potential to convert to full-time.
• On-site in Lockhart, TX.
• To apply: email [e-mail]