Principal Project Engineer, Light Engines Electronics and Firmware

Entangled Future; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Monarch Quantum in San Diego, CA, is seeking a Principal Project Engineer to lead the Light Engines Electronics and Firmware initiatives. This hands-on, senior role requires owning complex multi-disciplinary programs from scope to budget and delivery, working with leadership to set direction in a fast-paced startup environment.

You will mentor engineers, drive electrical, firmware and software integration, and establish engineering practices across the organization while ensuring milestones and

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience leading complex electrical, firmware, and software projects with a structured development process.
• Expertise in electrical engineering (analog/digital/power electronics), embedded firmware, software engineering (controls, test, automation).
• Exposure to optics, photonics, or AMO physics is a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

• Owns planning and execution of complex, multi-disciplinary development projects with budget accountability.
• Leads matrixed technical teams through bottlenecks, uncertainty, and changes to maintain productivity.
• Drives technical leadership across electrical, firmware, and software disciplines; champions best practices.
• Owns project execution per defined processes, documenting milestones and test readiness reviews.
• Mentors engineers and influences engineering strategy beyond a single project.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Firmware development

Software development

Project management

Systems engineering

Leadership

Control theory

Education

Advanced degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Job description

Principal Project Engineer, Light Engines Electronics and Firmware at Monarch Quantum, San Diego, California, United States. A lead-level full time position in the Engineering team, listed under hardware engineering.

Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a Principal Project Engineer, Principal Project Engineer, Light Engines Electronics and Firmware. As we scale, you will be instrumental in building our foundation from the ground up. This is a dynamic, hands-on role for a self-starter who thrives in a fluid startup environment and is ready to own technical direction with minimal oversight. You'll have the opportunity to work on cutting edge electronics, firmware, and software for next-generation light engine systems, work closely with leadership, and define the engineering practices that support our mission and growth. Your key responsibilities are as follows:

• Owns planning and execution of complex, multi-disciplinary development projects, with full accountability for project scope, schedule and budget. Represents the company in front of customers and sets technical direction in collaboration with functional managers.
• Leads matrixed technical teams thru schedule bottlenecks, uncertainty, lack of information and sudden changes, while screening the team from external turbulence and assuring highest productivity and focus on success.
• Drives technical, logistical and problem-solving leadership across electrical, firmware and software disciplines; establishes and champions best engineering practices across the organization. Anticipates risks and identifies opportunities at the program level, then manages both thru the projects.
• Owns project execution per internally and customer defined processes, reaching, documenting and defending project milestones: requirement, design and test readiness reviews, integration and test events, test reports, installation and support activities.
• Mentors other engineers and project leads, and influences engineering strategy and process maturity beyond the scope of any single project.

Requirements

• This position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).
• Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of relevant experience (including pursuit of relevant higher education), ideally within a startup or technology company.
• Proven record of successfully leading complex electrical, firmware, and/or software development projects using a structured development process.
• Expert in a subset of technical areas: electrical engineering (analog/digital/power electronics), embedded firmware, software engineering (controls, test, and automation), systems engineering, control theory.
• Exposure to optics, photonics, opto-mechanics, or AMO physics is a plus but not required.