R&D Electrical Engineer

Green Key Resources; Aberdeen (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Green Key Resources seeks an innovative Electrical Engineer to thrive in ambiguous environments, turning concepts into prototypes at the intersection of research, development, and product realization.

The role demands 5+ years in embedded hardware and control systems, hands-on bring-up, and cross-functional collaboration; top security clearance eligibility is required, with potential travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of experience developing embedded hardware, control systems, or advanced electronic products.
• Proven ability to solve tough problems through experimentation, analysis, and creative engineering.
• Hands-on hardware bring-up, integration, debugging, and testing experience.
• Experience designing and evaluating mixed-signal systems, especially in battery-powered or size-constrained applications.
• Proficiency with ECAD tools for schematic capture, simulation, and hardware development.
• Ability to work independently and learn new technologies with loosely defined requirements.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive R&D for next-generation embedded, electro-optical, and electronic systems.
• Collaborate across mechanical, software, systems, manufacturing, supplier, and customer teams to rapidly evaluate and mature new concepts.
• Develop, test, and iterate hardware solutions in fast-paced environments where requirements may evolve as discoveries are made.
• Design and execute experiments to validate concepts, characterize performance, and reduce technical risk.
• Analyze system behavior through simulation, modeling, prototype testing, and hands-on investigation.
• Troubleshoot complex technical issues, identify root causes, and develop practical solutions under aggressive timelines.
• Evaluate tradeoffs and make sound engineering decisions with incomplete information.
• Build and integrate prototypes to demonstrate feasibility and accelerate development cycles.
• Generate concise technical documentation, test reports, and design artifacts to support development activities.

Skills

Embedded hardware

Control systems

Mixed-signal electronics

PCB design

Hardware bring-up

System integration

Testing & prototyping

Documentation

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

ECAD tools

Job description

MUST BE ELIGIBLE FOR TOP SECURITY CLEARANCE

About the Role

We are seeking an innovative Electrical Engineer who thrives in ambiguous environments, enjoys solving complex technical challenges, and can rapidly develop solutions from concept to prototype. This role is ideal for an engineer who combines deep technical expertise with curiosity, creativity, and a hands-on approach to experimentation. You'll work at the intersection of research, development, prototyping, and product realization, helping transform difficult problems into practical solutions.

Responsibilities

• Drive research and development efforts for next-generation embedded, electro-optical, and electronic systems.
• Collaborate across mechanical, software, systems, manufacturing, supplier, and customer teams to rapidly evaluate and mature new concepts.
• Develop, test, and iterate hardware solutions in fast-paced environments where requirements may evolve as discoveries are made.
• Design and execute experiments to validate concepts, characterize performance, and reduce technical risk.
• Analyze system behavior through simulation, modeling, prototype testing, and hands-on investigation.
• Troubleshoot complex technical issues, identify root causes, and develop practical solutions under aggressive timelines.
• Evaluate tradeoffs and make sound engineering decisions with incomplete information.
• Build and integrate prototypes to demonstrate feasibility and accelerate development cycles.
• Generate concise technical documentation, test reports, and design artifacts to support development activities.

Technical Areas

• Mixed-signal and RF electronics development
• Rapid prototyping and proof-of-concept hardware
• High-speed digital interfaces and data transmission
• Power architecture and signal integrity analysis
• Component evaluation and technology assessment
• PCB schematic capture and layout guidance for compact, low-SWaP systems
• EMC/EMI mitigation and design best practices
• System integration, validation, and performance optimization

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent practical experience
• 5+ years of experience developing embedded hardware, control systems, or advanced electronic products.
• Demonstrated success solving challenging technical problems through experimentation, analysis, and creative engineering.
• Strong hands-on experience with hardware bring-up, integration, debugging, and test
• Experience designing and evaluating mixed-signal electronic systems, preferably in battery-powered or size-constrained applications.
• Proficiency with ECAD tools for schematic capture, simulation, and hardware development.
• Ability to work independently, rapidly learn unfamiliar technologies, and develop solutions in areas where requirements are not fully defined.
• Excellent critical thinking, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Experience

• Research and development environments, skunkworks programs, or advanced product development teams.
• Military, aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems, sensing, or electro-optical technologies.
• Rapid prototyping, technology maturation, and proof-of-concept development.
• Working directly with customers to understand challenges and translate them into technical solutions.

Additional Information

• This position is best suited for engineers who enjoy startup environments, take initiative, and are energized by tackling new technical challenges every day.
• Occasional domestic travel may be required to support field testing, customer evaluations, technology demonstrations, and design reviews.
• Success in this role comes from the ability to quickly understand problems, develop novel solutions, test ideas, learn from failures, and continuously iteration.