R&D Electronics Technician

Urban Sky; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 30,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Urban Sky seeks a hands-on R&D Electronics Technician to support prototype assembly, bring-up, and failure analysis for new product development. You will work with design engineers to build, test, troubleshoot, and rework prototype and pre-production assemblies, performing root-cause analysis when units fail to meet spec.

The ideal candidate is comfortable with fine-pitch soldering under a microscope, fluent with bench test equipment, and eager to dig into problems until root causes are found.

Qualifications

• 3–10 years of electronics assembly, prototype build, or failure analysis in an R&D, lab, RMA or manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to hand-solder fine-pitch components, including 0402 and smaller passives, under a stereo microscope.
• Proficient with oscilloscopes and digital multimeters for circuit-level troubleshooting and signal verification.
• Extended periods of close, detail-oriented work under a microscope.
• Ability to sit/stand at a lab bench for extended periods and perform repetitive fine-motor tasks.
• Standard lab/production environment; ESD-controlled work areas; fumes managed with fume extraction.
• Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Responsibilities

• Assemble, solder, and rework prototype and low-volume PCB assemblies under a microscope.
• Perform hand soldering, rework, and repair using hot air, soldering iron, and reflow/touch-up equipment to IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001 standards.
• Build and modify cable harnesses, wire interconnects, and mechanical sub-assemblies for R&D builds.
• Bring up new boards and assist engineers with initial power-on, functional testing, and debugging of new designs.
• Conduct failure analysis on non-conforming units to isolate faults to component level and document findings.
• Operate and interpret results from oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, and other bench equipment.
• Use microscopy and visual inspection to identify solder defects and manufacturing issues.
• Maintain documentation of builds, test results, FA reports, and rework history.
• Flag design-for-manufacturability (DFM) and design-for-test (DFT) issues to engineering.
• Maintain clean, organized, ESD-safe lab and bench area; proper handling of ESD devices.
• Support small-batch production builds, kitting, work instructions and test fixture setup as projects transition to production.

Skills

Fine-pitch hand-soldering

Oscilloscopes

Digital multimeters

Microscope work

Lab bench skills

ESD safety practices

US citizen or permanent resident

Education

Associate degree / technical certificate in Electronics Technology or similar

Tools

Soldering iron

Hot air rework station

Reflow/touch-up equipment

Bench test equipment

Microscope

Job description

Urban Sky is a venture-backed aerospace startup on a mission to pioneer humanity’s routine, easy access to the stratosphere and the value locked within it. We design, build, operate, and sell stratospheric balloon systems. The data we collect supports a wide range of applications, from real-time wildfire monitoring to urban mapping. Our technology is also employed by government customers including the Department of War (DoW), NASA, and others. Urban Sky sends flight vehicles to the stratosphere on a weekly basis.

Our team consists of engineers, makers, developers, and doers who believe in the power of human potential when passion meets utility within a small, supportive team. At Urban Sky we strive to create a team culture grounded in candor, inclusion, respect and empowerment.

We aim to build the next chapter of stratospheric history in Denver and Texas and are seeking self-starting, open-minded, and hard-working team members.

About the role / Onsite / Full-time / Hourly

We are looking for a hands-on R&D Electronics Technician to support prototype assembly, bring-up, and failure analysis for new product development. This role works closely with design engineers to build, test, troubleshoot, and rework prototype and pre-production assemblies, and to investigate root cause when units fail to meet spec. The ideal candidate is comfortable working at fine pitch under a microscope, is fluent with bench-level test equipment, and enjoys digging into a problem until the root cause is found.

Key Responsibilities

• Assemble, solder, and rework prototype and low-volume PCB assemblies, including fine-pitch and 0402-and-smaller passive and active components under a microscope.
• Perform hand soldering, rework, and repair using hot air, soldering iron, and reflow/touch-up equipment to IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001 workmanship standards.
• Build and modify cable harnesses, wire interconnects, and mechanical sub-assemblies in support of R&D builds.
• Bring up new boards and assist engineers with initial power-on, functional testing, and debug of new designs.
• Conduct failure analysis on non-conforming units: isolate faults to the component level using schematics, data sheets, and bench equipment, to document findings.
• Operate and interpret results from oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, and other standard bench test equipment.
• Use microscopy and visual inspection techniques to identify solder defects, component damage, and manufacturing defects.
• Maintain clear, organized documentation of builds, test results, failure analysis findings, and rework history (build logs, FA reports, redline drawings).
• Identify and flag design-for-manufacturability (DFM) and design-for-test (DFT) issues back to the engineering team.
• Maintain a clean, organized, ESD-safe lab and bench area. Perform proper handling of ESD-sensitive devices.
• Support occasional small-batch production builds, kitting, work instructions and test fixture setup as R&D projects transition toward production.

Required Qualification

• 3–10 years of experience in electronics assembly, prototype build, or failure analysis in an R&D, lab, RMA or manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to hand-solder fine-pitch components, including 0402 and smaller passives, under a stereo microscope.
• Proficient with oscilloscopes and digital multimeters for circuit-level troubleshooting and signal verification.
• Extended periods of close, detail-oriented work under a microscope.
• Ability to sit/stand at a lab bench for extended periods and perform repetitive fine-motor tasks.
• Standard lab/production environment; ESD-controlled work areas; occasional exposure to soldering fumes managed with fume extraction.
• Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Nice-To-Haves

• Associate degree, Military or technical certificate in Electronics Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Experience with BGA/QFN rework, or other advanced rework and inspection techniques.
• Familiarity with environmental and reliability test equipment (thermal chambers, vacuum chambers,) a plus.
• Experience supporting fast-moving R&D programs with shifting priorities and quick design iterations.
• IPC-A-610 and/or J-STD-001 certification (current or willing to obtain/recertify).
• Medical, Dental, and Vision.

Urban Sky is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.