Senior Electrical Engineer

Elroy Air; Byron (CA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary plus equity package

Comprehensive insurance package

401(k) with investment options

Flexible vacation policy

Early team culture shaping

Job summary

Elroy Air is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer to lead the continued development and testing of the Chaparral hybrid electric VTOL cargo aircraft. This role involves modifying designs, powering systems, and cross-disciplinary collaboration for aerospace advancements.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, 5+ years of relevant experience, and proficiency in electrical CAD tools and lab equipment. A competitive salary package is offered, ensuring you work with a skilled team at the forefront of logistics innovation.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional engineering experience in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with electric vehicles or aerospace powertrain development.
• Ability to self-manage tasks and solve ambiguous problems.

Responsibilities

• Lead electrical layout and assembly for the aircraft’s Iron Bird ground test platform.
• Build and test the hybrid-electric powertrain architecture.
• Define and implement electrical testing strategies and conduct HIL testing.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

Problem-solving

Electrical CAD tools

Lab equipment usage

Debugging

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Spectrum analyzers

Job description

The Senior Electrical Engineer at Elroy Air will be responsible for the continued development and testing of Chaparral, our hybrid electric VTOL cargo aircraft. The responsibilities will include modifying existing designs, bench testing, flight testing, and troubleshooting our hybrid electric powertrain and electrical systems. You will be involved in the high‑voltage power train, electrical systems, harnesses, and testing. This role requires a balance of high‑level engineering and hands‑on ability to execute tasks across multiple disciplines as we advance the future of middle‑mile logistics.

Responsibilities

• Iron Bird Development: Take charge of the electrical layout, wiring, and assembly of the aircraft’s Iron Bird ground test platform. This skeletal replica of the aircraft’s avionics and power train serves as a non‑flying ground test platform. Run tests and analyze data on flight‑representative subsystems, wire harnesses, and actuators.
• Powertrain: Build, test, and iterate on the hybrid‑electric powertrain architecture, including the turbine powerplant, generators, high‑voltage motors and battery pack integrations.
• High Voltage and Power Distribution: Build, test, and iterate on the high‑voltage distribution network, ensuring strict safety isolation, grounding, EMI/EMC mitigation, and circuit protection. Systematically solve observed issues, propose and implement solutions in collaboration with our multidisciplinary team.
• Hands‑on Harnessing: Layout, build, and rework complex aerospace‑grade wire harnesses. Select connectors, shielding, and routing paths optimized for SWaP‑C.
• Test and Flight Validation: Define and implement electrical testing strategies. Perform comprehensive test plans, design and build test fixtures, conduct hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) testing, and support ground and flight test operations.
• Cross Disciplinary Collaboration: Act as the primary point of contact for electrical considerations, collaborating with mechanical, software, flight test, and systems engineering to rapidly bridge gaps between hardware and software.
• Safety and Compliance: Ensure that system testing is conducted safely and implement risk mitigation strategies. Verify that electrical designs adhere to safety standards, participate in safety reviews, and maintain clear documentation to support FAA certification pathways.

Our Ideal Candidate

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or a related field
• 5+ years of professional engineering experience, ideally in a fast‑paced startup, or small team environment
• Proven track record with electric vehicles, eVTOL, or aerospace powertrain and high‑voltage DC distribution development
• Extensive experience debugging and using lab equipment like oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers
• Proficiency in electrical CAD tools for schematic capture, layout, and wire harness design
• Demonstrated ability to self‑manage competing priorities, self‑directed tasks, and solve ambiguous problems

Bonus Points For

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field
• 8+ years of experience in electrical systems design for autonomous systems or VTOL aircraft
• Experience with hybrid propulsion systems
• Familiarity with aerospace certification frameworks or guidelines
• Hands‑on experience with flight testing and data analysis using Python or MATLAB

What’s In It For You

• Competitive salary plus equity package
• Competitive insurance package including medical, dental, vision, and long‑term disability
• 401(k) with broad access to low‑cost investment funds, paid parental leave, and highly flexible vacation policy
• Work with a small, diverse, and highly-skilled team
• You’ll help define a new category of aerospace and logistics, and you’ll work on systems that have never been built before
• As an early member of a growing team, you’ll help shape and define our company culture and values

$210,000 - $230,000 a year