Senior Electrical Engineer

Albacore Inc.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A defense technology startup seeks a mid-senior level engineer to design and build electrical systems for underwater drones. The ideal candidate will have 5-8 years of experience in electrical or electromechanical systems, proficiency in ECAD tools like Altium, and the ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance. The role involves practical prototyping and assembly. Compensation ranges from $150k-$180k, plus bonuses and equity. Candidates should be in the Philadelphia area or willing to relocate.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of experience in electrical or electromechanical systems.
• Experience with components for autonomous vehicles.
• Proficient in ECAD and familiar with wiring practices.

Skills

Designing and building electrical systems

Developing electrical components for autonomous vehicles

Proficiency in ECAD tools

PCB design skills

Hands-on prototyping and assembly

First-principles engineering mindset

Ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance

Tools

Altium

Job description

Albacore Inc is a venture-backed startup building underwater drones to deter maritime invasions. Both founders previously worked in defense – Dante previously started a drone-focused energy technology company and grew it to $10+ million in revenue from government contracts, and John worked on billion‑dollar unmanned system manufacturing projects for defense primes and DoD agencies. Since founding the company 10 months ago, we’ve put 2 full‑size vehicle iterations in the water and tested 150‑pound warheads. Initial production runs are slated for early 2026. The company completed Y Combinator and has raised $7.5 million in funding to‑date from top national security investors, and has a full‑time headcount of approximately 20.

Requirements

• 5‑8 years of experience designing and building electrical or electromechanical systems
• Experience developing electrical components and subsystems for autonomous vehicles or similar platforms
• Proficient in ECAD tools (Altium preferred) and familiar with wiring, signal integrity, and EMC/EMI best practices
• Skilled in PCB design, power distribution, and communication bus architectures
• Strong first‑principles engineering mindset and practical design approach
• Comfortable with hands‑on prototyping, assembly, and iterative testing
• Active TS/SCI clearance or ability to obtain one

Compensation is $150k‑$180k + bonus and equity

Philadelphia‑area or relocation required

Seniority level

• Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

• Full‑time

Job function

• Defense and Space Manufacturing

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