Sr. Electrical Engineer

Neon Aero; Orange (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation

Health, vision & dental benefits

401K

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Neon Aero seeks an experienced Electrical Hardware Engineer to lead the design and integration of complex electrical and electromechanical systems for next‑gen aircraft. You will own subsystems end‑to‑end, drive production release, and collaborate with suppliers to scale hardware for aerospace applications.

The role emphasizes hands‑on lab work, architecture-to-execution, and balancing performance with manufacturability, cost, and reliability across harsh operating environments.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in developing and shipping complex electronic hardware.
• Proficient with Altium and schematic/PCB practices; strong documentation.
• Experience taking electronics into production and shipping hardware.
• Ability to balance performance, reliability, manufacturability and cost.

Responsibilities

• Lead system architecture and end-to-end integration across multi-domain programs.
• Own electrical subsystems from concept through validation to production release.
• Design and develop power electronics and mixed-signal hardware.
• Guide PCB layout with SI/EMI considerations and produce production-ready docs.
• Architect CAN and aviation bus layers for fault-tolerant data comms.
• Collaborate with suppliers/CMs to industrialize boards and resolve yield issues.
• Define validation and test strategy, including ICT and functional tests.
• Support lab bring-up, root-cause analyses, and design iteration.
• Participate in design reviews ensuring system performance and manufacturability.
• Hands-on board bring-up, system integration, and hardware testing.

Skills

Altium

Schematic capture

PCB layout

EMI/EMC mitigation

DFM/DFT

System architecture

Cross-functional collaboration

Lab bring-up

Production release

Electrical hardware design

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Cadence

CAN bus

RS-485

ARINC

Embedded development tools

Job description

Aerospace is at a turning point — costs are rising, supply chains are strained, and old ways of building can't keep up. At Neon Aero, we're breaking that mold. We move fast, think big, and combine start‑up agility with aerospace expertise to design, build, and scale aircraft in ways the industry has never seen. Our team leverages automation, AI‑driven tools, and a fully connected digital backbone to accelerate innovation and reduce barriers to production.

Here, you won't just take a job — you'll help reinvent how the world flies. If you're ready to solve complex problems, push technology further, and work alongside some of the brightest minds in aerospace, this is your chance to make a real impact.

You’ll lead the design and integration of complex electrical and electromechanical systems that power next‑generation products—spanning actuator drives, power electronics, avionics communication, energy management, and other high‑performance technologies.

This is a hands‑on, highly collaborative role for an engineer who thrives at the intersection of architecture and execution—someone who can translate requirements into robust, manufacturable, certifiable hardware and drive it from concept to production release and shipment. Your work will support demanding systems across aerospace, transportation, robotics, and advanced mobility.

Why This Role Matters

You’ll be a technical anchor for production‑intent electrical hardware—helping teams move faster without sacrificing reliability, safety, or manufacturability.

Key contributions include:

• Lead system architecture and integration across complex, multi-domain programs.
• Own electrical subsystems end‑to‑end—from concept, through validation, to production release.
• Design and develop power electronics, embedded digital, and mixed‑signal hardware using industry‑standard ECAD tools (Altium, Cadence, or equivalent).
• Drive DFM/DFT/DFC/DFA/Cost decisions early, ensuring designs scale cleanly into manufacturing.
• Create robust schematics and guide PCB layout, with strong signal integrity and EMI/EMC discipline, and produce production‑ready documentation.
• Architect and implement communication bus physical layers (CAN and other aviation buses) for fault‑tolerant, certifiable avionics data communication.
• Partner with suppliers and contract manufacturers to support prototype builds, first‑article inspections, and production ramp.
• Define validation and test strategy, including ICT, boundary scan, functional test coverage, ESS, and production yield metrics.
• Support lab bring‑up and integration, troubleshooting issues, running root‑cause investigations, and iterating designs quickly.
• Perform electrical analysis (SPICE simulation, power‑stage evaluation, signal integrity, thermal interaction with mechanical systems, EMI mitigation).
• Participate in design reviews to ensure system‑level performance, safety, reliability, manufacturability, and cost targets are met.
• Get hands‑on during board bring‑up, system integration, and hardware testing.

What you'll Bring

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in developing and shipping complex electronic hardware.
• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field preferred; relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree
• Strong proficiency with Altium (or comparable ECAD tools).
• Deep understanding of schematic capture, PCB layout practices, stack‑up definition, grounding strategy, EMI/EMC mitigation, and production‑level release documentation.
• Demonstrated experience taking electronic assemblies into production and shipping hardware.
• Experience across multiple hardware domains, such as:
  • Power electronics and motor drives
  • Embedded digital and microcontroller‑based systems
  • Sensor interfacing and mixed‑signal design
  • Communication bus physical layers (CAN, RS‑485, ARINC, or similar)
• Experience working directly with suppliers/CMs to industrialize boards and resolve yield, test coverage, tolerance, and quality issues.
• Solid understanding of manufacturing test strategies (ICT, functional test development, fixture design, environmental qualification, SPC).
• Strong cross‑functional communication and collaboration skills.
• Engineers who ship—not just design.
• Strong first‑principles thinking paired with practical execution.
• Comfortable hands‑on in lab and production environments.
• Bias toward action in fast‑moving, hardware‑focused teams.
• Ability to balance performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost.
• Collaborative, systems‑level mindset.

Preferred Skills

• Aerospace or aviation systems experience.
• Background in fast‑iteration, high‑performance industries (automotive, consumer hardware, racing, robotics, etc.).
• Familiarity with DO‑254, DO‑160, ARP4754B, ARP4761, or similar regulated development environments.
• MATLAB, Python, or scripting for analysis, automation, or test development.
• Electric propulsion, actuator drive systems, or high‑reliability embedded hardware.

Why Join Us

• Work alongside elite engineering talent and innovators from across aerospace and tech.
• Be part of a team moving faster than the industry standard.
• Shape solutions that are lower‑cost, autonomous, and scalable — the future of aviation.
• Competitive compensation, including equity participation, growth opportunities, and full heath benefits (health, vision, dental, 401K) designed to support you in and out of work.

This is the expected compensation range for this role. Final compensation will be based on role scope, experience, skills, internal equity and location. This role may also be eligible for bonus/equity/benefits, if applicable.

$150,000—$250,000 USD

Neon Aero, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

We believe that diverse perspectives drive innovation, and we welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

All final candidates must successfully complete a background check and drug screening as a condition of employment.