Staff Electrical Engineer

engineeringjobs.net, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grant

Job summary

engineeringjobs.net, Inc. seeks a Staff Electrical Engineer to lead avionics hardware development for Group 2 UAS, guiding architecture, design, validation, production, and fleet support.

You will drive key technical decisions and collaborate across electrical, mechanical, firmware, software, test, reliability, manufacturing, supply chain, and operations to deliver robust, manufacturable systems. The role requires hands-on leadership with a strong foundation in analog/digital design, PCB work,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or related field.
• 10 years in electrical engineering with avionics/UAV focus.
• Hands-on expertise in analog/digital circuit design and PCB.
• Strong problem-solving and leadership in engineering projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture, design, and development of avionics electrical systems.
• Remain hands-on through schematic, PCB, bring-up, and testing
• Lead aircraft-level integration and root-cause investigations
• Define system-level verification and validation for safety and reliability
• Collaborate across firmware, software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams
• Act as technical lead in design reviews and supplier interactions
• Own engineering documentation, changes, test procedures, and records
• Identify risks and mentor broader team

Skills

Analog & digital design

PCB design

Avionics systems

Systems engineering

Leadership

Problem solving

Project management

Hardware safety-critical

First principles reasoning

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or related field

Job description

As a Staff Electrical Engineer, you will lead the development of avionics hardware for Group 2 UAS across multiple launch modalities, from architecture and design through validation, production, and fleet support. You will work across electrical, mechanical, firmware, software, test, reliability, manufacturing, supply chain, and operations to deliver safe, robust, and manufacturable systems. This is a hands-on technical leadership role where you will drive key technical decisions, shape engineering processes, and guide complex hardware development across programs.

What You'll Do

• Lead the architecture, design, and development of avionics electrical systems for Group 2 UAS across multiple launch modalities
• Remain hands-on through schematic design, PCB development, bring-up, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and design iteration
• Lead aircraft-level integration, root-cause investigations, and corrective actions across avionics, payloads, flight controls, propulsion, and other aircraft subsystems
• Define and execute system-level verification and validation to ensure hardware meets performance, safety, and reliability requirements
• Partner across firmware, software, mechanical, thermal, test, reliability, manufacturing, supply chain, operations, and program teams to resolve complex technical challenges
• Serve as a technical point of contact for design reviews, system integration, flight test, suppliers, customers, and other key stakeholders
• Own and review engineering documentation, hardware changes, test procedures, configuration records, and compliance with applicable standards and company processes
• Work with suppliers on component selection, technical evaluation, availability, quality, and production readiness
• Identify technical risks, drive key engineering tradeoffs, improve engineering processes, and provide technical guidance and mentorship to the broader team

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or a related technical field
• Experience:10 years in electrical engineering, with a focus on avionics, UAV systems, or similar industries
• Technical Expertise: Strong hands-on knowledge of analog and digital circuit design, PCB design, and avionics systems
• Project Management: Ability to oversee the technical aspects of projects from concept to delivery, ensuring that deadlines and specifications are met
• Leadership Skills:Experience leading technical projects or small teams in an engineering environment
• Strong problem-solving skills with a focus on delivering innovative solutions
• Hands-on experience developing and validating safety-critical electromechanical systems
• A strong electrical engineering foundation and the ability to reason from first principles about hardware behavior and failure
• U.S. Person status (Citizen or Permanent Resident) required due to ITAR regulations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with developing for a safety-critical environment (human in the loop)
• Experience working on products used in extreme environments (automotive, aerospace, defense, etc.)
• Knowledge of software protocols for embedded development, including use of timers, interrupts, hardware peripherals such as SPI controllers and ADCs
• Familiarity with avionics design standards like DO-254, MIL-STD-810, and others
• Solid understanding of schematic design and PCB layout for analog, digital, RF, and power circuits
• Demonstrated ownership and practical problem-solving ability, including driving technically complex issues through resolution

Compensation

• Base salary: $165,000 - $190,000
• Equity: Meaningful equity grant in a growth-stage defense technology company