Staff Electrical Hardware Engineer

Kodiak Robotics; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 195,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in autonomous ground transportation seeks a Staff Hardware Electrical Engineer to design and validate critical PCBs for autonomous vehicles. This role involves complex design tasks, collaboration across teams, and a strong focus on adhering to automotive safety standards. The successful candidate will leverage extensive experience in hardware development to innovate and enhance vehicle technology.

Benefits

Competitive compensation package including equity and biannual bonuses

Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

Flexible PTO and generous parental leave policies

Dog-friendly office and free catered lunch

Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance

Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace, Gympass, Spring Health

Fidelity 401(k)

Qualifications

• 15+ years of hardware development experience in the automotive or aerospace industry.
• 10+ years of experience with PCBAs and power distribution units.
• Practical experience with hardware buses (I2C, CAN, SPI, Ethernet).

Responsibilities

• Design and validate custom PCBA electronics critical to autonomous vehicles.
• Ensure risks are mitigated and designs are documented.
• Conduct dFMEA analysis of electrical systems and lead root cause analysis.

Skills

High Speed PCB Design

Power Systems

Automotive Safety Standards

Failure Analysis

Mixed Analog and Digital Circuits

Communication

Education

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Computer Engineering

Job description

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

We are seeking a skilled Staff Hardware Electrical Engineer to join our team. The successful candidate will be responsible for product-level design and validation of electrical PCBs and electrical subsystems that are critical to the operation of our autonomous vehicles. The role will require knowledge of high speed PCB design, a deep understanding of power systems, and be familiar with automotive safety standards and requirements. The role will work collaboratively across software, electrical engineering, and integration teams to build safe, reliable systems.

In this role, you will:

• Design and validate custom PCBA electronics that are critical to the operation of our autonomous vehicle
• Perform schematic and layout design of medium to high complexity of analog and digital PCBs
• Responsible for ensuring risks are appropriately mitigated and designs are appropriately documented
• Hands on debug and bring-up of PCBs within a complex system
• Own full lifecycle of PCB design, including technical reviews, simulation, test, documentation, and product release
• Proactively suggest improvements in test methodologies and procedures to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the validation process
• Drive dFMEA analysis of electrical systems and participate in cross-functional analysis of
• Lead root cause analysis and resolve issues in electrical systems
• Define stress test routines required to validate functional sections
• Validate thermal and power performance of circuits
• Develop and implement ISO 26262 methodologies to drive hardware design to meet ASIL goals.
• Interface closely with other teams such as Software, Mechanical, Manufacturing, and with external suppliers

What you'll bring:

• BS or MS, or equivalent experience in Electrical, Mechanical, or Computer Engineering
• 15+ years of hardware development experience, ideally within the automotive, aerospace or a related industry
• 10+ years of experience with PCBAs, High Speed PCB Design, Harnesses, Power Distribution Units, Power Supplies, and automotive subcomponents
• Deep understanding of failure analysis
• Knowledge of mixed analog and digital circuits
• Experience with implementation and on-vehicle debugging of low level hardware buses such as I2C, CAN, SPI, and Ethernet
• Experience with high speed communication such as PCIe and DDR
• Hands on. You are just as comfortable getting your hands dirty analyzing a subsystem in the shop as when using a keyboard.
• Great communicator. You have experience writing clear, concise, and detailed documentation
• Passion. You are passionate about autonomous vehicles and their potential impact on humanity

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation package including equity and biannual bonuses
• Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, and Guardian (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)
• Flexible PTO and generous parental leave policies
• Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging
• Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance
• Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health
• Fidelity 401(k)
• Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA
• Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.)

The annual salary range for this full-time position is $195,000-$235,000 + bonus + equity + benefits.Actual salary ranges will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Please note that the compensation details listed above are base salary only and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.

At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.