Staff Electrical Systems Engineer, Commercial

Menlo Ventures; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 194,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Parental leave

Generous time off

Retirement savings (401k)

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Arc is electrifying the marine industry and seeks an Electrical Systems Engineer to own the design, build, and integration of electrical systems on commercial vessels. The role requires leading hardware trade studies, defining I/O maps, and ensuring HW–SW integration with the control software team.

You’ll travel 10-15% to interface with suppliers, shipyards, and operators while supporting sea trials and field validation in a fast-moving, safety-conscious environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years in electrical systems integration, hardware development, or system-level engineering.
• Strong HV/LV electrical systems, power distribution, sensors, and actuators.
• Familiarity with CAN/J1939, Modbus, Profinet, EtherCAT.
• Hands-on debugging HV/LV systems, harnesses, and hardware-to-software interfaces with multimeters and oscilloscopes.
• Experience developing system requirements, I/O allocation maps, interface definitions, and architectural documentation.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to translate hardware requirements into functional specs for software teams.
• Ability to take ownership of problems, drive them to closure, and adapt quickly in a dynamic environment.
• ITAR compliance: U.S. person required.

Responsibilities

• Own design and integration of high and low voltage electrical systems for commercial vessels.
• Develop and maintain electrical topologies, I/O maps, and wiring/harnessing definitions.
• Write clear functional specifications and collaborate with the control software team for HW-SW integration.
• Lead hardware trade studies, component selection, and evaluate suppliers.
• Hands-on testing, troubleshooting, and debugging HV/LV systems in benchtop, HIL, and field environments.
• Support sea trials to validate systems and ensure parity between bench test setups and production vessels.
• Interface with component suppliers, partner shipyards, and vessel operators; travel 10-15%.

Skills

Electrical systems

Systems thinking

Communication

Ownership mindset

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering

Tools

CAN/J1939

Modbus

Profinet

EtherCAT

EPLAN

AutoCAD Electrical

Visio

Job description

What we’re building

The marine industry supports recreation, global commerce, and national defense. And yet it runs on technology that hasn't meaningfully changed in fifty years. Until now.
Arc is on a mission to electrify the marine industry. We're rethinking powertrains, software, and vessel designs from first principles. And we're already executing. We started with consumers to develop and harden our core technology. We’re now scaling production of our flagship model with new models and sectors on the horizon. Now we’re extending our platform to commercial applications, starting with tugs, ferries, and defense, with > years worth of signed contracts and a pipeline that spans every vessel type on the water.

The technology is proven, the momentum is building, and the opportunity is enormous. The marine industry is going electric and Arc is building the platform that powers it

Who we’re looking for

As Arc’s Electrical Systems Engineer, you will own the design, build, integration and execution of the electrical systems on our commercial vessels.

We’re looking for someone who’s fired up by our mission and ready to build. You’ll thrive here if you adapt quickly, take ownership, and care about the details.

This is a full-time, on-site role at our Los Angeles headquarters. You’ll report to the Manager, Commercial Systems Engineering and work closely with a lean, high-trust team where everyone’s work matters.

What You'll Do

• Owning the design and integration of high and low voltage electrical systems for commercial marine vessels
• Developing and maintaining electrical topologies, I/O maps, and wiring/harnessing definitions
• Writing clear functional specifications and collaborating closely with the control software team to ensure seamless hardware-software integration
• Leading hardware trade studies, component selection, and evaluating suppliers
• Getting hands-on with testing, troubleshooting, and debugging HV/LV systems in benchtop, HIL, and field environments
• Supporting sea trials to validate systems and ensure feature parity between bench test setups and production vessels
• Interfacing with component suppliers, partner shipyards, and vessel operators, including occasional travel (10-15% of the time)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in electrical systems integration, hardware development, or system-level engineering
• Strong understanding of HV/LV electrical systems, power distribution, sensors, and actuators
• Familiarity with automotive or industrial communication protocols (CAN/J1939, Modbus, Profinet, EtherCAT)
• Hands-on experience debugging HV/LV systems, harnesses, and hardware-to-software interfaces using tools like multimeters and oscilloscopes
• Experience developing system requirements, I/O allocation maps, interface definitions, and architectural documentation
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to translate physical hardware requirements into functional specs for software teams
• Ability to take ownership of problems, drive them to closure, and adapt quickly in a dynamic environment
• This position may require access to information controlled under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must be a 'U.S. person' as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.62) — i.e., a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual (asylee or refugee).

Bonus Qualifications

• Background in industrial automation, automotive EV, marine, robotics, or aerospace electrical architectures
• Knowledge of industrial electrical control panel layouts and design standards
• Experience with Battery Management Systems, either at automotive or BESS scale
• Understanding of ABS, USCG, IEEE, or IEC standards for commercial marine vessels
• Familiarity with functional safety concepts (e.g., hazard analysis, DFMEA, safety goals, fault handling)
• Experience with EMC/EMI design, shielding, and grounding practices in high-power environments
• Proficiency with electrical schematic and drafting tools (e.g. EPLAN, Zuken, AutoCAD Electrical, or Visio)

At Arc, we encourage diversity and consider all qualified applicants equally for employment, regardless of background, identity, or status. You’re always welcome to reach out even if you don’t meet many of these qualifications. Passion and aptitude make up for a lot.

What we offer

The annual base salary for this role is : $215,000

Highly competitive equity grants are included with full time offers. As well as semi-annual bonuses tied to your impact, not just your tenure.
Additionally, Arc offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

• Healthcare benefits — 99% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision
• Parental leave — 14 weeks fully paid for birthing and non-birthing parents
• Generous time off — Highly competitive PTO with an opportunity to earn more time with tenure
• Income protection — Life and disability insurance for all employees
• Retirement savings —Traditional and Roth 401(k) access
• Water fund — $500 for you to spend each year to get out on the water, however you choose
• Professional development — $500 annual reimbursement for professional development and a monthly AI stipend
• Safety Support- Annual reimbursement for PPE, ergonomic equipment and anything that ensures we keep our crew safe
• Captain training — Training and access to take Arcboats out with friends and family
• Office perks — Daily lunches, snacks, and good coffee while onsite
• Relocation assistance — Available depending on role eligibility.

Our values

We move with urgency and build with care. We value these five things above all else:

• Ownership over both your work and the company’s success
• Empathy for colleagues and for customers
• Humility in problem solving and collaboration
• Pragmatism for navigating ambiguity quickly and sensitiously
• Inclusion of different backgrounds, opinions, cultures, and perspectives.

We want people who share and embody these values. It is vital that our values align - we’d be happy to elaborate on any or all of these during the interview process.