Staff, Hardware Electrical Engineer

Kodiak; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 2,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation including 401

Excellent Medical/Dental/Vision plans

Flexible PTO & holidays

Office in Mountain View, CA

Job summary

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. in Mountain View, CA seeks a Staff Hardware Electrical Engineer to lead the design and validation of electrical PCBs and subsystems for autonomous vehicles. You will collaborate across software, electrical, and integration teams to deliver safe, reliable hardware systems.

The role requires 10+ years in hardware development, expertise in high-speed PCB design, power systems, and automotive safety standards. A strong hands-on approach and clear communication are required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hardware development experience in automotive, aerospace or related industry.
• Deep knowledge of PCBAs, high-speed PCB design, harnesses, power distribution units and automotive subcomponents.
• Strong area of failure analysis and mixed analog/digital circuit understanding.
• Experience with in-vehicle debugging of low-level hardware buses (I2C, CAN, SPI, Ethernet).
• Experience with high-speed interfaces (PCIe, DDR).
• Excellent documentation and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and validate custom PCBA electronics essential to autonomous vehicles.
• Perform schematic and layout design of medium to high complexity analog/digital PCBs.
• Own full lifecycle of PCB design: technical reviews, simulation, test, documentation, product release.
• Lead DFMEA analysis of electrical systems and cross-functional design trade-offs.
• Lead root cause analysis and resolve issues in electrical systems.
• Define stress test routines and validate thermal and power performance.
• Implement ISO 26262 methodologies to drive hardware design to ASIL goals.

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 in Mountain View, CA. 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 lead cross-functional design trade-off discussions
• 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
• 10+ 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 annual bonuses
• Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)
• MetLife Legal Services, Identity & Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, & Critical Illness Insurance
• Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies
• Our office is centrally located in Mountain View, CA
• Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging
• Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation)
• Fidelity 401(k)
• Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA

The pay range listed below reflects the base salary in our SF/Silicon Valley location, across several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job‑related factors including: work location, experience, relevant training, education, skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay, equity, bonus and a competitive benefits package.

$190,000 - $2,300,000 USD

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.