Electrical Engineer

Spear AI is seeking an experienced Electrical Engineer with experience in both digital and low frequency (<500kHz) analog design including A2D, filtering, microcontrollers, power switching, DC/DC converters, and battery systems. You will be part of a cross functional team designing, building, testing, and deploying unmanned maritime sensor systems. The initial focus is on acoustics but will quickly expand to other modalities as well as to mobile systems.

Spear AI serves the national security industry and provides hardware, software, and data solutions that span levels of classification and are intended for operational deployment. Spear AI is a rapidly growing company with a commitment to rapid development of excellent products through continuous fielding. You will be in the lab and out on the water frequently.

Responsibilities

You will initially be the sole electrical engineer in Spear AI, although we anticipate that the team will grow over time. As such you will need to have at least some level of skill in each of the following areas

Refine requirements from high-level business needs to specific engineering-based performance targets

Analog Design – Design low frequency (<500kHz) analog systems including analog front ends and analog to digital conversion. This includes evaluating and reducing noise, filtering, and balancing complex requirements such as power vs performance

Digital Design – Design microcontroller based digital systems including those that interface with analog systems. Digital systems will need to integrate data and communication to and from various sources including sensors, analog to digital converters, and actuators such as motor controllers

Board Design – Layout circuit boards and produce manufacturing artifacts. Oversee contract manufacturing of boards and interface with the contract manufacturer

Firmware Development – Write firmware for microcontrollers in digital systems. This is likely C based but may be other options

Power System Design – Design DC/DC converter systems and battery systems including battery monitoring systems for various devices. Manage noise, cost, and efficiency against other requirements

Prototyping and Troubleshooting – Build, test, and troubleshoot prototypes of designs. As needed provide support for building of low rate production as surge capacity for technicians. Create documentation, schematics, and assembly procedures for assembly vendors and technicians

Operational Testing – Support and participate in operational testing of prototypes including bench testing and field testing to include going to sea

Requirements

• A BS in Electrical Engineering and a Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in electrical engineering encompassing analog, digital, power, board design and firmware (or a minimum of 10 years of highly relevant experience with a minimum of five years of experience working in a design role.)Familiarity with standard electrical engineering tools including at least a schematic tool, a layout tool and a firmware development tool chain. Specific tools are not required provided that alternative tools can be learned
• Extensive hands-on experience in prototyping, testing, debugging, and refinement of designs in the lab and preferably in a field environment. Suitable written and verbal communication skills for working in a high performing development team
• Ability to physically participate in at sea deployment, test, and recovery operations including ability to lift, carry, and maneuver on a small boat at sea, communicate verbally, and carry out fine manipulations
• You must be willing to receive a Secret or Top Secret/SCI security clearance. This will be at no expense to you. For resources on what goes into a security background involves and what disqualifies people reference the CIA requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain a clearance will be grounds for termination
  
  
  
  

Desired Qualifications

• Prior maritime design experience is strongly desired
• Prior experience with small boats and at sea operations is strongly desired
• Ability to define an electrical engineering toolchain to include documentation, revision control, and manufacturing artifacts
• Integration of COTS RF modules for IoT communications
  
  
  
  

We hope you'll join our fast growing team!