What are the responsibilities and job description for the Electrical Engineer I - Avionics position at Specter Aerospace?
Electrical Engineer I – Avionics
Job Summary:
Specter Aerospace is seeking an Electrical Engineer to be a primary contributor to the development of current and future avionics systems. This position will contribute to the development of custom mixed analog/digital systems to enable measurement and feedback-based control required for a hypersonic flight vehicle. You will be a part of a rapidly growing team and will have the opportunity to experience many areas across the electrical engineering discipline.
About Specter Aerospace:
Specter Aerospace is building the next generation of hypersonic vehicles for defense and commercial applications. Specter is headquartered in Peabody, MA, just north of Boston, where it leverages its advanced propulsion technologies, manufacturing, and testing capabilities to rapidly develop supersonic and hypersonic systems. Funded by a mix of government R&D organizations, commercial customers, and private funding, Specter is a growing aerospace and defense startup. Close relationships with MIT, Notre Dame, AFRL, NRL, ANL, and other research organizations provide access to cutting-edge developments, facilities, and personnel. Specter is expanding its team in preparation for flight testing and full-scale production.
Role & Responsibilities:
- Develop custom electrical and embedded systems required for hypersonic flight vehicles
- Contribute to the research, design, fabrication, and test of flight-intent hardware
- Interface with electrical, GNC, and mechanical teams to develop and refine requirements and ensure complete system functionality and scalability
- Design & build ground support systems to support avionics development such as hardware/software-in-the-loop test benches
- Be the Responsible Engineer of vehicle control and feedback sub-systems, maintaining documentation and knowledge of system performance and constraints
- Take part in technical meetings, engage in technical discussions, and contribute perspectives
Job Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field
- 0-2 years of experience in electronics/electrical engineering
- Experience with ECAD tools such as Altium, KiCAD, OrCAD, etc
- Previous design work with microcontrollers and/or FPGAs
- Experience completing bring-up and test of custom PCBs and other electrical systems
- Proficient with lab equipment such as function generators, oscilloscopes, and signal analyzers
- Familiarity with relevant programming languages such as Python, Rust, C, or C
- Experience with electrical circuit simulation packages such as SPICE, PLECS, or Simulink
- Ability to interpret detailed circuit schematics and generate supporting documentation
- Comfort with project autonomy and fast-paced work environments
- Strong collaborative skills and a drive to produce quality work
- Available for up to 10% travel for test activities
- Ability to obtain a DoD security clearance (U.S. Citizenship required)
Desired Skills:
- Previous professional OR student team (FSAE, SEDS, AIAA, etc) project experience directly relevant to the requirements for this position
- Experience with wireless communication & telemetry system design and/or integration
- Fluency with ECAD/PCB design tools (Altium Designer preferred) and circuit simulation
- Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks preferred)
- Familiarity with aerospace and military avionics standards (IPC, MIL-SPEC, etc)
- Comfortable hand assembling and reworking PCBs with small and/or complex components
