Advanced Product Development & Integration Engineer - Electrical Systems

Position Summary

SPiDRWORX is looking for a hands-on Electrical Engineer to join our Advanced Product Development & Integration team developing multi-domain unmanned systems (UxS) across air, ground, and maritime environments. The team rapidly evaluates emerging technologies, builds new capabilities, and transitions successful concepts toward fielded products for defense customers.

In this role, you will design and integrate the electrical architecture that powers and connects our platforms, including power distribution, battery systems, wiring harnesses, interface boards, sensors, payloads, onboard compute, and datalink hardware. You will work closely with embedded, mechanical, RF/datalink, autonomy, test, and manufacturing engineers and will support bench and field testing across multiple vehicle domains.

This role is a strong fit for an engineer who likes building hardware, solving difficult integration problems in the lab and field, and carrying designs from early concept through validated product.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Research & Electrical Architecture

- Evaluate emerging electrical components, power technologies, and partner hardware through bench testing and rapid prototyping.

- Support trade studies and architecture decisions based on performance, size, weight, power, cost, compliance, environmental requirements, and supply availability.

- Assess new product concepts and customer integration requests, define electrical interfaces, and identify technical risks early.

Electrical Design & Development

- Design electrical systems for new and existing UxS platforms, including power distribution, battery integration, grounding, circuit protection, and power conversion.

- Create schematics and PCB layouts for power distribution, breakout, interface, and other vehicle electronics.

- Develop harness drawings and select connectors, wire, and protection methods suitable for vibration, moisture, saltwater, temperature extremes, and field use.

- Research and select electrical components such as motor controllers/ESCs, motors and actuators, batteries, regulators, and interface hardware with attention to NDAA compliance and supply availability.

Integration & Bring-Up

- Integrate electrical interfaces for payloads, sensors, navigation systems, radios, onboard computers, and other mission equipment onto air, ground, and maritime platforms.

- Build, wire, and bring up prototype hardware; validate pinouts, power rails, signal integrity, and subsystem interfaces.

- Create and maintain electrical interface control documentation and work with embedded and RF/datalink engineers to resolve cross-functional integration issues.

Test & Troubleshooting

- Support bench, flight, ground, and on-water testing, including test preparation, instrumentation, data collection, and post-test analysis.

- Troubleshoot electrical failures and perform root-cause analysis on vehicle and subsystem issues.

- Identify and resolve power-quality, grounding, noise, interference, and signal-integrity problems.

- Support EMI/EMC, environmental, and qualification testing as required.

Production Transition & Field Support

- Maintain schematics, BOMs, harness drawings, interface documentation, and electrical test procedures.

- Provide design-for-manufacturing feedback and support the transition from prototype builds to repeatable production.

- Resolve electrical build and integration issues with internal production teams and contract manufacturers.

- Participate in design reviews, customer demonstrations, and field test events.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

- 2+ years of experience designing or integrating electrical hardware, preferably for unmanned systems, robotics, aerospace, marine, automotive, or defense applications.

- Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout tools such as Altium, KiCad, or OrCAD.

- Experience with wire-harness design, connector selection, and electrical interface definition.

- Understanding of DC power systems, power electronics, batteries, grounding, and circuit protection.

- Familiarity with common vehicle and embedded interfaces such as CAN, UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet, RS-232/422/485, PWM, and DShot.

- Comfort using oscilloscopes, power supplies, multimeters, soldering/rework tools, and other electrical lab equipment.

- Strong hands-on troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and technical communication skills.

Additional Desired Qualifications

- Experience with multi-domain UxS, robotics, or other mobile platforms spanning air, ground, or maritime systems.

- Experience with FPV or small UAS electrical hardware, including ESCs, brushless motors, video systems, and control links.

- Experience with marine or ground-vehicle electrical systems, environmental sealing, waterproofing, and corrosion control.

- Familiarity with RF/datalink integration, including radio power/interface requirements, antennas, and interference mitigation.

- Experience with rapid prototyping methods such as 3D printing, quick-turn PCBs, and hand-built assemblies.

- Experience transitioning hardware from prototype into production.

- Python or similar scripting experience for test automation or data analysis.

- Military or operational experience with unmanned systems, or hands-on experience building and operating FPV/UxS platforms.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

- Ability to work outdoors at test ranges, vehicle test areas, docks, and aboard small vessels in varying weather conditions.

- Ability to lift and carry equipment weighing up to 40 lbs.

- Regular work around lithium batteries, high-current electrical systems, rotating machinery/propellers, moving vehicles, and RF equipment while following required safety procedures and PPE requirements.

- Ability to stand, kneel, crouch, and work in tight spaces during vehicle integration and testing.

- Travel of approximately 25% for field testing, demonstrations, and customer events.

- Occasional extended hours or weekend work to support test events.

Background Check

This position requires successful completion of a post-offer background check. A criminal history does not automatically disqualify a candidate. Each case is reviewed in line with applicable federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position involves access to technology and technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Candidates must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and must not require sponsorship for export-controlled work.

E-Verify

Red Cat participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility.