# Principal Engineer, Electrical

**Company:** [Shield AI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/shield-ai)
**Location:** San Diego, CA
**Role:** Hardware Engineering
**Salary:** $210k – $310k/yr
**Experience:** 10+ years
**Skills:** Circuit Design, Schematic Capture, Component Selection, Circuit Testing, Debugging, Power Management, Analog Circuits, Digital Circuits, Microcontrollers, Sensors, Radios, Pcb Design, Emi, Ecad
**Posted:** 2026-09-09

> Leads flight-critical avionics and electrical subsystem design for autonomous aircraft, owning hardware development from concept through validation. Requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, 10+ years as an electrical engineer, and expertise in circuit design, testing, and debugging.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Own flight-critical avionics designs for the V-BAT aircraft.
- Own circuit and subsystem design for the aircraft and support equipment, including power management, analog and digital circuitry, servos, microcontrollers, sensors, and radios.
- Lead design, verification, and manufacturing deployment activities.
- Mentor engineers on the power team and provide cross-functional technical feedback.
- Harden designs for shock, vibration, high reliability, radiation, and high-altitude environments.
- Manage the full hardware-development lifecycle, including concept development, modeling, worst-case analysis, schematic capture, simulation, prototyping, design iteration, testing, and validation.
- Drive PCB layout and design with ECAD engineers, optimizing for power density, EMI, thermal performance, and manufacturability.
- Apply safety, manufacturability, and reliability best practices.
- Collaborate with mechanical, CAD, embedded, software, supply chain, test automation, production, and aircraft teams.
- Lead and contribute to cross-functional design reviews.
- Manage project timelines, deliverables, and technical milestones.
- Help define technical product requirements and features.
- Identify and implement improvements to hardware development processes, quality, efficiency, and aircraft reliability.

## Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent work experience.
- 10+ years of industry experience as an electrical engineer.
- Strong electrical engineering fundamentals.
- Experience with circuit design, schematic capture, component selection, circuit testing, and debugging.
- Demonstrated ability to uphold high standards, collaborate effectively, and work with initiative.

## Compensation
- Annual salary: $210,000–$310,000.

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