Jobs at First Order Effects

Own electrical hardware development from requirements and architecture through schematic capture, PCB layout, bring-up, debugging, testing, documentation, and production release. Design mixed-signal, power, communications, and instrumentation boards for demanding environments. Build test fixtures, support manufacturing and field deployment, investigate failures, and collaborate with mechanical, thermal, firmware, test, and supply-chain teams. The role requires hands-on ECAD layout, production hardware experience, and cross-functional engineering judgment.

Design and own secure production networks and hardware-in-the-loop test systems for power infrastructure. Configure switches, routers, VLANs, subnets, firewalls, WAN failover, and secure remote access. Develop Python automation and test software on Linux, integrating with C/C++ firmware and product software. Build systems for hardware products from concept through deployment, with strong ownership of network security and embedded or hardware environments.

Own revenue operations for the growth team, including CRM administration, pipeline hygiene, dashboards, forecasting, market and competitive analysis, customer engagement coordination, briefing leadership, and follow-up tracking. The role requires federal budget and defense-market research, capture support, and clear communication of actionable recommendations to senior leadership. It is an on-site position in the Arlington, Virginia area or Austin, Texas, with situational telework.

Own customer requirements from capability need through top-level and derived requirements, T&E planning, verification, and validation. Shape capture technical solutions, produce requirements baselines and MIL-STD compliance strategies, manage government stakeholders, run program gate reviews, and align growth, programs, and engineering to ensure deliverables meet customer acceptance.

Design and own high-power inverter and DC/DC conversion stages end-to-end: topology, device selection (MOSFET/GaN/SiC), gate drives, magnetics, thermal, EMI/EMC, and ruggedization. Take converters from schematic through prototype, bring-up, and real-load testing; collaborate on control loops with firmware; select components and define protections for maritime and expeditionary deployments.

Hands-on operations engineering internship building, integrating, testing, and deploying hardware systems. Own projects end-to-end, write and run test procedures, source parts and manage supply chain, and improve tooling/processes to unblock engineers. Work is on-site and may include waterfront field tests and fast-paced seed-stage responsibilities.

Design and own LFP battery packs and BMS from cell selection through mechanical, thermal, and safety design. Implement cell monitoring, balancing, protection, and state estimation; integrate with power electronics and firmware. Lead build, test, and abuse testing, and qualify vendors and cells to applicable battery standards.

Lead design and delivery of a containerized deployable dock: size and analyze maritime structures, design hinges/latches/actuation, address corrosion and fatigue, drive fabrication and vendor relationships, and oversee in-water deployments.

Own full-cycle technical recruiting for hardware, defense, and deep-tech roles. Build proactive sourcing pipelines, stand up Ashby ATS and metrics, partner with founders to define scorecards, close senior engineers and skilled technicians, and manage candidate experience and offers while meeting ITAR/EAR hiring constraints and Austin on-site requirements.

Design and implement firmware for MCUs and embedded Linux to control power systems: real-time sequencing, telemetry, safety interlocks, drivers, deterministic timing, and hardware debugging. Establish toolchain, HIL, build systems, and interfaces to inverters and batteries for reliable fielded systems.