Senior/Staff Electrical Engineer, Design

At Atomic Machines, a Senior/Staff Electrical Engineer's responsibilities include designing and building custom electronics for automated manufacturing systems, integrating third-party electronics, and supporting the development of engineering fixtures. You'll also be engaged in creating and maintaining component libraries for reuse, generating manufacturing data, and collaborating with teams across various disciplines.

To qualify for the Senior/Staff Electrical Engineer role at Atomic Machines, candidates should have a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related field, along with 7-10 years of relevant experience. Essential skills include schematic entry, layout management (preferably in Altium Designer), debugging, motor control experience, and a strong background in mixed-signal circuit design.

A Senior/Staff Electrical Engineer at Atomic Machines should be proficient in tools like Altium Designer for schematic capture and layout. Additionally, skills in writing bring-up code in C/C++, circuit simulation using SPICE, soldering, and testing are crucial. A good understanding of signal integrity, EMI, and ESD handling is also necessary for the position.

The expected salary range for a Senior/Staff Electrical Engineer at Atomic Machines is between $170,000 and $230,000 a year, which also includes equity and benefits. This competitive compensation reflects the incredible skill and expertise needed for this pivotal role in micromanufacturing.

Atomic Machines fosters a dynamic and collaborative work environment for its Senior/Staff Electrical Engineers. The company values self-motivation and decision-making capability in an agile setting, promoting a culture where input from all engineers is encouraged and essential for innovation in micromanufacturing.

Highlight specific projects where you designed custom electronics, detailing the processes you used, such as schematic capture and PCB layout. Emphasize your knowledge of component selection, interfacing, and integration with larger systems to demonstrate your capability.

Discuss your structured approach to debugging, such as defining the problem, isolating components, and using test equipment to validate each part of the system. Provide an example of a challenging debug scenario you've faced and how you successfully resolved it.

Detail your background in mixed-signal design, including specific projects where you integrated analog and digital components. Discuss your familiarity with simulation tools and how you've handled signal integrity issues in past designs.

Provide a concrete example of a motor control project you've worked on, describing the type of motors used, control methods, and the protocols or architectures implemented. Focus on your approach to programming and tuning motor control systems.

Discuss the importance of EMI and ESD protection in electronic design. Detail best practices you've employed, such as layout techniques, component selection, and testing methods, to minimize interference and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

Explain your documentation process, emphasizing the importance of clear, comprehensive records for ease of understanding and collaboration. Share methods you use to keep documentation up to date and accessible for teams involved with the project.

Talk about your experience with specific tools such as Altium Designer, explaining why you prefer them. Share how you leverage their features to streamline your design process, improve accuracy, and facilitate better collaboration with your team.

Demonstrate your collaborative spirit by discussing your experience working with mechanical, software, and embedded systems teams. Emphasize how you’ve successfully communicated technical information and navigated differing viewpoints to accomplish shared goals.

Describe a significant engineering project that had its share of difficulties. Focus on your role, the challenges faced, the solution implemented, and the project outcome, highlighting your problem-solving capability and teamwork.

Discuss recent developments or technologies in micromanufacturing that you find inspiring. Relate this to your personal career goals and aspirations within the industry, demonstrating your passion and commitment to innovation.