Electrical Design Engineer III/IV

Role Summary

Specter Aerospace is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer to contribute to the development and implementation of avionics systems for hypersonic flight vehicles. This role offers hands-on experience across the avionics engineering lifecycle, including requirements development, circuit and PCB design, hardware integration, system shakedown, debugging, and testing.

A successful candidate will work closely with electrical, embedded software, GNC, mechanical, and test engineers to develop systems that support Specter’s experimental and flight vehicle programs.

About Specter Aerospace

Specter Aerospace is building the next generation of hypersonic vehicles for U.S. Forces and Allies. With offices in Boston and Peabody, MA, Specter leverages its advanced propulsion technologies, manufacturing, and testing capabilities to rapidly develop supersonic and hypersonic systems. Our Electrical Engineer III/IV will be based in our Boston (Seaport) office. Funded by a mix of government R&D organizations and private funding, Specter is expanding its team in preparation for flight testing and full-scale production.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, development, integration, and qualification of avionics systems for hypersonic flight vehicles.

• Translate vehicle requirements into hardware requirements, electrical interfaces, and verification plans.

• Design and review analog and digital circuits for sensing, data acquisition, communications, power distribution, and vehicle control.

• Lead componentselection, schematic capture, PCB design, bring-up, troubleshooting, and verification.

• Coordinate with embedded software, GNC, mechanical, and test engineers to resolve design and integration challenges.

• Lead technical reviews, design trades, and avionics risk reduction activities.

• Support vehicle integration, environmental testing, and flight test activities.

• Mentor less experienced engineers and improve avionics design, testing, and documentation practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field.

• Seven or more years of professional experience developing electrical or avionics hardware.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex electronic hardware from requirements through integration and verification.
• Proficiencywith ECAD tools such as Altium Designer, KiCad, OrCAD, or similar.

• Experience with microcontrollers, sensors, data converters, communication interfaces, or other avionics components.

• Experience with PCB bring-up, hardware troubleshooting, characterization, and qualification.

• Understanding of grounding, shielding, signal integrity, power integrity, and electromagnetic compatibility.

• Strong technical leadership, communication, and documentation skills.

• Eligible to obtain and maintaina U.S. Secret security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required.

• Ability to pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience developing hardware for aerospace, defense, spacecraft, or other high reliability applications.
• Experience with telemetry, data acquisition, flight computers, power distribution, or vehicle control electronics.
• Experience designing electronics for vibration, thermal, and electromagnetic environments.
• Familiarity with hardware in the loop testing and avionics ground support equipment.
• Familiarity with relevant IPC, military, or environmental testing standards.
• Experience transitioning electrical hardware from prototype development into production.
• Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, C, C++, or similar languages.

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.