Electrical Engineer

Job Description: Electrical Engineer

Location: Austin

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience Level: Mid-Level (5+ years of experience)

Overview:

Guinn Partners is an Austin-based engineering consultancy specializing in advanced robotics, autonomous systems, aerospace technologies, and complex hardware product development. Our team works with startups, Fortune 500 companies, and government organizations to design and deliver cutting-edge technology — from early concept and prototyping through production deployment.

Our engineers solve challenging real-world problems across industries including robotics, unmanned systems (UAV/UGV), aerospace technologies, and connected hardware products. We are a multidisciplinary team that works hands-on to bring new technologies from concept to production.

About the Role

Guinn Partners is seeking an Electrical Engineer specializing in embedded systems and PCB design to support several active engineering programs. This role is offered as a contract position with the potential to convert to a full-time role based on project needs and performance.

In this role, you will contribute to the full lifecycle of embedded electronics development — from schematic capture and PCB layout through firmware development, system integration, and validation.

You will work closely with mechanical, software, and systems engineers to design reliable hardware for robotics platforms, autonomous systems, and embedded devices.

This is a hands-on engineering role ideal for someone comfortable working in both design tools and lab environments while helping move hardware from prototype to production.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and test firmware for microcontrollers to support system functionality.
• Implement and troubleshoot communication protocols, including CAN, I2C, SPI, and UART, for interfacing with IMUs and other peripherals.
• Design and optimize PCB layouts using Altium for reliable performance in various applications.
• Assemble, test, and validate PCB builds to ensure quality and functionality.
• Develop and integrate radio transmitter systems for wireless communication.
• Collaborate with mechanical and software teams to ensure seamless system integration.
• Conduct testing and debugging of electrical systems and firmware to meet project specifications.
• Document designs, processes, and test results for internal and regulatory purposes.
• Contribute to the design of systems for harsh environments, such as aerospace or subsea applications, ensuring durability and reliability.
• Develop embedded firmware in C/C++ for microcontrollers (STM32, NXP, TI, Renesas, or similar)
• Develop and debug drivers for SPI, I2C, UART, ADC, PWM, DMA, and GPIO peripherals
• Implement RTOS-based systems such as FreeRTOS or Zephyr
• Support real-time performance, power efficiency, and hardware integration
• Develop and support hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and system validation

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 3+ years of experience in embedded hardware and/or firmware engineering
• Experience designing production-ready PCBs from prototype through manufacturing
• Strong proficiency in C or C++ for embedded systems
• Hands-on experience with CAN bus communication systems
• Familiarity with lab equipment including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and power supplies

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with robotics platforms, UAV systems, or autonomous hardware
• Familiarity with ISO 11898 (CAN), J1939, or CANopen standards
• Experience designing electronics for industrial or rugged environments
• Familiarity with Git-based workflows or hardware version control tools
• Python or scripting experience for test automation

This position is offered as a contract / temporary role to support current engineering programs, with the potential to transition into a full-time position based on project pipeline and performance.

Work Location: Austin, Texas (On-site - collaboration required for lab work and hardware testing).

Pay: $40.00 - $60.00 per hour

Experience:

• electrical engineering/embedded systems: 5 years (Required)
• microcontroller firmware development: 4 years (Required)
• CAN, I2C, SPI, and UART protocols : 4 years (Required)
• PCB layout design and PCB assembly/build: 4 years (Required)
• Microcontrollers: 4 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Austin, TX 78758 (Required)

Work Location: In person