Electrical Engineer, Product Development

Job Title: Electrical Engineer, Product Development 

Department: Engineering 

Supervisor: VP, Engineering 

Exempt Status: Contractor

Location: Portland, OR   

About Us 

Liquid Wire leads the deformables market with electronics that maintain full functionality during movement and in any position (stretched, folded, etc.) powered by Metal GelTM. This unique conductor stretches at the molecular level, ensuring uniform electrical properties during deformation with exceptional resistance to fatigue. We are a dynamic team passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology to create groundbreaking products that redefine possibilities. Join us as we develop cutting-edge solutions in sensing technology. 

The Opportunity 

We are seeking a highly skilled and hands-on Electrical Engineer with a strong focus on capacitive sensing to join our growing product development team. This is a critical role that will directly contribute to the success of our next-generation products, particularly driving the development of our core capacitive pressure sensor technology. 

You will partner closely with mechanical engineering to build upon our robust Proof-of-Concept (PoC) capacitive pressure sensor. Your specialized electrical engineering expertise will directly contribute to evolving this PoC into a production-ready solution. If you thrive in a fast-paced, iterative development environment and are passionate about solving complex electrical challenges, we encourage you to apply. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead Capacitive Sensing Product Development: Take primary ownership of the electrical architecture and development of our capacitive pressure sensor, transitioning from PoC to high-performance prototypes. 

• Collaborate on PoC Enhancement: Work directly with mechanical engineering to understand the existing PoC, identify electrical limitations, and architect solutions to overcome them. 

• Electrical Hardware Architecture: Design and architect the sensor's electrical hardware, including front-end electronics for signal conditioning, analog-to-digital conversion, and interface circuitry. 

• Iterative Development & Prototyping: Drive rapid, hands-on iterative development cycles (e.g., 3x prototypes), including circuit board design, assembly, test, and debug, ensuring optimal performance of the integrated sensor and electronics. 

• Firmware Development & Integration: Develop and modify firmware to accurately read, process, and interpret sensor outputs, ensuring seamless communication between the sensor and the embedded system. 

• System-on-Chip (SoC) Integration: Identify, evaluate, and integrate existing System-on-Chip (SoC) components optimized for capacitive pressure sensing applications, leveraging their capabilities for efficient system design. 

• Sensor Design Expertise: Apply deep understanding of mutual and self-capacitance principles, including the strategic use of ground planes to precisely control electric fields and optimize sensor performance. Provide guidance on design tradeoffs and best implementation practices. 

• Component Packaging: Integrate the developed sensor and electronics into existing product architectures, ensuring robust and manufacturable solutions. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field. 

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in electrical hardware design and product development. 

• Proven experience with capacitive sensing technology, capacitive pressure sensors, or similar sensor development is required. 

• Strong proficiency in PCB design software, specifically Altium Designer. 

• Deep understanding of analog and digital circuit design, signal integrity, and low-noise design techniques. 

• Experience with System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures and their application in sensor systems. 

• Excellent troubleshooting, debugging, and problem-solving skills for both hardware and firmware. 

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, hands-on environment. 

• Strong communication skills to effectively collaborate with mechanical engineers and other cross-functional teams. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience with sensor characterization, calibration, and environmental testing. 

• Knowledge of DFM (Design for Manufacturability) and DFT (Design for Testability). 

• Familiarity with industry standards and certifications for electronic products. 

Why join us? 

Join a team at the forefront of innovation. You'll thrive in a fast-paced development environment, constantly challenged to solve complex problems and see your contributions rapidly come to fruition. Best of all, you'll play a pivotal role in a truly exciting space: humanoid robotics, working directly with large, impactful customers to shape the future of automation. 

If you are a driven Electrical Engineer with a passion for bringing innovative sensing products to life, we encourage you to apply! 

Disclaimer:   

We are an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. Our employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected status.   

In accordance with the ADA, employees must perform the essential duties and responsibilities efficiently and accurately, with or without reasonable accommodation.  The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification.  They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all personnel so classified.   

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