Level 5 Electrical Engineer – Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

Job Description

Level 5 Electrical Engineer – Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Seniority: Level 5 Electrical Engineer

Reports To: Chief Engineer

Company Description

Purple Rhombus designs, builds, manufactures, and tests unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for U.S. government and commercial customers. Focused on producibility, Purple Rhombus aircraft are engineered for scalable manufacture, rapid deployment, and mission-ready performance. We are seeking mission-driven individuals to join the team to build the next generation of unmanned aircraft.

Position Overview

Purple Rhombus is seeking a Level 5 Electrical Engineer to serve as the technical authority for air vehicle electrical architecture, avionics integration, and production-ready electrical systems across UAS platforms. This role is responsible for defining electrical design standards, leading system-level integration, ensuring manufacturability, and owning electrical performance through development, flight test, production, and operational deployment. The Level 5 Electrical Engineer provides technical leadership across programs and serves as the primary electrical interface to internal teams, customers, and external partners.

Key Responsibilities

Aircraft Electrical Architecture and Integration

Own end-to-end aircraft electrical architecture including power generation and distribution, grounding strategy, avionics interfaces, harness topology, connector standards, and redundancy philosophy. Lead electrical integration across avionics bays, payload interfaces, propulsion systems, and mission equipment. Coordinate with mechanical, RF, GNC, and systems engineering teams to ensure electrical designs meet performance, EMI, and airworthiness requirements.

Documentation, Configuration, and Technical Governance

Define and enforce electrical design standards, schematic conventions, harness rules, and installation practices across UAS platforms. Review and approve electrical schematics, pinouts, wiring diagrams, and installation instructions. Maintain configuration integrity across engineering changes, production revisions, and fielded aircraft updates.

Power Systems and Avionics Performance Ownership

Lead power system design, load analysis, protection strategy, and fault tolerance across aircraft electrical systems. Own avionics power-up sequences, startup behavior, and power quality validation. Direct troubleshooting and corrective actions related to board-level behavior, battery protection systems, regulated power rails, and environmental exposure.

Manufacturing, Flight Test, and Field Support Leadership

Provide senior engineering support during harness fabrication, aircraft integration, flight test, and operational deployment. Define electrical acceptance criteria, continuity testing standards, and verification procedures. Support flight-line operations, instrumentation, pre-flight readiness, and root-cause resolution of electrical anomalies encountered during test or field operations.

Cross-Functional and Technical Leadership

Mentor junior electrical engineers and technicians and provide technical direction across multiple programs. Interface with suppliers, manufacturing, quality, and program leadership to ensure electrical designs are scalable, producible, and cost-credible. Serve as the electrical engineering authority during design reviews, failure investigations, and customer engagements.

Required Qualifications

Ten or more years of electrical engineering experience within aerospace or defense environments, including direct prior experience on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Demonstrated expertise in aircraft electrical architecture, power distribution, grounding, EMI considerations, and avionics integration. Proven ability to develop and govern electrical schematics, harness documentation, and installation standards for production aircraft. Extensive experience supporting prototype through LRIP and production aircraft. Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or related technical field. Ability to travel to test locations, production facilities, and customer sites.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline. Experience leading electrical integration for fixed-wing UAS platforms. Familiarity with RF coexistence considerations, C2 datalink integration, payload power requirements, and aircraft EMI/EMC qualification. Experience supporting flight test, operational deployment, and production scaling in contested or demanding environments.

Competencies and Attributes

Recognized technical authority with strong ownership mindset. Able to translate electrical design constraints into system-level and mission impacts. Decisive problem solver under flight test and production pressure. Clear communicator capable of leading electrical decisions across engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams. Committed to electrical reliability, installation repeatability, and aircraft readiness.

Annual salary range: $145,000–$185,000

Travel: 15% per year.

Benefits:

401(k)

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance