04.21.2023

Electrical Engineer

Job Description

As our new Electrical Engineer, your primary goal is to design, build and test electro-mechanical devices for our Extract Energy heat engine as well as our actuation and medical device applications. We’re looking for someone who can truly own their projects and carry them independently all the way through design, prototyping, testing, and production. 

Specifically, we’re looking for someone with hands-on experience building control and data acquisition systems for in-lab testing and final products, including taking ownership of understanding requirements of large-scale systems, to specifying, assembling, and integrating the components, right down to writing code to support the firmware to integrate these systems. We’re also looking for someone who understands power electronics and how to process raw power from a generator into a clean grid-quality electrical output. 

Practically speaking, you will: 

• • Design, build, and test electromechanical devices using programmable shape memory alloy (SMA) technology 
  • Design power electronic systems integrating generators, rectifiers, and inverters to supply grid-quality electricity 
  • Design and integrate sensors, feedback control and data acquisition systems (DAQ) on lab prototypes, testing and manufacturing equipment 
  • Troubleshoot open-ended problems in prototyping and design 
  • Design, create, and test custom PCBs and electrical devices for applications ranging from consumer electronics to medical devices
  • Develop layouts for multi-layer PCB designs, considering signal integrity, board stack-up optimization, heat dissipation, etc.
  • Support procurement and commissioning of automation and manufacturing equipment and components
  • Develop advanced automated manufacturing methods and processes for high volume production
  • Assist in the development of novel SMA sensing techniques
  • Work closely with a multidisciplinary team to integrate mechatronics in various SMA systems 

 You will have the freedom to work on your projects independently, while being responsive to the iterative nature of the work and communicating effectively with rest of the team. 

About You

You have great technical strength, and you’re more than just book smart – you love digging into projects, getting your hands dirty, and feeling the rush that comes with successfully testing your own creations. You take pride in documenting your work and sharing in a collaborative manner. You are passionate about clean energy technologies, reducing global GHG emissions and combatting climate change. 

You are also the kind of person who can look at the big picture, and intuitively understand the work it takes to achieve it. You’re not only a problem solver, you are a problem definer – able to insightfully characterize problems and develop comprehensive requirements for which you develop solutions. 

If this sounds like you, and you’re excited by the opportunity to work in a dynamic, industry-leading start-up, then we want to hear from you! 

About Smarter Alloys

Smarter Alloys is at the forefront of the smart materials revolution. With applications ranging from wearable technology to medical devices, our technology can be found across a wide range of industries, including medical/dental, automotive, energy harvesting, consumer electronics and sporting goods.  

We are an innovative and fast-moving company that is on the cutting edge of smart materials. We have aggressive growth goals and are looking for someone who can help us get there!  

 As part of our team, you can expect: 

• • A full-time, permanent position working in a state-of-the-art facility 
  • Flexible work schedule (40 hrs/week) with core hours between 10:00am – 3:30pm 
  • Competitive salary, commensurate with experience  
  • Extended Health Benefit package 
  • Opportunities for professional development 

Qualifications

Here’s what we need: 

• • Bachelor’s degree or college diploma in Electrical, Mechatronics, Computer or Systems Design Engineering (or equivalent work experience) 
  • Experience designing power electronics (motors, rotary and linear generators, inverters), analog/mixed-signal circuits, and current controlled applications   
  • Experience developing automation control and data acquisition systems 
  • Hands-on prototyping and debugging experience while using lab test equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, signal generators, etc.) 
  • Proficiency in software programming (C, C++) 
  • Experience with hardware design (Schematic capture & PCB layout, Altium Designer preferred) 
  • Experience with firmware/embedded development (MPLAB, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.)  

And here’s what would be an asset: 

• • Experience with data analysis software (Python, MATLAB, Octave etc.), database systems (SQL) and SCADA systems 
  • Experience in 3D design (AutoDesk, Solidworks etc.) with design for manufacturing & assembly (DFM/DFA) principles
  • Experience with advanced mechanical design and Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
  • Strong background in materials science with experience in shape memory alloys
  • Experience in an agile research and development environment
  • Willingness to learn and try new things, and fail fast  

We strive to build a team that reflects the diversity of the community we work in and encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people identifying as LGBTQ2SI, veterans, and people with disabilities.