Manufacturing Test Engineer

About Us At Saildrone, we sustainably explore, map, and monitor the oceans to understand, protect, and preserve our world. We provide real-time access to critical data from any ocean on earth, 24/7/365, and use proprietary software applications to transform that data into actionable insights and intelligence. Our fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs), powered by renewable wind and solar power, have a minimal carbon footprint and operate without the need for a crewed support vessel.

Saildrone works with governments, civil agencies, foundations, universities, and private companies around the globe to drive better information about our oceans and seas—from sailing into the eye of a category 4 hurricane to obtain new data about how storms intensify, collecting new CO2 data in hard-to-reach areas, and counting fish biomass to inform sustainable fishery management, to mapping the ocean floor and reducing illegal fishing and drug trafficking. As a result of our work, we have been included on TIME’s List of the 100 Most Influential Companies in 2024, Fast Company’s list of the “World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022,” and earned the Ocean Awards’ Innovation Award, presented by the Blue Marine Foundation. Saildrone’s hurricane mission was included as one of The New York Times’ “Top 21 Things that happened (for the first time) in 2021” and Popular Science’s “100 Greatest Innovations of 2021,” and entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for recording the “highest windspeed recorded by a USV.”

We are based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC and St. Petersburg, FL, and operate our missions worldwide. Saildrone is backed by top-tier investors in the frontier tech and sustainability sectors, including Social Capital, Capricorn, Lux Capital, BOND Capital, and Emerson Collective.

This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services and autonomous hardware. You will be an integral part of a high-performing multi-disciplinary team that delivers high impact for humanity and future generations.

The Role

Saildrone’s autonomous surface vehicles operate for unprecedented periods of time in the most unforgiving environments on the planet. From the inside of hurricanes to the frigid waters of the Arctic, the stresses they endure are immense. Reliability of our vessels is essential to satisfying our customers and scaling our fleet. As a Manufacturing Test Engineer, you will be responsible for ensuring that all critical drone systems are operating as expected prior to leaving the factory. You will own the testing regime that occurs throughout the manufacturing process, from cable harnesses, to fully integrated systems.

You will fill a central role within the company and collaborate with a variety of teams in engineering, operations, and production. You will apply technical expertise to ensure operational excellence across our product line.

What You’ll Do

• Build production tests to ensure that assembled components are built correctly and perform within performance specifications.
• Develop a top-to-bottom understanding of complex sensors and embedded systems as they relate to an entire, functioning vessel.
• Define entire manufacturing test regime, determining the optimal location in the manufacturing process to test various functionality.
• Integrate manufacturing tests into the manufacturing process by working with Manufacturing engineers to design tools, fixtures and write work instructions.
• Provide internal customer service to supported production teams to quickly resolve any technical issues they experience during production or bring-up.
• Lead software integration or “bring-up” of production components by troubleshooting the HW & FW.

What We’re Looking For

A top performer in this role will be highly motivated by and skilled in the following areas:

• Love to solve novel and exciting problems that arise in hardware, software, and networking
• Strong desire to learn new and complex systems, if you like puzzles this role is for you.
• An instinct for improving processes and workflows to reduce variation within a system
• Ability to understand current Manufacturing test methods and troubleshoot issues that arise during production.
• Not satisfied by superficial explanations of a problem. Able to find the specific root cause so it can be mitigated to prevent future instances
• Can self-assess the needs of a system or team, and can be persuasive about the priority of the most important work
• Must be able to operate test equipment, machinery and AV equipment; use power tools; lift heavy loads up to 50 lbs.

Required Skills

Skills that are necessary to execute the core functions of this role are listed below.

• At least two years of professional experience testing complex technology, weather in R&D or high-volume production.
• Broad familiarity with electrical, mechanical, and materials engineering concepts
• Ability to independently apply knowledge of electrical diagrams/schematics, and mechanical systems to identify a problem with a product, determine the cause, and execute an appropriate repair
• Comfortable obtaining data and diagnosing issues from software and networking platforms using command-line tools on a Linux OS.
• Able to write and understand basic shell scripts to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of performing various diagnostic- and test-related tasks.
• Strong people skills and an ability to work with a wide variety of teams as a leader, and a follower
• Strong safety consciousness and the ability to use good judgment to assess and execute safe operations at home and in new and unfamiliar environments

Preferred Skills

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of specific skills where prior knowledge and experience would lend themselves to high performance:

• Experience in a test engineer, operations engineering or integration/prototype engineering role
• Experience applying concepts of continuous improvement and root cause analysis to scale operations within a start-up environment
• Experience with network and message protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP, CAN, RS-485, RS-232, SPI, I2C, routing, ACLs)
• Experience using APIs to interact with processes and components
• Experience using industry-standard CAD tools (NX, Solidworks, Fusion 360, EAGLE, KiCad, Altium)
• Experience leading and working in teams, including third-party contractors, to execute operational plans and deliver on contractual obligations in a field environment, on time and within budget.
• Able to write clear documentation, process standards, procedures, and work instructions to aid supported teams.
• Familiar with industry-standard project management tools (Jira, Confluence, Asana, Monday, etc.)
• Familiar with operations in a marine environment

Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda. Even our walls have good karma, our offices mix software development with a hardware production line in the former airplane hangar used to film ‘The Matrix’.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents.
• Short and relaxing ferry ride from the Ferry Building for SF residents
• Enhanced Parental Leave Programs
• Competitive benefits including excellent medical, life insurance, 401k plan

A reasonable estimate of the current range is $132,500 – $172,200 annually.

Catch up on the latest news about us:

The Tiny Craft Mapping Superstorms at Sea – The New York Times

TIME 100 Most Influential Companies 2024: Saildrone

An Underwater Mountain was Newly Discovered off California Coast – San Francisco Chronicle

Hacking the Anthropocene with Survivalist Robots [VIDEO] – Freethink

An Unprecedented View Inside a Hurricane – EOS

Saildrone’s First Aluminum Surveyor Autonomous Vessel Splashes Down for Navy Testing – TechCrunch

USVs Could Deter IUU Fishing – USNI Proceedings

Saildrone Vehicles Track Whales around Offshore Wind Power – Workboat

Mullen, Former Joint Chiefs Chairman, to Lead Board for Unmanned Tech Firm Saildrone – Breaking Defense

The Navy Is Using Robot Ships to Deter Human Smuggling out of Haiti – Defense One

Saildrone’s Quiet Voyage: Autonomous Vehicle Aids Great Lakes Fish Stock Study – Up North Live

Saildrone Featured Videos Playlist

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

At Saildrone, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes people from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that a diverse and inclusive team leads to innovation and better problem-solving. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, disabilities, and backgrounds.

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Saildrone are considered property of Saildrone and are not subject to payment of agency fees.