Electrical Engineer

ABOUT OPTIVOLT

Optivolt’s mission is to overshoot humanity’s energy supply by reimagining solar.

America is at an inflection point. We need reliable energy fast. The grid is aging. And solar, the only technology that deploys quickly enough, is still constrained by technology frozen in time.

To close this gap, we build intelligent solar systems that think and adapt to real world conditions. Optivolt solar systems understand the sun, the weather, shading, harsh conditions, and optimize energy flow in real time. Every Optivolt panel is designed with an aerospace power electronics brain sealed inside to make solar more powerful and cost effective than ever in any condition.

The next step is putting it everywhere. In the home as Optivolt Home Solar and in the field as Optivolt Solar Fields. Hyper performant, controllable, reliable solar that works for everyone, everywhere.

OUR TEAM & TRACTION

Optivolt is a team of some of the best builders and doers in the world, drawing from incredible talent pools in aerospace, electrical engineering, design-led organizations. We ultimately will win by designing and building the world’s best solar energy products.

But chiefly important, our organization is a lab for those devoted to solving some of the toughest problems in energy. Everyone is expected to contribute to the mission meaningfully. Clear communication, rapid iteration, and strong work ethic is the floor for anyone on our team.

To date we’ve shipped over 20,000 units and have companies worth billions of dollars relying on our solar architecture.

WHY WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU

As an Electrical Engineer at Optivolt, you will design and develop the hardware systems that power, control, and connect our intelligent solar products. You will work across embedded electronics, system architecture, communications, sensing, and power management, including our Hub, which coordinates and controls distributed power electronics systems.

This is a hands-on role with significant ownership. You will design, build, test, debug, and iterate on real hardware, working closely with firmware, mechanical, test, and manufacturing teams to bring products from concept through production.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

- Own the electronics behind our Hub. Design embedded control boards, communications interfaces, sensing circuits, and power-management hardware.

- Design the system, not just the board. Own Hub electrical architecture, including microcontrollers, connectivity, battery and power supply interfaces, and controls interfaces to distributed devices.

- Take designs from schematic to working hardware. Develop schematics, select components, lay out PCBs, and lead hardware design reviews.

- Make our devices communicate reliably. Integrate wired and wireless communications, including PLC, Bluetooth, and other relevant protocols.

- Get hands-on in the lab. Bring up and debug prototypes; investigate hardware, firmware, and system-level faults.

- Make thoughtful design tradeoffs. Optimize for low power, reliability, thermal performance, cost, and manufacturability.

- Work closely with firmware. Collaborate with firmware and software engineers on interfaces, controls, telemetry, and system integration.

- Prove the hardware is ready for the field. Develop validation procedures and support environmental testing, certification, and manufacturing ramp.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

- You have shipped hardware. 3+ years of hands-on electrical engineering experience developing physical hardware products.

- You know your circuit fundamentals. Strong analog and digital circuit fundamentals, embedded electronics, and PCB design experience.

- You understand embedded electronics. Experience with microcontrollers, communications interfaces, and power-management circuits.

- You can own a PCB design. Proficiency in schematic capture and PCB tools such as Altium.

- You are comfortable at the bench. Comfort with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, and board bring-up.

- You understand how devices communicate. Knowledge of UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, Ethernet, or similar interfaces.

- You follow through from design to validation. Ability to independently deliver validated hardware from requirements through prototype.

PREFERRED SKILLS

- Experience with PLC, Bluetooth, wireless or IoT hardware.

- Experience with battery-powered, low-power, or self-powered systems.

- Familiarity with solar, energy storage, and distributed energy controls.

- Experience with outdoor electronics, EMC/EMI, and high-volume production.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

- Willingness to work extended hours as needed to support critical milestones

- Everyone at Optivolt is required to participate in on call support for customers

- Must be based in San Francisco, CA

PAY AND BENEFITS

The estimated starting base salary range for this role is $150K-210K depending on level, location and experience, plus a generous pre-IPO equity package

Other benefits include comprehensive health coverage, unlimited PTO, plus extra fun perks!