Electrical Engineer

Emeryville, California Technical Operations – Hardware / Full-Time / On-site Prolific Machines is ushering in a new era of biotechnology with light. Our mission is to make next-generation therapies broadly available to patients. Our first-of-its-kind Photomolecular Platform uses light to precisely guide how cells produce complex biologics, enabling higher titers, improved quality, and faster development timelines. By helping partners overcome today’s manufacturing bottlenecks, we’re accelerating the delivery of life-changing medicines. Prolific is supported by leading investors, including Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Mayfield, and SOSV. Help us create a brighter tomorrow with biology. We're looking for mission-driven, talented, and kind people to join our team. We’re looking for an Electrical Engineer to support design, testing, and integration of electronic systems that power our advanced biomanufacturing platforms. You’ll collaborate closely with hardware, software, and bioengineering teams to ensure our electrical subsystems meet performance, safety, and reliability requirements. This role will be based on-site in Emeryville, CA and will report to the Senior Mechatronics Engineer of the company. Standard hours will be 40hrs per week, with the employee aiming to be onsite during the company’s core hours Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm. Responsibilities Ownership of the design, schematic capture, and layout of PCB assemblies for control, sensing, and power distribution. Assist in system requirements definition of PCB assemblies Support prototype development, including assembly, wiring, and debugging of electronic hardware systems. Perform bench testing and validation of electrical components and systems. Help create and maintain BOMs, schematics, and documentation in CAD/PLM systems (Fusion 360, Eagle). Collaborate with firmware engineers on interface definition and testing between hardware and embedded software. Collaborate with mechanical engineers and technicians on mechanical constraints of PCB assemblies, environmental conditions, and other factors driving electrical system requirements. Collaborate with optical engineers on optical power delivery constraints. Collaborate on the design of testing infrastructure for production electronics. Participate in root-cause analysis and failure debugging during system bring-up and production builds. Assist in vendor evaluation and component selection for reliability, cost, and manufacturability. Follow safety and quality standards for laboratory and production environments (ESD, grounding, etc.) and help set best practices. About You BSc in Electrical Engineering or related discipline with 2+ years of industry experience or MSE with 1+ years of industry experience. Familiarity with analog/digital electronics, sensors, and power systems (LED drivers, I2C devices, AC/DC and DC/DC converters, etc.). Experience with EE tools: Fusion 360, Eagle (current company standard), Altium Designer, LTSpice, Oscilloscopes, DMMs, and Logic Analyzers. Basic understanding of microcontroller-based embedded systems. Basic understanding of electrical safety and product standards (IEC, UL, NEC, etc.) and design standards (component selection, wire sizing, noise immunity, etc.). Have strong technical communication skills, are excited about working with interdisciplinary teams, and are eager to work in a high-growth, fast-paced startup environment. Knowledge of signal integrity, EMI/EMC, or thermal design is a plus. Experience designing PCBs for use in harsh environmental conditions is a plus. Exposure to biotech or automation equipment design is a plus. Experience with FPGA or embedded firmware development is a plus. Familiarity with rapid prototyping and manufacturing processes (e.g., cable harnessing, test fixtures) is a plus. $100,000 - $135,000 a year This role is salaried, exempt, and paid semi-monthly. Starting salary will be dependent upon specific experience, knowledge, and skillset. The range by level will typically fall between $100k-$115k for Associate Engineer and $110k-$135k for Engineer I. Benefits: Generous equity package in an early stage company, retirement plan with company contribution, flexible PTO with healthy time off minimums, company-covered medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, career coaching, mental health support, free team lunches everyday, great snacks, and companywide social events! Diversity: We value diverse people, perspectives, and knowledge. To this end, we aim to foster a sense of belonging that enables everyone to bring their whole, authentic self to work everyday. We are committed to growing a diverse and inclusive team that encompasses all types of people. We believe this can only be achieved by acknowledging the ancestral, historic, and current systemic and communal inequities.