Staff Hardware Engineer, Aqnav

Staff Hardware Engineer, AQNav

SandboxAQ is a high-growth company delivering AI solutions that address some of the world's greatest challenges. The company's Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) power advances in life sciences, financial services, navigation, cybersecurity, and other sectors. We are a global team that is tech-focused and includes experts in AI, chemistry, cybersecurity, physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, and other specialties. The company emerged from Alphabet Inc. as an independent, growth capital-backed company in 2022, funded by leading investors and supported by a braintrust of industry leaders. At SandboxAQ, we've cultivated an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and impact. By investing deeply in our people, we're building a thriving, global workforce poised to tackle the world's epic challenges. Join us to advance your career in pursuit of an inspiring mission, in a community of like-minded people who value entrepreneurialism, ownership, and transformative impact.

About the Role

As a Staff Hardware Engineer within AQNav, you will participate in the full product lifecycle of a novel sensing avionics system — from planning and design to integration, testing, and certification. In this role, you will define and implement avionics system architectures, performing trade studies on performance, complexity, risk, and effort to deliver designs that meet both system-level and certification requirements. Your work will directly contribute to bringing novel sensing systems from prototype to flight-ready, certified hardware. You will ensure compliance with DO-178C, DO-254, DO-160, and ARP4754A processes, while balancing the speed of prototyping with the rigor of aviation certification.

This is an on-site, hands-on role based in Palo Alto, working closely with research teams and product stakeholders across the Sensing organization. You will lead the design, integration, and certification-readiness of multi-modal sensing systems, ensuring compliance with aviation regulatory requirements throughout the product lifecycle.

What You'll Do

• Define and implement avionics system architecture, balancing performance, complexity, risk, and certification requirements.
• Design, develop, and troubleshoot avionics hardware (e.g., IMUs, computing, sensing, communication, power) from concept through production.
• Generate compliance documentation (e.g., Plans, Standards, Checklists, Test Procedures, Reports) consistent with DO-178C, DO-254, DO-160, and ARP4754A processes.
• Conduct benchtop, environmental, hardware-in-the-loop, and on-aircraft testing; drive improvements and perform root-cause investigations in safety-critical environments.
• Collaborate across hardware, software, and field operations teams to ensure readiness for airborne operations and maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Travel to integration and test sites, including aircraft modification facilities, to install, verify, and validate system performance in operational conditions.

About You

• Master's degree in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, or related field, with 8+ years in aerospace hardware/software development, including 3+ years working directly on certified avionics systems.
• Hands-on experience with DO-178C, DO-254, DO-160, and familiarity with ARP4754A processes.
• Skilled in system-level design, requirements definition, and certification-aligned documentation.
• Proficient in programming (Python, C, C++, MATLAB), ECAD tools (e.g., Altium), and comfortable in RTOS environments.
• Experience reading electrical wiring schematics.
• Expertise in designing automated test equipment.
• Proven ability to work across engineering disciplines, mentor peers, and balance hardware development with long-term certification goals.

Job Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship (due to USG contract requirements) and ability to obtain/hold a U.S. Secret clearance.
• Willingness to work from our Palo Alto location 50% of the time (hybrid) and travel internationally as required (<25%).
• Track record of successfully integrating hardware/software into certified airborne platforms.

Nice to Haves

• Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) experience.
• Familiarity with quantum sensors, magnetometers, accelerometers, gyroscopes, precision clocks, or other advanced navigation-related sensors.
• Experience with software tool qualification processes and verification automation in support of certification efforts.
• Experience with FPGA development and High-Level Synthesis (HLS) for hardware acceleration, safety-critical control systems, and real-time signal processing.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is expected to be $171k-239k per year. Our salary ranges are determined by role and level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. This role may be eligible for annual discretionary bonuses and equity.