Senior Research and Prototyping Engineer

The role

This person will design, build, assemble, and iterate on prototypes, test fixtures, and lab hardware. They will work with technical leads to translate experimental needs into practical hardware and test setups.

What you will do

• Design, build, assemble, and iterate on prototypes, test fixtures, sample holders, experimental rigs, and lab hardware
• Translate experimental needs into practical hardware, fixtures, test setups, and build plans
• Create CAD designs for parts, fixtures, assemblies, tooling, and test infrastructure
• Build and modify mechanical systems using machining, 3D printing, and hands-on fabrication
• Support electrical test setups including wiring, sensors, circuits, and data acquisition
• Build, align, and troubleshoot laser and optical test setups
• Build and support experimental gas-flow and vacuum setups
• Help build test systems for electrical, thermal, mechanical, and environmental evaluation
• Instrument test setups with sensors, thermocouples, cameras, and DAQ systems
• Debug hardware, test rigs, electrical setups, and experimental systems

Required qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics, manufacturing engineering, materials science, physics, or a related technical field
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in prototyping, test engineering, hardware engineering, product development, lab engineering, or a similar role
• Strong CAD skills
• Hands-on mechanical aptitude and experience building, assembling, troubleshooting, and improving physical systems
• Ability to do practical electrical engineering work, including wiring, circuits, sensors, instrumentation, and basic data acquisition
• Experience taking ambiguous technical requirements and turning them into working hardware
• Strong attention to detail, high ownership, and comfort working in a fast-moving startup environment
• Clear technical documentation skills

Nice to have

• Experience with Onshape
• Experience with prototyping in a hardware startup, research lab, advanced manufacturing environment, or product development team
• Experience building test fixtures or instrumentation for electrical, thermal, mechanical, or materials testing
• Familiarity with Python, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, LabVIEW, MATLAB, or other tools used for test automation and data collection
• Experience with sensors, DAQ systems, thermocouples, power supplies, high-current testing, resistance measurements, or thermal measurement systems
• Experience working with metal parts, conductors, motors, heat sinks, additive manufacturing, machining, or lab-scale manufacturing equipment
• Comfortable coordinating with vendors, machine shops, and external fabrication partners

Benefits

• Competitive cash compensation
• Meaningful equity
• Hands-on ownership over critical prototypes, test systems, and experimental infrastructure
• The chance to help build the hardware foundation for nanomaterial-enhanced conductors
• The opportunity to work closely with senior technical leaders
• Relocation support for candidates moving from outside the Los Angeles area

About the company

Arcturus is creating a new wire technology stack that uses carbon nanomaterials to improve the performance of electric motors, heat sinks, and the energy grid. The company is developing carbon nanomaterial-infused metal matrix composites for high-performance conductor applications.