---
title: 'Electrical / Electronics Design Engineer - PCBA Test Automation at Heron Power'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-electronics-design-engineer-pcba-test-automation-heron-power-scotts-97hcjwyaz5kk'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-05'
---

# Electrical / Electronics Design Engineer - PCBA Test Automation at Heron Power

- **Company:** Heron Power
- **Location:** Scotts Valley, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-04
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-05
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/heron-power/293d9155-e4df-453f-80a3-5166daef6e83

## Job description

## WHAT TO EXPECT

Heron Power is a startup company building cutting-edge power electronics for the 21st-century grid. We aim to de-bottleneck the growth of electricity generation and consumption with scalable, innovative, and less costly hardware solutions, accelerating the electrification of everything.

Our first goal is to build better converters (inverters & rectifiers) to connect large-scale renewables, storage, and loads to the grid. Heron’s leadership team is made up of seasoned veterans who have designed and shipped gigawatts of power conversion products over the past decade.

We understand that no one individual knows everything. We will all learn a lot together and from each other. We strive to build a collaborative, enriching environment conducive to personal, technical, and career growth. You can expect to work in a dynamic environment, driven by first principles engineering, solving difficult problems—with a strong bias toward hands-on execution and learning by doing.

## JOB OVERVIEW

High-reliability products are built on high-quality test infrastructure.

As the Electrical / Electronics Test Engineer - PCBA, you will build the automated hardware test infrastructure that allows us to validate and ship at scale—from PCBA-level functional circuit testing through subsystem validation, end-of-line system testing and all the way to test systems developed for high volume manufacturing of low-voltage electronics and high-power converter assemblies.

You will architect and deliver complete automated test cells that integrate power hardware, instrumentation, control software, and data pipelines into reliable, repeatable production and engineering tools.

This role owns the lifecycle loop from:

test requirements → coverage strategy → test architecture → fixture/bench design → automation software → deployment → sustainment → regression and continuous improvement.

If you like turning “we need a test” into a working system that engineering and manufacturing can depend on, this role will feel like home.

## HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

Test Strategy & Architecture (PCBA → System → EOL)

- Define functional test coverage for PCBAs, subsystems, and full systems.
- Architect test solutions balancing coverage, cycle time, cost, and maintainability.
- Partner with design engineering to drive Design-for-Test (DFT): test points, boundary scan, firmware testing , and observability.
- Define regression strategy to prevent re-learning the same lessons across builds and firmware releases.
- Establish pass/fail criteria grounded in real system performance and reliability goals.

High-Power / High-Voltage Bi-Directional Converter Testers

- Design and deliver automated bi-directional converter testers for AC/DC and DC/DC systems capable of source and sink operation.
- Architect high-power test cells including bidirectional AC/DC sources, regenerative loads, grid simulators (as needed), HV measurement chains, contactors and protection systems, interlocks and safe operating procedures, grounding strategy.
- Implement automated test sequences for power cycling, efficiency mapping, transient response, fault injection, protection validation.
- Ensure high-voltage testing is safe, repeatable, and production-ready.

Test Hardware & Fixture Development

- Design and build PCBA functional fixtures (bed-of-nails, pogo, interface boards), harness and connector validation fixtures, subsystem and system-level interface racks, and fault-injection rigs.
- Specify and integrate instrumentation including power supplies, electronic loads, DAQs, DMMs, oscilloscopes, power analyzers, CAN/Ethernet/RS-485 tools, and sensors.
- Deliver stations that are robust, safe, maintainable, and scalable.

Debug, Yield & Continuous Improvement

- Drive rapid debug loops when tests fail.
- Improve test observability and diagnostic resolution.
- Own station version control, calibration, uptime, and software releases.
- Partner with manufacturing to improve yield, reduce escapes, and accelerate learning loops.
- Close the loop with design and reliability teams.

What Makes This Role Different

- You will build the automated tester capability from the ground up.
- Real breadth: PCBA functional → engineering validation → high-power HIL → end-of-line testing → production.
- Direct ownership of high-voltage, high-energy automated test systems.
- High agency and high slope — the testers you build directly determine how fast we can iterate and ship.

## WHAT YOU WILL BRING

We prioritize first-principles thinking, practical skill, ownership, and a proactive mindset. We care as much (or more) about how you work as what you already know.

We calibrate seniority based on demonstrated results, depth, and ownership — not keywords.

## MUST-HAVE REQUIREMENTS

- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, or equivalent practical experience.
- Experience in designing and delivering automated test setups for high-voltage / high-power systems.
- Strong fundamentals in circuits and instrumentation.
- Hands-on experience with scopes, DMMs, power supplies, electronic loads, DAQs, and digital interfaces (CAN, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, UART).
- Demonstrated ownership of a test system from concept through deployment and sustainment.
- Ability to work cross-functionally and drive issues to closure.

## NICE-TO-HAVES

- Experience with bi-directional AC/DC or DC/DC power sources and regenerative loads.
- Experience with HIL development or embedded firmware validation infrastructure.
- Experience with PCBA manufacturing functional test and yield improvement.
- Familiarity with production traceability systems and calibration discipline.
- Experience developing test systems for medium-voltage or high-power converter products.

If you are passionate about technology and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, we would love to hear from you. Join us in accelerating the electrification of everything at Heron Power. Heron Power provides competitive compensation (salary and equity) and benefits. The salary for this role ranges from $150,000 to $200,000 per year.

## About Heron Power

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Heron Power develops next-generation medium-voltage power electronics, including solid-state transformers, to modernize the electrical grid for AI data centers, renewable energy, and surging electricity demand.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B)
- **Headquarters**: Scotts Valley, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Drew Baglino

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution; Industrial Power Electronics; Energy Infrastructure
- **Target customers**: B2B — hyperscale data center operators, solar and storage developers, utility-scale energy project developers, and the broader electricity sector.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: To build power electronics purpose-built for the 21st-century grid, helping the electricity sector grow faster and more affordably with scalable, reliable, and software-integrated infrastructure.

## Products & Services
- **Heron Link for Data Centers**: An integrated solid-state transformer + SuperBBU (battery backup unit) solution purpose-built for AI and hyperscale power needs, enabling more efficient, scalable, and reliable power delivery.
- **Heron Link for Solar & Storage**: An integrated solid-state transformer and inverter in one infinitely scalable platform, designed to streamline the connection of renewable generation and battery storage to the grid.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed.
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding of **$178 million** across two rounds (Series A: $38M led by Capricorn Investment Group in June 2025; Series B: $140M led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz in February 2026).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**:
    - **Investors**: Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz (American Dynamism Fund), Capricorn Investment Group, Gigascale Capital, Valor Equity Partners, Energy Impact Partners, Powerhouse.
    - **Advisors**: JB Straubel (Tesla Co-Founder), Zach Kirkhorn (Former Tesla CFO).
    - **Strategic Partner**: LG Energy Solution Vertech (collaboration to integrate Heron Link with U.S.-manufactured battery energy storage systems).
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Headcount has grown **975% year-over-year** to 72 employees, with 58 active job postings.
    - Awarded **$26.375 million** in tax credit incentives from the state of California to build a 40-gigawatt manufacturing facility and create 600+ advanced manufacturing jobs.
    - Rapidly scaling from engineering prototypes to early customer deployments with major industry partners.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep technical moat**: Heron’s core technology is an integrated solid-state transformer (SST) — a fundamental re-architecture of medium-voltage power electronics that is more scalable, software-integrated, and efficient than traditional copper-and-iron transformers.
- **Founder pedigree**: CEO Drew Baglino was a 18-year veteran and SVP of Powertrain and Energy at Tesla, where he led development of the 4680 battery cell, Megapack, and built multi-billion-dollar energy and charging businesses.
- **Strategic backing**: Backed by a world-class syndicate of climate-tech and deep-tech investors (Breakthrough Energy, a16z, Valor) and advised by Tesla co-founder JB Straubel and former Tesla CFO Zach Kirkhorn.
- **Manufacturing-first approach**: Already planning a 40 GW U.S. manufacturing facility with state incentives secured, signaling a focus on high-volume, cost-competitive production from the start.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale manufacturing**: Building out a large-scale U.S. factory to meet demand from AI data centers and renewable energy projects.
- **Commercial deployment**: Moving from engineering prototypes to delivering integrated solutions with strategic partners like LG Energy Solution Vertech.
- **Debottleneck the grid**: Targeting the critical infrastructure bottleneck where traditional transformers and grid equipment cannot keep pace with surging electricity demand from AI, electrification, and renewables.

## Why Work Here
- **High-impact mission**: Work on foundational hardware that directly enables the energy transition and AI infrastructure — systems that will be deployed and operated for decades.
- **Engineering culture**: Values rapid iteration ("build, test, learn"), first-principles reasoning, and cross-functional collaboration across hardware, software, manufacturing, and operations.
- **Ownership and autonomy**: Strong emphasis on taking accountability for outcomes, not just tasks, and working across team boundaries to deliver an impeccable product.
- **Transparent and direct**: Culture prizes clear communication, honest feedback, and progress over posturing — "no defensiveness, no ego."
- **Location and flexibility**: Based in Scotts Valley, California (near Santa Cruz/Silicon Valley), with a presence in Canada. The work is highly hands-on (hardware, lab, factory), so on-site presence is expected for engineering roles.
- **Growth trajectory**: Explosive headcount growth (975% YoY) and 58 open roles across electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, software, and supply chain disciplines — offering significant career acceleration for early hires.
- **Notable perks**: Opportunity to work alongside a team with deep expertise from Tesla, Meta, and KKR, with direct mentorship from a proven founder.

## Sources
1. [heronpower.com](https://heronpower.com/)
2. [heronpower.com/about](https://heronpower.com/about)
3. [heronpower.com/careers](https://heronpower.com/careers)
4. [linkedin.com/company/heron-power-electronics](https://www.linkedin.com/company/heron-power-electronics)
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/heron-power](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/heron-power)

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