---
title: 'Electrical Engineer at Quartermaster'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-quartermaster-arlington-psgxfnthnjwg'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-04'
---

# Electrical Engineer at Quartermaster

- **Company:** Quartermaster
- **Location:** Arlington, VA
- **Compensation:** $190k–$225k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-11-03
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-04
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/quartermaster/d689be00-35c8-4ace-8a66-54dfbc42dc4c

## Job description

## About Us

Quartermaster is building the world's most comprehensive maritime intelligence platform. Our SmartMast™ system transforms commercial and civilian vessels into a persistent, distributed sensing network—combining HD video, AI, radar, RF sensing, and AIS to deliver real-time maritime domain awareness at global scale. With 600+ sensors deployed across 25+ countries and more than 400,000 vessels identified outside of AIS, we are setting a new standard for what ocean surveillance and safety can look like. We are a mission-driven, high-velocity team building dual-use technology for defense agencies, coast guards, and commercial maritime operators.

Job Description We are seeking a versatile and hands-on Electrical Engineer to lead the design, development, and validation of the electrical subsystems that power our SmartMast™ platform—an edge-deployed, Linux and GPU-based sensor node for maritime intelligence. In this role, you will be responsible for the full lifecycle of electrical design, from schematic capture and multi-layer PCB layout through to board bring-up, hardware debugging, and environmental validation. This includes integrating core compute hardware, rugged power delivery, peripheral interfaces, multi-sensor payloads, and EMI/resilience measures required for harsh marine field deployments. You’ll collaborate closely with mechanical, software, and systems engineers to evolve SmartMast™ into a modular, production-grade edge sensing platform.

## Key Responsibilities

- Create schematics and multi-layer board layouts using industry-standard EDA tools, optimized for thermal, EMI, and mechanical constraints.
- Oversee PCB fabrication and assembly partners, managing BOMs, performing DFM/DFA reviews, and validating prototype runs.
- Integrate and interface peripherals and sensor payloads, including cameras, GPUs, SDRs, GNSS/GPS, IMUs, PoE, radar, and environmental sensors.
- Design rugged power delivery networks, including battery integration, surge suppression, and redundant regulation paths for safety-critical systems.
- Perform hands-on electrical bring-up, validation, and board-level troubleshooting across prototypes and production units using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and lab instrumentation.
- Drive design-for-reliability initiatives across shock, vibration, ingress protection (IP rating), lightning protection, and extreme thermal conditions.
- Support enclosure packaging and harness design in close collaboration with mechanical engineering to ensure robust physical and electrical integration.
- Maintain comprehensive engineering documentation, including schematics, test procedures, manufacturing guidelines, and hardware change logs (ECOs).
- Collaborate with software and AI teams to validate hardware stability and signal integrity under real-world workloads and operational field conditions.

## Qualifications (Preferred)

- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
- 6+ years of experience designing, bringing up, and delivering production-grade embedded hardware and mixed-signal systems.
- Proficiency with schematic capture and PCB layout tools (e.g., Altium Designer, OrCAD).
- Strong foundation in high-speed signal integrity, power electronics, and mixed-signal design principles.
- Hands-on experience with hardware bring-up, bench validation, and lab debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters.
- Familiarity with camera and high-speed data interfaces (CSI, USB3, Ethernet, PCIe) as well as serial buses (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN).
- Experience designing ruggedized electronics built for environmentally constrained, high-reliability, or outdoor deployments.
- Strong collaboration and communication skills across multidisciplinary hardware, software, and mechanical teams.
- Bonus: experience with NVIDIA embedded platforms (Jetson), RF design considerations, or marine/aerospace hardware deployments.

Work Environment

- Flexible working hours with occasional deadlines requiring high availability.
- Opportunity to work on innovative projects with a global impact.

## About Quartermaster

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Quartermaster builds a real-time, distributed maritime awareness network by equipping vessels with AI-powered sensor packages (SmartMast) and an analytics platform.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: Arlington, Virginia, United States
- **Founded**: 2023
- **Founders**: Neil Sobin (CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Maritime intelligence, defense technology, AI/robotics, ocean sensing
- **Target customers**: Governments (navies, coast guards), commercial shipping operators, insurers, and maritime researchers (B2G, B2B)
- **Mission**: “Connect every vessel on the water to create a comprehensive, real-time picture of our oceans, unlocking critical data insights that underpin a prosperous global maritime ecosystem.” [quartermaster.us](https://www.quartermaster.us/about)

## Products & Services
- **SmartMast**: A weather-hardened hardware package (cameras, radios, sensors) mounted on a ship’s mast that continuously collects and relays maritime data. Combined with an AI analytics platform, it provides real-time vessel identification, anomaly detection, and environmental monitoring. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Quartermaster Analytics Platform**: Cloud-based software that ingests SmartMast data and applies computer vision and machine learning to generate actionable intelligence for fleet operators, insurers, and government agencies.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: $43 million in Series A funding (announced May 20, 2026) [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Co-led by First Round Capital and Quiet Capital, with participation from TMV, Steel Atlas, BoxGroup, Operator Partners, Shorewind Capital, and David (surname not specified). Key hires from Anduril (Steve Ribaudo as CGO) and Scale AI (Matt Beck as COO). [quartermaster.us](https://www.quartermaster.us/about) | [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 625% year-over-year to 40 employees (as of mid-2026). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)
  - Over 600 ships equipped with SmartMast, covering 10 million square miles of ocean. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
  - Assisted in “over 20 rescues of mariners at sea.” [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
  - Operates in 7 countries (Panama, Colombia, South Korea, UAE, Brazil, Taiwan, United States). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary hardware edge**: SmartMast is far more advanced than the standard AIS (Automatic Identification System), which is opt-in and easily spoofed. Quartermaster’s sensors provide persistent, verified, real-time data that is less susceptible to fraud. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Pro-mariner incentive model**: Rather than selling sensors to fleet operators (a tough sell in a low-margin industry), Quartermaster creates value for mariners (e.g., rescue support, safety data) to encourage voluntary adoption, locking in network effects. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **First-mover in distributed ocean sensing**: No other company has deployed a real-time, AI-powered sensor constellation at this scale, giving Quartermaster a data moat and early relationships with governments and commercial fleets.

## Strategic Focus
- **Engineering hiring**: A large portion of the $43M Series A is earmarked for hiring engineers (RF, software, AI, systems) to accelerate product development. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Fleet expansion**: Continue equipping more vessels with SmartMast, especially in key maritime corridors, to densify the network.
- **New applications**: Developing uses for government intelligence, marine autonomy training data, environmental monitoring, and insurance risk assessment.
- **Global presence**: Scaling operations in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East (already in 7 countries). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)

## Why Work Here
- **High-impact mission**: Directly contribute to ocean safety, security, and sustainability – work that has tangible real-world results (e.g., rescues at sea).
- **Fast-growing startup**: 625% YoY headcount growth; employees have significant ownership and influence over product direction.
- **Engineering culture**: “A single engineer can make a significant impact in relatively short periods of time” because the ocean space is largely untapped. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
- **Remote-friendly**: Some roles (e.g., “Opportunity Hire”) are listed as remote, though the HQ in Arlington, VA likely expects hybrid for core engineering teams. [quartermaster.us](https://www.quartermaster.us/jobs/opportunity-hire)
- **Diverse, inclusive environment**: Equal opportunity employer that encourages individuals of all backgrounds to apply. [quartermaster.us](https://www.quartermaster.us/jobs/opportunity-hire)
- **Notable perks**: Not explicitly listed, but the company emphasizes pro-mariner values and a collaborative, mission-driven culture.

## Sources
1. [quartermaster.us/about](https://www.quartermaster.us/about)
2. [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/this-startup-raised-43m-to-build-a-hive-mind-for-ships/)
3. [linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermasterai)
4. [quartermaster.us/jobs/opportunity-hire](https://www.quartermaster.us/jobs/opportunity-hire)
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/quartermaster](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/quartermaster)

## Other roles at Quartermaster

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- [Head of Launch (Europe)](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-launch-europe-quartermaster-london-p4r55emm9sfw) — London, United Kingdom
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