---
title: 'Hardware Engineer - Forward Deployed at Saronic Technologies'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/hardware-engineer-forward-deployed-saronic-technologies-san-diego-czepjj0r3539'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Hardware Engineer - Forward Deployed at Saronic Technologies

- **Company:** [Saronic Technologies](https://feeny.ai/companies/saronic-technologies)
- **Location:** San Diego, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-05-21
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic/11ba12ec-5438-4c90-b493-62f3a4664051/application

**Skills:** Integrated electromechanical systems, Mechanical assembly and fabrication, CNC, Sheet metal fabrication, 3D printing, Electrical integration, Power systems, Cabling, Connectors, PCB bring-up, Rapid prototyping, System-level debugging, CAD, SolidWorks, NX, Multimeters, Oscilloscopes, Linux, TCP/IP, UDP

> The Forward Deployed Hardware Engineer brings technology from the lab to maritime platforms, integrating mechanical and electrical payloads onto Autonomous Service Vessels. This hands-on, field-oriented role involves rapid prototyping, system integration, and troubleshooting in real-world environments to support mar...

## Job description

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Job Overview We are seeking a versatile Forward Deployed Hardware Engineer to join our technical team. You will have a strong mechanical and electrical background and be responsible for bringing our technology from the lab to the fleet.

This is not a traditional engineering role. You will be responsible for deploying our systems into the real world, directly supporting maritime missions. You will integrate cutting-edge mechanical and electrical payloads, debug complex system-level problems, and iterate hardware designs in the field to ensure success. This is a highly hands-on and field-oriented role with time split between the lab, fabrication spaces, and the waterfront.

## Responsibilities

- Serve as a multidisciplinary field engineer responsible for mechanical and electrical integration of novel systems and payloads onto our Autonomous Service Vessels (ASVs) and maritime platforms
- Lead rapid prototyping efforts to support field experimentation and platform evolution
- Perform system bring-up, integration, and troubleshooting of power, networking, sensors, and compute subsystems
- Own dockside and sea trials - prepare vessels, install new hardware packages, and perform system validation in operationally relevant environments
- Drive design-for-assembly and design-for-deployment feedback into hardware product development
- Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Mechanical, Electrical, Software, and Autonomy Engineers, to evolve and harden system designs
- Interface with suppliers and fabrication shops to support fast turnarounds of custom components and harnesses
- Contribute to documentation and training to support the scaling of deployment and manufacturing

## Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field. Master's degree is a plus
- 3+ years of experience working on integrated electromechanical systems, preferably in fielded or mission-critical environments
- Hands-on expertise in Mechanical assembly and fabrication (CNC, sheet metal, 3D printing, etc.)
- Hands-on expertise in Electrical integration (power systems, cabling, connectors, PCB bring-up)
- Hands-on expertise in rapid prototyping and system-level debugging
- Comfort working with tools such as CAD (SolidWorks, NX, or similar), basic electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes), and field integration setups
- Experience working with a Linux-based operating system
- Understanding of networking protocols and distributed systems, including TCP/IP, UDP, and message-passing frameworks
- Willingness to work in dynamic, hands-on environments, including on and near the water
- Strong sense of ownership and bias for action
- You thrive in real-world environments, responsible for solving open-ended problems
- Experience working with autonomous systems, drones, or other robotic platforms is preferred
- Familiarity with maritime environments or naval platforms is preferred
- Ability to write basic software tools (e.g., Python, shell scripts) for hardware bring-up or test automation is preferred
- Exposure to ruggedized or IP-rated hardware design is preferred
- Experience in systems integration or test engineering is preferred

## Benefits

- Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services
- Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, orthodontics, and vision care
- Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents
- Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays
- Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents
- Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance-based bonuses
- Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan
- Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success
- Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage
- Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office

Physical Demands

- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Occasional standing and walking within the office
- Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment
- Visual acuity to read screens, documents, and reports
- Occasional reaching, bending, or stooping to access file drawers, cabinets, or office supplies
- Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages)

[Saronic CCPA Notice for Candidates and California Employees](https://saronic-assets-public.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Saronic%20CCPA%20Notice%20for%20Candidates%20and%20California%20Employees.pdf) If this role is based in the United States, it requires access to export-controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/8/1324b.

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

## About Saronic Technologies

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Saronic Technologies builds autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) that combine hardware, software, and artificial intelligence to deliver scalable maritime security and domain awareness for naval forces.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series D, total funding $2.6B)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Dino Mavrookas (CEO), Vibhav Altekar (CTO), Doug Lambert (COO), Rob Lehman (CCO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing – autonomous maritime systems
- **Target customers**: U.S. and allied naval forces, government defense agencies (B2G)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Redefine maritime superiority” by providing the most advanced and capable autonomous vessels to address emerging threats and revolutionize naval warfare.

## Products & Services
- **Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs)**: A family of unmanned vessels (including models like *Mirage*, *Cipher*, and the 150‑foot *Marauder*) designed for launch from small craft, fleet assets, or beachheads. Capabilities include adaptive path planning, passive sensor tracking, resilient multi‑channel communications, and diverse payload integration.
- **Echelon Platform**: A unified software suite for mission planning, simulation, and command‑and‑control of autonomous surface vessels.
- **Capabilities Suite**: Integrated hardware/software stack covering launch, maneuver, perceive, communicate, execute, enable, and recover.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (latest Series D at $1.8B implies a valuation well into the billions)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding $2.6B (Seed, Series A, Series B, and Series D); annual revenue reported at $9.5M
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: 8VC (Seed lead), Caffeinated Capital (Series A lead), Andreessen Horowitz (Series B lead), Kleiner Perkins (Series D lead). Strategic acquisition of Gulf Craft (April 2025) to accelerate shipbuilding.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 785 employees (+218.7% YoY), 296 active job postings, awarded a $392M Navy contract, international offices in Australia, United Kingdom, and Japan.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Founder experience**: Co‑founder/CEO Dino Mavrookas is a former Navy SEAL with eight combat tours; the leadership team includes veterans and technologists who understand military needs firsthand.
- **Proven technology**: Autonomous vessels already deployed in contested environments, with a $392M Navy contract validating the platform.
- **Vertical integration**: In‑house manufacturing and software development, plus the acquisition of Gulf Craft for scaled shipbuilding.
- **Rapid scaling**: Massive funding and headcount growth signal strong investor and customer confidence.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling production of ASVs from prototype to full manufacturing lines (new Head of Manufacturing hired).
- Expanding vessel lineup with larger platforms (150‑foot *Marauder*) and international partnerships in the Indo‑Pacific and Europe.
- Deepening the software ecosystem (Echelon) for mission planning and manned‑unmanned teaming.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Values include “United We Win” (teamwork, respect), “Trust Fuels Triumph” (transparency, integrity), “Solutions Driven” (creative problem‑solving), and “One Mission” (national security focus).
- **Work environment**: Primarily on‑site in Austin, TX, with additional offices in Australia, UK, and Japan. High‑growth startup pace with a mission‑driven defense focus.
- **Perks & ratings**: LinkedIn employer rating 4.2/5.0 (compensation 4.5, culture 4.0, career 4.3). Notable talent drawn from SpaceX, Tesla, Anduril, Blue Origin, and Lockheed Martin.
- **Engineering culture**: Heavy emphasis on cross‑disciplinary teams (perception, navigation, ML, C2, systems integration) and building “captainless” ships.

## Sources
1. [saronic.com](https://www.saronic.com/) – Homepage, capabilities, and news (Navy contract)
2. [saronic.com/team](https://www.saronic.com/team) – Founders, leadership, values
3. [saronic.com/mission](https://www.saronic.com/mission) – Mission statement
4. [linkedin.com/company/saronic-technologies](https://www.linkedin.com/company/saronic-technologies) – Financials, headcount, funding rounds, investors, reviews
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic) – Active job postings

## Other roles at Saronic Technologies

- [Electrical Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-sr88g70yk843) — Austin, TX
- [Enterprise Technology Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/enterprise-technology-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-r63jvc3b1s45) — Austin, TX
- [EHS Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/ehs-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-t15evetjzn5q) — Austin, TX
- [Mechanical Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-17eygpev3j9b) — Austin, TX
- [Information Technology Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/information-technology-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-e1g09fnhttd2) — Austin, TX
- [Manufacturing Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-franklin-sg30q2bzczjr) — Franklin, LA
- [Forward Deployed Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-tycf8s4x82nb) — Austin, TX
- [Naval Architect Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/naval-architect-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-ajkpzmtdg034) — Austin, TX
- [Software Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-rdb05ss9d5a5) — Austin, TX
- [People Business Partner](https://feeny.ai/job/people-business-partner-saronic-technologies-arlington-92japss6fqkg) — Arlington, VA