Engineering Lab Manager

Specter • San Francisco, CA

10d • Onsite

About The Position

Specter's mission is to help automate the physical world. Today, we build video sensors with state-of-the-art AI agents that answer any question, anywhere in their environments. Our systems can automatically detect and reason about any physical activity captured on camera, from security incidents (e.g. perimeter intrusion, theft, LPR), to safety monitoring (e.g. PPE detection, injured people), to operational efficiency (e.g. material tracking, congestion monitoring). We offer both long range wireless (1km range) and wired sensor variants to suit any deployment.
Our co-founders Xerxes and Philip are passionate about empowering our partners in the fast approaching world of physical AI and robotics. We are a small, fast growing team who hail from Anduril, Tesla, Uber, and the U.S. Special Forces.

Requirements

• Given a loose set of requirements and a deadline, your instinct is to start figuring out how, not to ask for a spec sheet. You improvise with what’s on hand and know which corners are safe to cut and which aren’t.
• You set up the space, tools, and processes so work is repeatable and problems don’t recur. You can turn a messy, ad-hoc lab into something that runs predictably.
• You can build a machine from parts, set it up, and operate it comfortably. Linux and SSH are second nature, and basic troubleshooting doesn’t slow you down.
• You can fabricate and build physical things: machining, welding, fixturing, 3D printing, casting. You’re at home in a workshop turning an idea into an object.
• Breadboarding, basic programming, setting up PSUs, loads, and solar panels, and crimping or modifying wiring harnesses.
• Mounting, drilling, fastening, cable routing, and weatherproofing, all done properly. Comfortable and safe working at height and outdoors.
• You handle sensitive lab equipment with care, especially during moves and re-cabling, and you’d rather label the cables now than trace them later.

Nice To Haves

• Experience directing technicians or contractors, or setting standards that others work to.
• Exposure to RF hardware or antenna work.
• Familiarity with HIL test setups and the cabling and state they depend on.
• Experience running clean, documented cabling and standing up server racks.
• Comfort with low-voltage wiring, power distribution, or basic electrical work.
• VLANs, switch configuration, IP addressing, and keeping a growing physical network tidy.

Responsibilities

• Install and weatherproof development units at test sites, including our roof. Route and protect cabling so it survives months of rain, heat, and wind.
• Take a bare set of electronics and turn it into something we can field: build or machine the enclosure, brackets, and mounts, and make it weatherproof and serviceable outdoors.
• Set up the networking, power, and IT that tests depend on. Pull and terminate cable, install switches, rack and power servers, and keep it organized and documented.
• Assemble server racks from scratch and plan clean migrations of our hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems. Map every cable and transplant running setups without losing state.
• Lay out the space, set up how equipment is tracked and maintained, and turn recurring jobs into repeatable processes so quality doesn’t depend on who’s on shift.
• Catch the “we probably shouldn’t drape a blanket over the servers, they’ll overheat” problems early. You have strong physical intuition for heat, power, cable strain, and weather.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed