Principal Project Engineer, Light Engines Electronics and Firmware

Monarch Quantum • San Diego, CA

3d

About The Position

Monarch Quantum is seeking a Principal Project Engineer, Light Engines Electronics and Firmware to help build its engineering foundation as the company scales. This is a dynamic, hands-on role in a fast-paced startup environment, with responsibility for technical direction and minimal oversight. The engineer will work on electronics, firmware, and software for next-generation light engine systems, collaborate closely with leadership, and help establish engineering practices that support the company's mission and growth.

The role owns complex, multidisciplinary development projects from planning through execution, including accountability for scope, schedule, and budget. It represents the company to customers, sets technical direction with functional managers, and leads matrixed teams across electrical, firmware, and software disciplines. The engineer will manage project risks and opportunities, ensure execution against internal and customer processes, and deliver and document project milestones. The role also mentors engineers and project leads and contributes to engineering strategy and process maturity beyond individual projects.

Access to export-controlled information is required. Employment is contingent on the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).

Requirements

• Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 10 or more years of relevant experience, including pursuit of relevant higher education.
• Proven record of successfully leading complex electrical, firmware, and/or software development projects using a structured development process.
• Expertise in a subset of technical areas: electrical engineering (analog, digital, or power electronics), embedded firmware, software engineering (controls, test, and automation), systems engineering, or control theory.
• Must be a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), because the position requires access to export-controlled information.
• Creative, flexible, and willing to wear multiple hats; passionate about building systems from the ground up and comfortable with ambiguity and change.

Nice To Haves

• Relevant experience within a startup or technology company.
• Exposure to optics, photonics, opto-mechanics, or AMO physics.

Responsibilities

• Own planning and execution of complex, multidisciplinary development projects, with accountability for scope, schedule, and budget.
• Represent the company in front of customers and set technical direction in collaboration with functional managers.
• Lead matrixed technical teams through schedule bottlenecks, uncertainty, incomplete information, and sudden changes while protecting team focus and productivity.
• Provide technical, logistical, and problem-solving leadership across electrical, firmware, and software disciplines.
• Establish and champion engineering best practices across the organization.
• Anticipate program-level risks and opportunities and manage them through project execution.
• Execute projects according to internal and customer-defined processes.
• Reach, document, and defend project milestones, including requirements, design and test readiness reviews, integration and test events, test reports, installation, and support activities.
• Mentor other engineers and project leads.
• Influence engineering strategy and process maturity beyond the scope of individual projects.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Fidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer matching.
• 20 paid time off (PTO) days per year.
• 13 paid company holidays.
• 9/80 work schedule, with every other Friday off.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior