Senior Electrical Engineer

AURA • Boulder, CO

3d • $130,000 - $165,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Electrical Engineer plays a pivotal role in turning the Next-generation Global Observing Network Group (ngGONG) vision into a reliable, operational observatory. As the technical authority for electrical and electronic systems, this role ensures that power, controls, and safety architectures are designed holistically—supporting everything from site infrastructure to precision instrumentation. The decisions made in this position directly impact system reliability, data quality, personnel safety, and long-term maintainability across all ngGONG sites. By providing senior technical leadership and coordinating across disciplines, the Sr EE enables complex systems to function as an integrated whole while balancing performance, cost, schedule, and risk. This role is essential to delivering a robust, scalable telescope design that can operate continuously in remote environments and support cutting-edge solar science for decades to come. The ngGONG project is currently funded for a three-year design phase, with the potential for additional funding contingent upon selection to advance into construction. This position is based in Boulder, Colorado, on the University of Colorado campus.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Electronics Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum of 10–15 years of progressively responsible experience in electrical and electronic system design for complex technical systems.
• Demonstrated experience in electrical system architecture, analysis, and design for large-scale or high-precision systems.
• Familiarity with applicable electrical, controls, and safety codes and standards.
• Working knowledge of PLC-based control systems and control/servo system design concepts.
• Experience with analog and digital circuit design, including PCB design and layout.
• Experience with high, medium, and low power distribution systems (e.g., 208/480 VAC three-phase).
• Ability to independently identify, analyze, and resolve complex engineering problems using advanced engineering methods.
• Experience using standard electrical and electronics test and analysis equipment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of high-quality technical documentation.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and external partners.

Nice To Haves

• Masters Degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Professional Engineer (PE) or Chartered Engineer credential.
• Experience leading electrical design for large scientific, research, or astronomical facilities.
• Experience with advanced control system design, including servo optimization and tuning.
• Experience with PLC platforms such as Allen-Bradley, Beckhoff, Delta Tau, or similar systems.
• Experience with Siemens SINAMICS or comparable drive systems.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent tools for modeling and simulation of control systems.
• Familiarity with motion control platforms such as Delta Tau or PI hardware.
• Experience with CAD and ECAD tools (e.g., EPLAN, AutoCAD Electrical, Altium Designer).
• Experience developing design documentation suitable for construction, integration, and commissioning phases.
• Experience with optical detector systems (CCD/CMOS and/or infrared detectors and controllers).
• Proven technical leadership or work-package leadership experience on complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of ngGONG scientific requirements, system specifications, design standards, and interface requirements, and translate them into appropriate electrical and electronic system architectures.
• Lead electrical and electronic engineering design activities for major ngGONG systems from concept development through final design, including power distribution, controls, instrumentation, detector electronics, safety, and observatory support systems.
• Define and maintain ngGONG’s electrical and electronic system architecture, covering site utility interfaces, power distribution, grounding and bonding, lightning protection, facility power, rack distribution, and observatory subsystems.
• Develop system architectures for electrical power distribution, UPS and backup power, power conditioning and quality, controls, instrumentation, and electronics consistent with performance, reliability, safety, and availability requirements.
• Define and oversee UPS, power conditioning, and power quality strategies for telescopes, instruments, critical IT/electronics, and infrastructure, including ride‑through, redundancy, and monitoring requirements.
• Lead or contribute to the design of control, servo, and PLC‑based systems, including definition of control strategies, drive and I/O architectures, and interfaces to motion control, telescope, and instrument subsystems.
• Lead the design and standardization of electronic racks and enclosures for ngGONG, including power distribution, safety interlocks, grounding and shielding practices, cable management, environmental monitoring, and serviceability.
• Perform and oversee engineering analyses and simulations to verify system performance, reliability, power quality, and compliance with requirements and applicable codes/standards.
• Identify technical risks, design tradeoffs, and opportunities for innovation to improve performance, constructability, maintainability, and lifecycle cost of electrical and electronics systems.
• Initiate and guide engineering studies, simulations, and technology evaluations (e.g., UPS topologies, drive/control platforms, detector electronics options) to support major design decisions.
• Solve complex electrical and electronic engineering problems that may extend beyond established practices or prior observatory designs, including multi‑site and international constraints.
• Manage assigned electrical/electronic design work packages, including scope definition, schedule coordination, cost and resource input, and delivery of technical documentation and design artifacts.
• Coordinate electrical and electronic interfaces with mechanical, optical, thermal, software, civil, and facilities engineering disciplines, as well as with international site owners and utilities, to ensure coherent and constructible solutions.
• Define electrical and electronics requirements for buildings, site utilities, and SBF (Site–Buildings–Fitout) work packages, and provide technical oversight and review of A&E deliverables related to electrical and low‑voltage systems.
• Participate in and support formal design reviews at system and subsystem levels, providing clear, well‑documented electrical/electronic content, recommendations, and closure of assigned actions.
• Support development of integration, test, commissioning, operations, and maintenance concepts for electrical and electronic systems, including remote diagnostics, monitoring, and sparing strategies.
• Ensure electrical and electronic designs comply with applicable codes, standards, safety requirements, and environmental and heritage constraints across all ngGONG sites, and coordinate closely with EHS and authorities having jurisdiction.
• Establish and maintain ngGONG electrical and electronics design standards (for example, wiring practices, labeling, documentation templates, rack standards, grounding and EMC practices) and ensure compliance across internal and contracted work.
• Prepare and review engineering drawings, specifications, analyses, schematics, rack layouts, and other technical documentation suitable for construction, integration, and commissioning phases.
• Communicate technical progress, risks, issues, and design outcomes to project leadership, systems engineering, and other stakeholders in a clear and timely manner.

Benefits

• AURA offers an excellent benefits package including paid time off and retirement plan contributions, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a very attractive work environment.
• Details on benefits can be found at Benefits by Location - Aura Human Resources

What This Job Offers

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