System Integrator - Emerylville, CA

SYSTEMS INTEGRATION ENGINEER

Contract to Hire |Fractional | 3 Month Engagement

Location: Emerylville, CA

Hybrid – Onsite 2-3 days

ABOUT CUSTOMER

Customer is developing a user interface that integrates existing surveillance systems with a containerized response station that will deploy autonomous inspections by air, land, or sea. Customer provides a field-ready ruggedized infrastructure to monitor and respond to potential threats, be they weather, wildlife, or human. Company brings together aerial drones, ground and sea robotics, camera sensor systems, and SATCOM/network communications into one coordinated product.

THE ROLE

We are seeking a hands-on Systems Integration Engineer for a fractional position, with an initial 3 month scope. This person will work directly with our Head of Engineering and serve as the technical integrator for the Response Station. The primary objective is to establish a scalable system architecture and BOM with documentation to drive further development, especially the fabrication of the first field ready prototype.

OBJECTIVES

● Author and Finalize the system architecture documentation

● Refine and validate the BOM

● Define subsystem interfaces

● Define power and network architecture.

● Provide analysis of the power requirements and maximum power demand.

● Provide initial estimate of operating time during power interruption.

● Establish physical integration and fabrication requirements

● Identify major technical risks and integration gaps

● Develop the integration and test plan

● Prepare everything needed to move into detailed design

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

● Own system-level integration across mechanical infrastructure, electrical power distribution, communication systems, sensor systems, autonomous-vehicle platforms, and compute interfaces.

● Review and refine the Response Station BOM, identify missing integration components, interface risks, and resolve incompatible selections.

● Develop a scalable system architecture from Sentinel OS through client input nodes, external security service nodes, and SpaceTime Response Station node.

● Review electrical power and network requirements for mission readiness and calculate system limitations. This may include maximum uptime for sensor systems, autonomous vehicles, and during power interruptions.

● Participate in product design input and design review discussions with primary focus on integration efficiency and acknowledging potential equipment constraints.

● Maintain clear integration documentation.

● Work in parallel with mechanical/CAD and electrical engineering resources to ensure the physical design, wiring, thermal needs, service access, and equipment interfaces are coordinated.

● Translate system requirements into clear technical inputs for all teams, especially where communications, sensor, autonomous vehicle, power management, and computersystems interface.

• Provide guidance to fabrication vendors, including mounting, penetrations, clearances, structural loads, cable pathways, and environmental requirements as necessary

● Resolve integration issues quickly, coordinating cross-functional teams as necessary, and maintaining documented decisions and design changes.

● Support design reviews and prepare the system for unit testing, system testing (EVT), design review, design for manufacturing, and .

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• 5+ years of systems integration or product engineering experience with complex electromechanical hardware; experience in robotics, autonomous systems.

• Experience in aerospace, defense, maritime, industrial automation, or ruggedized field systems is strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to design system architecture and integrate hardware across multiple operating systems and communication protocols.

• Demonstrated ability to design and perform unit testing to ensure maximum up-time.

• Demonstrated ability to design and perform system testing to identify bugs within the system.

• Demonstrated ability to use systematic problem solving to resolve bugs.

• Strong working knowledge of power distribution, Ethernet/PoE networking, sensors/cameras, communications hardware, connectors/cabling, mechanical packaging, and environmental considerations.

• Comfort working with CAD teams, electrical engineers, fabricators, suppliers, and prototype technicians in a fast-moving development environment.

• Able to work independently, make practical engineering decisions, surface risks early, and drive a system from concept toward a buildable configuration.

EXPECTED OUTCOME OF THE ENGAGEMENT

By the end of the contract, Customer should have a coordinated system integration plan and design, an updated BOM, defined subsystem interfaces, power management and network system architecture, fabrication requirements, identified technical risks, and a clear pathway into detailed design, CDR, fabrication, and prototype integration