We currently have an opening for an Electrical Engineer - Prototyping & Applied Innovation in our Mason, Ohio location.
Summary:
This is a hands-on, lab-based role for an engineer who loves to build. You will take early ideas and turn them into working circuits, assemblies, and demonstrators that show what is possible - then help refine the most promising concepts into future products across the Clopay and CornellCookson product lines. If you have a bench full of dev boards, a well-used oscilloscope, and a habit of prototyping your way to answers, we want to talk to you.
Responsibilities include:
- Design, build, and debug proof-of-concept circuits, assemblies, and working demonstrators in the lab that turn new ideas into something people can see, touch, and evaluate - quickly.
- Rapidly prototype using Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP32, STM32 Nucleo, and similar development platforms, along with breadboards, perfboard, off-the-shelf modules, and quick-turn PCBs.
- Capture schematics and lay out simple to moderately complex printed circuit boards (e.g., KiCad, Altium, or similar) and coordinate quick-turn fabrication and assembly.
- Hand-build and rework assemblies, including through-hole and surface-mount soldering, wire harnesses, connectors, and enclosures; partner with mechanical engineers on 3D-printed and machined fixtures and housings.
- Write embedded and scripting code (C/C++, MicroPython/Python) to bring prototypes to life - reading sensors, driving motors and actuators, and communicating over wired and wireless interfaces.
- Explore and demonstrate concepts relevant to Clopay and CornellCookson residential and commercial door systems, such as motor control, sensing and safety detection, power electronics, wireless connectivity, and smart-home / IoT integration.
- Characterize circuits and systems using lab instrumentation - oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs, programmable power supplies, electronic loads, function generators, and spectrum analyzers.
- Perform signal analysis on prototype and production hardware, including noise, timing, power quality, RF/wireless performance, and data acquisition, and summarize findings clearly.
- Build test fixtures, automated test rigs, and data-logging setups to evaluate concepts and existing products under realistic operating and environmental conditions.
- Document prototypes and results - schematics, bills of material, code, test data, and lessons learned - so promising concepts can be handed off and refined into production designs.
- Present demonstrations and recommendations to Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, and leadership, and help evaluate feasibility, cost, and risk for moving concepts toward product.
- Support product engineering teams in transitioning proven concepts into the product development process, including design reviews and early compliance considerations (UL, FCC, and related standards).
- Evaluate new components, sensors, modules, and emerging technologies and keep the lab current with tools and techniques that speed up learning.
- Help maintain and organize the electronics lab, including equipment, components inventory, and safe work practices.
- Completes other engineering projects as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering Technology.
- Minimum 3 years of hands-on electrical engineering experience in product development, prototyping, R&D, or a test/lab environment.
- Demonstrated ability to design and build working circuits from concept through functional prototype - analog, digital, and mixed-signal.
- Practical experience with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar rapid development platforms, and with embedded programming in C/C++ and/or Python.
- Proficiency with standard lab equipment (oscilloscope, logic analyzer, DMM, power supplies, function generator) and sound measurement and signal analysis techniques.
- Working knowledge of common interfaces and protocols such as I2C, SPI, UART, RS-485, CAN, and PWM.
- Strong soldering, rework, and hands-on assembly skills.
- Schematic capture and basic PCB layout experience.
- Self-directed, curious, and comfortable working with ambiguity - able to take a loosely defined idea and turn it into a working demonstration.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
Preferred Qualifications:
- A portfolio of personal, academic, or professional builds (photos, repositories, videos, or write-ups) that shows a maker mindset.
- Experience with motor control (DC, BLDC, AC induction), motor drivers, and power electronics.
- Experience with wireless technologies such as Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, Zigbee/Thread/Matter, or sub-GHz RF.
- Experience with sensors and safety-related detection (photoelectric, IR, current sensing, edge sensors, encoders).
- Familiarity with Linux on single-board computers, Git, and scripting for test automation and data analysis (Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar).
- Experience with spectrum analysis, EMC pre-compliance testing, or familiarity with UL 325, UL 991, and FCC Part 15 requirements.
- Basic CAD and 3D-printing experience for enclosures and fixtures.
- Experience in the building products, access control, or garage door / door operator industry a plus.
