Electronics & Programming Engineer

Heven AeroTech

$118K — $138K *
Energy & Utilities
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls/Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field and equivalent hands-on experience.
  • 3-6+ years of experience in industrial controls or embedded systems design.
  • Hands-on experience programming PLCs and developing HMI applications.
  • Solid understanding of industrial electrical design, including AC/DC power distribution and safety circuits.
  • Experience reading and working from engineering drawings and electrical diagrams.
  • Strong troubleshooting skills and comfort with hardware in lab or production environments.
  • Clear communication skills for documenting technical data and findings.

Responsibilities

  • Design, program, and commission PLC and HMI logic for hydrogen systems.
  • Develop electrical schematics and enclosure layouts for rugged environments.
  • Integrate various sensors and specify necessary conditioning and protection circuitry.
  • Design safety-critical logic including emergency stop and interlock systems.
  • Collaborate with mechanical engineers on layout design and component placement.
  • Define test procedures with test engineers and assist in environmental testing.
  • Support integration of fuel cells and relevant equipment into controls architecture.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Retirement plans and financial security options.
  • Paid time off and sick leave.
  • Critical illness and hospital indemnity protections.
  • Accident coverage and short- and long-term disability options.
Full Job Description
Title: Electronics & Programming Engineer
Department: Hydrogen
Location: Winchester, VA
Employment Type: Full-Time

Role SummaryAs the Electronics & Programming Engineer, you will own the controls and electronics stack across our hydrogen generation and fueling product line starting with the Expeditionary Hydrogen Refueling Station and extending to future hydrogen fueling, storage, and dispensing equipment. You will design and program PLC/HMI logic, integrate sensors and safety systems, and lay out the electrical architecture inside compact, ruggedized enclosures. You will work closely with the mechanical design engineers on enclosure and panel layout, with the test engineer on validation and troubleshooting, and with hydrogen team engineers as we integrate controls across the full hydrogen system.

Key Responsibilities
  • Design, program, and commission PLC and HMI logic controlling hydrogen generation, storage, compression, and dispensing subsystems.
  • Own electrical schematic development and enclosure electrical layout, including power distribution, breaker/fuse sizing, DIN rail layout, and wire/connector selection for compact, ruggedized packaging.
  • Integrate sensors and actuators - pressure transducers, gas sensors, conductivity sensors, float switches, VFDs - and specify signal conditioning, fusing, and protection circuitry.
  • Design and validate safety-critical logic, including E-stop circuits, safety relays, and interlocks for hydrogen leak, pressure, and fault conditions.
  • Work directly with the mechanical design engineer to co-develop enclosure layouts, cable routing, and component placement across new product designs.
  • Partner with the test engineer to define electrical test procedures, build test fixtures, and support environmental and integration testing.
  • Support integration of fuel cells and balance-of-plant equipment - compressors, valves, sensors, thermal management - into the broader controls architecture.
  • Assist in troubleshoot of systems during bench integration, factory acceptance testing, and field deployment, and perform root-cause analysis on electrical/controls issues.
  • Maintain accurate bills of materials, wiring diagrams, and as-built documentation, and support supplier evaluation and component sourcing decisions.

Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls/Mechatronics Engineering, or a related technical discipline, and equivalent hands-on experience.
  • 3-6+ years of experience in industrial controls, electronics, or embedded systems design.
  • Hands-on experience programming PLCs (ladder logic and/or structured text) and developing HMI applications for industrial or embedded systems.
  • Solid understanding of industrial electrical design, including AC/DC power distribution, overcurrent protection, relay logic, and safety circuits (E-stops, safety relays, interlocks).
  • Experience reading and working from engineering drawings, electrical diagrams, and component specifications.
  • Working knowledge of relevant electrical and safety codes and standards (e.g., NFPA, NEC, UL, CE, as applicable).
  • Strong troubleshooting skills and comfort working hands-on with hardware in a lab or production environment.
  • Clear, disciplined documentation habits, including wiring diagrams, bills of materials, and design records that others can rely on and build from.
  • Safety-first mindset, particularly around hydrogen and high-pressure systems.
  • Hands-on problem solver comfortable working directly with hardware on the bench, in the enclosure, and in the field.
  • Clear communicator, able to translate technical data into written reports and actionable findings.
  • Collaborative team player comfortable working across mechanical design, testing, fuel cell, and production functions.
  • Professional working proficiency in English (spoken and written) is required to perform the responsibilities of this role.
  • This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship, now or in the future.
  • If this role requires access to information controlled under U.S. export control laws (ITAR/EAR), applicants must also qualify as a "U.S. person" under 22 CFR a7120.62 (U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual such as an asylee or refugee)

Preferred Qualifications
  • Direct experience with hydrogen, industrial gas, or high-pressure fluid systems (electrolyzers, compressors, gas sensing, leak detection).
  • Background in UAV, aerospace, or defense hardware development programs.
  • Familiarity with NFPA 2, NFPA 55, and hydrogen-specific safety requirements for design, lab, and field environments.
  • Experience supporting field commissioning, customer training, or service of deployed industrial or energy equipment.
  • Familiarity with defense procurement and export control considerations (ITAR/EAR, MTCR) as they relate to technical data, design work, and travel.
  • Safety-first mindset, particularly around hydrogen and high-pressure systems.
  • Hands-on problem solver comfortable working directly with hardware on the bench, in the enclosure, and in the field.
  • Clear communicator, able to translate technical data into written reports and actionable findings.
  • Collaborative team player comfortable working across mechanical design, testing, fuel cell, and production functions.

Work EnvironmentThis role will be based at Heven AeroTech's Winchester, Virginia facility, with regular time split between the electronics/controls lab and the production floor, working alongside mechanical design, test, and fuel cell engineering. The successful candidate must be comfortable working around high-pressure systems, compressed gases, and hydrogen fuel cell hardware. Travel to customer or field sites to support installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting should be expected on a periodic basis. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is required in applicable work areas.

Benefits Overview:
Heven AeroTech offers a competitive benefits package designed to support the health, financial security, and overall well-being of our employees and their families. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans, paid time off/sick, and additional protections such as critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident coverage, and short- and long-term disability.

Budgeted Salary Range:

$118,000-$138,000 USD

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