Hardware Engineer - Forward Deployed

The job

LIVE Employer public job feed (private-sector employer) Source: the employer's public careers feed · Data: listed 2026-05-21

Job description

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Job Overview

We are seeking a versatile Forward Deployed Hardware Engineer to join our technical team. You will have a strong mechanical and electrical background and be responsible for bringing our technology from the lab to the fleet.

This is not a traditional engineering role. You will be responsible for deploying our systems into the real world, directly supporting maritime missions. You will integrate cutting-edge mechanical and electrical payloads, debug complex system-level problems, and iterate hardware designs in the field to ensure success. This is a highly hands-on and field-oriented role with time split between the lab, fabrication spaces, and the waterfront.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a multidisciplinary field engineer responsible for mechanical and electrical integration of novel systems and payloads onto our Autonomous Service Vessels (ASVs) and maritime platforms

• Lead rapid prototyping efforts to support field experimentation and platform evolution

• Perform system bring-up, integration, and troubleshooting of power, networking, sensors, and compute subsystems

• Own dockside and sea trials - prepare vessels, install new hardware packages, and perform system validation in operationally relevant environments

• Drive design-for-assembly and design-for-deployment feedback into hardware product development

• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Mechanical, Electrical, Software, and Autonomy Engineers, to evolve and harden system designs

• Interface with suppliers and fabrication shops to support fast turnarounds of custom components and harnesses

• Contribute to documentation and training to support the scaling of deployment and manufacturing

   

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field. Master's degree is a plus

• 3+ years of experience working on integrated electromechanical systems, preferably in fielded or mission-critical environments

• Hands-on expertise in Mechanical assembly and fabrication (CNC, sheet metal, 3D printing, etc.)

• Hands-on expertise in Electrical integration (power systems, cabling, connectors, PCB bring-up)

• Hands-on expertise in rapid prototyping and system-level debugging

• Comfort working with tools such as CAD (SolidWorks, NX, or similar), basic electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes), and field integration setups

• Experience working with a Linux-based operating system

• Understanding of networking protocols and distributed systems, including TCP/IP, UDP, and message-passing frameworks

• Willingness to work in dynamic, hands-on environments, including on and near the water

• Strong sense of ownership and bias for action

• You thrive in real-world environments, responsible for solving open-ended problems

• Experience working with autonomous systems, drones, or other robotic platforms is preferred

• Familiarity with maritime environments or naval platforms is preferred

• Ability to write basic software tools (e.g., Python, shell scripts) for hardware bring-up or test automation is preferred

• Exposure to ruggedized or IP-rated hardware design is preferred

• Experience in systems integration or test engineering is preferred

   

Benefits

• Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services

• Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, orthodontics, and vision care

• Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents

• Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays

• Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents

• Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance-based bonuses

• Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan

• Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success

• Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage

• Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer

• Occasional standing and walking within the office

• Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment

• Visual acuity to read screens, documents, and reports

• Occasional reaching, bending, or stooping to access file drawers, cabinets, or office supplies

• Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages)

Saronic CCPA Notice for Candidates and California Employees

If this role is based in the United States, it requires access to export-controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Explore around this job

Field: Technology Sub-niche: Data, analytics and AI All jobs at Saronic Jobs in California Jobs in San Diego, CA San Diego city guide California state guide San Diego County economy

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About the role

This is a — role in the Technology field (Data, analytics and AI) at Saronic.

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How to prepare and behave

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• Read the whole description and match your examples to its requirements; use the same words the posting uses where they are true for you.
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The city

The job is in San Diego, CA. Below is what the official statistics say about living and working there.

How San Diego compares. Among the 145 largest places in California, San Diego is #2 by population, #17 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #116 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #39 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, San Diego County, is #8 of 58 counties for average pay ($82,854).

The place in numbers

San Diego has 1,389,526 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 3.5% of the population of California. It covers 326 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 4,261 people per square mile. The median age is 36.2, 4% younger than the state median (36.2 against 37.9).

Housing

The median gross rent is $2,313 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% above the state median ($2,313 against $2,036). Over a year that is 25.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $906,700, which is 8.4 times the median household income ($108,077); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 47.3% of households own their home, 15% below the state average (47.3% against 55.9%).

Work and pay

The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area has 1,538,060 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $58,690 a year, 15% above the national median ($58,690 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (161,910 jobs, median $38,840); office and administrative support (155,940 jobs, median $52,940); sales and related (124,550 jobs, median $44,010). The area is most specialised in life, physical, and social science (1.7 times) and architecture and engineering (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($136,440) and computer and mathematical ($129,520). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of San Diego County was 4.7%. 65.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in San Diego County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.

Getting around

Among workers, 62.6% drive alone, 2.7% use public transit, 3.5% walk, 21.2% work from home. 9.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 51% below the state average (9.5% against 19.4%).

People and education

51.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 38% above the state share (51.0% against 37.1%). 25.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 7% below the state share (25.1% against 27.0%). The poverty rate is 11.0%, 8% below the state rate (11.0% against 12.0%).

Climate

The warmest month is Aug, averaging 77°F (24.9°C), and the coolest is Dec at 51°F (10.7°C). About 320 mm (13 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Feb is the wettest month (70 mm) and Jun the driest (2 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.

Nearby cities to compare

Closest cities in this guide: El Cajon (10 miles, rent 20% lower); Chula Vista (15 miles, rent 4% lower); San Marcos (22 miles, similar rent); Escondido (22 miles, rent 12% lower). Rent differences are against San Diego; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.

Full guide to San Diego →California guideAll jobs in San Diego

Official links for San Diego

• Official website of San Diego: sandiego.gov
• Census Bureau data profile for San Diego
• Official website of San Diego County: sandiegocounty.gov
• Official state website: ca.gov
• BLS Economy at a Glance: California

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Where to live

CITY Official statistics Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · Data: ACS 2020–2024

Places within 50 miles (straight line) of San Diego, CA that have a guide, with what living there costs. No pay estimate is shown because the title did not match one occupation.

Career paths

We could not match this title to one occupation, so here are the other sub-niches in Technology, where your skills may carry over:

Cybersecurity (713) Software engineering (4089) Cloud, IT and infrastructure (1040) Product management (836)

Distances

CITY Calculation (straight line) Source: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (coordinates) · Data: 2024

How far San Diego, CA is from the 20 largest US cities, in straight-line miles (not driving distance). Click a column to sort.

Nearby cities with open jobs (within 120 miles)

The employer

Saronic is the employer in this listing. See all its open jobs here →

We do not hold headcount or revenue for this employer. Check its careers site and, if it is listed on a stock exchange, its public filings (SEC EDGAR search).

What it is like to work at a company (culture, schedules, benefits) is not in the source data, so we do not describe it. Read the description and ask the questions under "How to prepare".

Other open jobs at Saronic

Similar jobs

Same sub-niche: Data, analytics and AI

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FAQ

What is the Hardware Engineer - Forward Deployed job at Saronic?

A private-sector role in technology (data, analytics and ai) listed 172 days ago. The full description is on this page and on the employer's page.

Where is this job?

San Diego, CA.

How do I apply?

Use the "View this job and apply on the employer's page" button. AtiveSite does not receive applications.

How much does it pay?

The listing does not publish pay, and we could not match the title to one official occupation.

What is the cost of living there?

Median rent in San Diego is $2,313 a month and median household income $108,077 (ACS 2020–2024).

How old is this listing?

It was posted on 2026-05-21 (172 days ago). Jobs older than 90 days are not shown.

Are there similar jobs?

Yes: browse data, analytics and ai jobs in California.

Sources and terms

• Job data: Saronic careers page public feed (listing dated 2026-05-21). The job disappears from this site when it disappears from the source.
• Wages and projections: BLS OEWS (May 2025) and Employment Projections 2025–35.
• City and county figures: Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024, BEA, BLS QCEW and LAUS, NASA POWER climatology; distances from Census Gazetteer coordinates.

AtiveSite is not affiliated with or endorsed by the employer or any government agency, and does not process applications. Verify every detail with the employer before acting.

Sources

• BLS OEWS (wages and employment by occupation, May 2025)
• BLS Employment Projections 2025–35
• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
• BLS JOLTS
• BLS State and Metro Area Employment
• Census Bureau American Community Survey (via Census Reporter)
• BEA GDP by state and Regional Price Parities
• IRS 2026 tax adjustments
• U.S. Department of Labor, minimum wage by state
• Tax Foundation state income tax rates 2026
• USAJOBS
• USCIS
• U.S. Department of State, visas
• NASA POWER climatology
• GeoNames / Census Gazetteer (coordinates)