Electrical Engineer

nLIGHT, Inc.
paid time off, paid holidays, long term disability, tuition assistance, 401(k)
United States, Colorado, Longmont
Nov 30, 2025
Description Location:Longmont, CO (onsite) Experience:5+ years experience Minimum Education:Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in Electrical Engineering Compensation:$100,000-$160,000 depending on experience. Who We Are nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is one of the nation's leading developers of Directed Energy systems, which is a top modernization priority of the Department of Defense. Our High Energy Laser (HEL) systems, Adaptive Optical (AO) systems, and Acquisition / Pointing / Tracking (APT) solutions are designed to overcome the most difficult challenges facing the deployment of high energy laser solutions to the United States military and our allies. Located in Longmont, Colorado, nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is a vertically integrated business that leverages internal capabilities - from semiconductor device through target identification - to develop systems that are both high-performance and cost-effective. We continue to invest in capabilities, facilities and technology to bring leading edge HEL solutions to the warfighter. This is a great opportunity to work at a company that is on the leading edge of the HEL industry and provides a culture of excellence and commitment to delivering solutions to the warfighter and our country. Headquartered in Camas, Washington, nLIGHT is a publicly listed company (NASDAQ: LASR). Summary: The Electrical Engineering (EE) Team at nLIGHT DEFENSE Systems develops and integrates a large range of devices to enable high-speed control of laser and electro-optical components for high energy laser weapon systems.Our EE Team addresses challenging DoD requirements including high power battery and high-power AC-DC conversion solutions, high efficiency and high-power DC-DC power conversion, complex multi-function MIL-STD cabling solutions, high-speed data fiber MIL-STD cabling solutions, PCB design/development/test, challenging trouble-shooting, and tight packaging challenges.The EE Team members are dynamic problem solvers that typically have to work around numerous optical and mechanical constraints, making the job particularly challenging and interesting. All applicants must possess or be qualified to obtain a U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Preference will be given to candidates with an existing U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance.Further information on requirements to obtain a security clearance is available at: https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/mbi/gicp/.Please review this information before applying. Responsibilities: Support the design, development, testing, and implementation of rugged power and data distribution solutions for advanced laser and electro-optical systems. Assist in reviewing requirements and contribute to designs leveraging COTS solutions or existing libraries of custom solutions. Participate in testing and debugging hardware to identify root causes of failures. Ensure adherence to safe electrical and power practices at all times. Document and track progress against requirements, including preparing test reports and contributing to quality assessments of cables and devices. Collaborate with other members of the Electrical Engineering (EE) Team to balance data, power, thermal, and mechanical constraints while utilizing a library of custom and COTS components. Assist in specifying, designing, procuring/building, and testing rugged MIL-STD power distribution solutions. Support the design and testing of rugged MIL-STD data and power cabling solutions. Work with mechanical and electro-optical engineers to integrate cabling, power, and cooling solutions into tightly packaged designs. Ensure safe electrical and power practices are followed at all times. Help troubleshoot integrated solutions at both component and system levels. Use test hardware safely to trace issues and identify root causes. Contribute to the development, implementation, and testing of bonding and grounding specifications and solutions. Assist with EMI mitigation practices and testing. Collaborate on the integration of electronic solutions with electro-optical, electro-mechanical, firmware, and software teams. Required Experience / Capability: Commitment to Excellence. Attention to Detail. Pride in Workmanship. Strong attention to detail and commitment to delivering high-quality work. Proactive problem-solving skills, with the ability to adapt to evolving requirements. Ability to work effectively both independently and in team settings, fostering a collaborative work environment. Solid experience in troubleshooting hardware issues. Familiarity with aerospace and military connectors (e.g., MIL-DTL-38999, MIL-DTL-5015) and IPC or MIL-STD cable design and assembly practices. Understanding of EMI mitigation principles (e.g., MIL-STD-461) and bonding, grounding, and shielding system design (e.g., MIL-HDBK-1857). Experience with MS Office 365 tools. Desired Experience / Capability: Exposure to PCB design and testing. Familiarity with software tools like C, C++, C#, or Python. Basic understanding of compliance testing and certification for safety standards, EMC, and environmental regulations (e.g., UL, CE, IEC, RoHS). Experience with fiber optic cable design for data transmission (e.g., MTP connectors and OM3/OM4 fiber). Benefits Summary: 4 weeks of Paid Time Off per year 11 paid Holidays Employee Stock Purchase Plan Tuition Assistance Program Health (ACA Gold Plan), Vision and Dental Care paid by employer 100% for Employee and 75% for Dependents Paid Family Leave, Short and Long Term Disability paid by employer 100% Competitive 401k with company match and immediate vesting Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see this government poster: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal . If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at [emailprotected] .