Principal Electrical Engineer - UAS Avionics

Company: Approach Venture
Location: Fort Worth
Posted on: February 17, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Principal Electrical Architect - Lead Air Vehicle Electrical Design for Advanced Unmanned Aircraft Platforms! Fort Worth, TX | On-site Opportunity Summary Join a rapidly growing aerospace company developing next-generation unmanned aircraft systems for mission-critical government and commercial applications. This organization is focused on building scalable, production-ready aircraft engineered for rapid deployment and operational reliability. We are seeking a senior-level Electrical Engineer to serve as the technical authority for aircraft electrical architecture, avionics integration, and power system performance across multiple UAS platforms. This role owns electrical design decisions from early concept development through flight test, production, and deployed operations. If you are motivated by aircraft-level ownership and want to influence real flight hardware in demanding environments, this is an opportunity to lead at the highest technical level. About Us We are a U.S.-based developer and manufacturer of advanced unmanned aircraft systems built for reliability, scalability, and mission execution. Our platforms are engineered with manufacturability and operational readiness in mind, serving customers who demand dependable performance in complex environments. From prototype through production, we focus on delivering aircraft that are practical to build, simple to maintain, and ready to deploy. Job Duties Aircraft Electrical Architecture Ownership Define and maintain full aircraft electrical architecture including power generation, distribution, grounding philosophy, connector standards, redundancy strategy, and harness topology Lead electrical integration across avionics bays, propulsion systems, payload interfaces, and mission equipment Collaborate with mechanical, systems, RF, and GNC teams to ensure electrical designs satisfy EMI, environmental, and airworthiness requirements Power Systems and Avionics Performance Own aircraft load analysis, protection strategy, and fault tolerance across power distribution systems Direct validation of avionics startup behavior, power sequencing, and power quality Troubleshoot regulated rails, battery protection systems, board-level interactions, and environmental electrical performance issues Drive corrective actions to resolve electrical anomalies discovered in development or flight test Documentation and Configuration Control Establish and enforce electrical design standards, schematic conventions, wiring rules, and installation best practices Review and approve schematics, wiring diagrams, pin assignments, and installation documentation Maintain configuration integrity across engineering changes, production updates, and field modifications Manufacturing and Flight Test Support Provide senior-level guidance during harness fabrication, aircraft integration, and production ramp activities Define verification procedures including continuity testing, acceptance criteria, and validation standards Support pre-flight readiness, instrumentation integration, and electrical troubleshooting during flight operations Participate in root cause investigations tied to electrical system performance Technical and Cross-Functional Leadership Mentor electrical engineers and technicians across programs Serve as the primary electrical engineering interface to suppliers, manufacturing, quality, and program leadership Represent electrical systems during design reviews, customer discussions, and failure investigations Ensure electrical designs are scalable, cost-conscious, and aligned with production realities Qualifications 10 years of electrical engineering experience within aerospace or defense environments, including direct experience supporting unmanned aircraft systems Strong expertise in aircraft power distribution, grounding strategy, avionics integration, and EMI considerations Proven ability to create and govern electrical schematics, harness documentation, and installation standards for production aircraft Experience supporting aircraft programs from prototype through production Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or related technical discipline Ability to travel up to 15% to support test, production, and customer engagements Preferred Experience Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field Experience leading electrical integration for fixed-wing unmanned aircraft Familiarity with RF coexistence, datalink integration, payload power management, and EMI or EMC qualification Background supporting flight test operations and production scaling in demanding operational environments Why Join Us Opportunity for growth in a high-impact technical leadership role Direct ownership of aircraft-level electrical architecture Exposure to full lifecycle development from prototype to production Collaborative, mission-focused engineering culture Strong PTO policy Medical, dental, and vision benefits 401(k) plan with matching Compensation Details $150,000 - $190,000 LI-AV

Keywords: Approach Venture, McKinney , Principal Electrical Engineer - UAS Avionics, Engineering , Fort Worth, Texas