Entry Level Power Distribution Engineer Jobs in California

Job Title: Electrical Engineer

Location: On-Site – Richmond, CA

Reports to: VP of Technology & Innovation

About Us:

Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (OPT) provides intelligent maritime solutions and services that enable safer, cleaner, and more productive ocean operations for the defense and security, oil and gas, science and research, and offshore wind markets, including Merrows™, which provides AI-capable seamless integration of Maritime Domain Awareness Systems across platforms. Our PowerBuoy® platforms provide clean and reliable electric power and real-time data communications for remote maritime and subsea applications. We also provide WAM-V® unmanned surface vehicles (USV’s) and marine robotics services. The Company’s headquarters is located in Monroe Township, New Jersey with an additional office in Richmond, California.

The Role:

We are seeking an Electrical Engineer to join our Richmond, CA engineering team, focused on the design, development, and deployment of electrical systems for WAM-V® autonomous surface vehicles and PowerBuoy® platforms. This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys working on real-world hardware systems, from early-stage prototypes through field deployment.

You will take ownership of key electrical subsystems, including power distribution, communications, and control systems, ensuring reliability in harsh marine environments. This role requires a hands-on engineer who is comfortable moving between design, build, test, and troubleshooting, and who works effectively with cross-functional teams across mechanical, software, and embedded disciplines. This position offers the opportunity to directly impact mission-critical marine robotics systems, helping improve platform performance, reliability, and scalability in challenging ocean conditions.

Responsibilities:

• Design, analyze, and interpret circuit diagrams, schematics, and layouts
• Plan, develop, and refine electrical systems for autonomous marine platforms, including power distribution, control systems, and signal integrity
• Own electrical architectures for subsystems across WAM-V® and PowerBuoy® platforms
• Develop and prototype electrical assemblies, including wiring harnesses, connectors, enclosures, and PCB-based systems for marine environments
• Integrate electrical systems with mechanical and software components, working closely with cross-functional engineering teams
• Perform diagnostics, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis on electrical systems in both lab and field environments
• Support system bring-up, validation, and testing, including participation in field deployments and sea trials
• Internalize feedback from team members, manufacturing, and customers and modify designs to fit those needs
• Ensure designs meet reliability, safety, and environmental requirements for marine operation (corrosion, sealing, vibration, thermal)
• Create and maintain electrical documentation, such as wiring diagrams, BOMs, and test procedures and simplify to allow use for operators of all skill levels
• Support continuous improvement of electrical designs, standards, and best practices

Qualifications:

Required:

• US citizenship
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline
• Minimum 2 years of experience in an electrical engineering role
• Strong proficiency in electrical circuit design, analysis, and system integration
• Experience with PCB design tools (Altium Designer preferred)
• Familiarity with circuit simulation tools (e.g., Cadence or equivalent)
• Experience working with embedded systems and basic programming (C++, Python, or similar)
• Strong understanding of electrical components, wiring practices, and safety considerations
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve electrical issues in complex systems

• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams

Desired:

Ocean Power Technologies provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.

Salary range is $105,000 - $115,000 per year and includes the following:

• Bonus potential
• Restricted Stock Awards

Benefits include:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• 401(k)