Entrylevel Forward Deployed Engineer Jobs in Branford, CT

Sperry Rail is on a mission-critical journey to revolutionize the Rail Flaw Detection industry. Through the continuous development of cutting-edge diagnostic technologies and AI-assisted analysis, we are transforming railway safety worldwide. Our global engineering teams work collaboratively to develop step-change technologies that define Sperry as the unparalleled market leader.

For nearly a century, we have repeatedly modernized and improved rail diagnostics through our relentless pursuit of improvement. Determined is an understatement. We are obsessed with advancing science and raising the bar on what’s possible with our ever-improving suite of products and service offerings.

Emboldened through the shared values of honesty, accountability, passion, integrity, and teamwork, we are driven by the challenge and bridging concepts with fruition. Each technologist entering Sperry imprints themselves into our brand and further galvanizes a culture of innovation and advancement. Allow us to be clear, Thought Leaders are welcome!

We are agile and hungry and invite those with similar passions to join us in challenging the status quo and bringing new ideas to the market. Fast-paced, high-touch with a distinct sense of purpose. We offer more than a job; we offer an opportunity to be part of something different.

Job Description: Electrical Engineer Position Summary

The Electrical Engineer is a hardware-focused engineering role within Sperry Rail's Electronics Group, working across active programs, sustaining support obligations, and new product development. The role spans PCB design, cable and harness engineering, EMC compliance, component obsolescence management, and field electrical support for a global fleet of rail inspection vehicles. It also provides support to Sperry's most significant forward-looking development programs, which require meaningful hardware engineering involvement that cannot be fulfilled alongside the existing sustaining workload.

This position is suited for an Engineer with experience in hardware design, PCB development, or electrical systems engineering, who is ready to work with a high degree of autonomy in a fast-paced, multi-program environment.

Key Responsibilities Hardware Design & Development

• Design and develop electrical schematics for new and modified assemblies across Sperry's rail inspection platforms (Freightliner Hi-Rail, ATSProLite/ATSPro, YTV, Inspector PIO3, and others).
• Perform PCB layout review and collaborate with contract PCB designers to ensure designs meet electrical, thermal, mechanical, and manufacturability requirements.
• Design cable assemblies and wiring harnesses for vehicle and system-level integration, including producing complete cable drawings and release packages.
• Select and specify electrical components, balancing performance, availability, cost, and longevity— with particular attention to avoiding single-source or obsolescence-prone dependencies.
• Participate in formal and informal design reviews for all hardware content, providing and incorporating constructive feedback across the engineering team.

EMC / EMI Compliance

• Support EMC/EMI compliance testing activities including pre-compliance testing, test lab coordination, failure investigation, and remediation design.
• Apply design-for-compliance principles throughout hardware development to reduce rework risk and accelerate regulatory approval.
• Maintain awareness of applicable EMC standards for Sperry's products across NA and EMEA markets and ensure designs are scoped to meet them.

Component Obsolescence Management

• Monitor and manage component lifecycle risk across active hardware designs, identifying end-of-life components early and initiating re-design before supply disruption occurs.
• Evaluate replacement components for form, fit, and function equivalence, coordinating with Quality and Production Engineering to qualify and release approved alternatives.
• Maintain documentation of obsolescence findings and resolutions to prevent recurrence and support future sustaining decisions.

Production & Build Support

• Create and review production build instructions for hardware assemblies, ensuring that manufacturing and technician documentation is complete, accurate, and sufficient to build without engineering present.
• Support ECore design and production updates, including design changes driven by manufacturing quality issues or supplier constraints.
• Assist Production Engineering with first-article builds and hardware-related quality issues, providing root cause analysis and corrective action for electrical assembly problems.
• Provide field troubleshooting support for electrical and hardware issues on deployed vehicles across North America, with periodic remote or on-site support for EMEA.
• Diagnose and resolve electrical failures in deployed equipment, producing documented root cause and corrective action for recurring issues.
• Support computer hardware specification, configuration, and troubleshooting for Sperry Inspector platforms.

New Program EE Support

• Provide dedicated EE bandwidth to NextGen Hi-Rail development, including system architecture review, hardware design support, and integration coordination.
• Support DCC5 hardware integration efforts as the program moves toward MVP and fleet deployment.
• Engage in communication systems integration support and other platform-level hardware upgrade programs as required.

Documentation

• Produce and maintain hardware documentation — schematics, BOMs, assembly drawings, test records — to a standard that supports independent reproduction and future sustaining work.
• Develop troubleshooting guides and reference materials for recurring field electrical issues to reduce repeat escalations and enable Maintenance to resolve common problems independently.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. Master's degree preferred.
• 8+ years of professional experience in hardware design, PCB development, electrical systems engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience designing electrical schematics and cable/harness assemblies for electronic or electromechanical products.
• Familiarity with PCB layout review and design-for-manufacture considerations for electronic assemblies.
• Working knowledge of component selection and obsolescence management practices.
• Experience with or exposure to EMC/EMI compliance testing and design-for-compliance techniques.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and mechanical integration drawings.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear technical documentation and engage effectively with cross-functional teams and customers.
• Comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy in a multi-project, fast-moving environment.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Experience with embedded systems hardware or industrial electronics in a product development or sustaining context.
• Exposure to regulatory compliance testing (FCC, CE, EN standards) and working with external test labs.
• Background in low-volume, high-complexity product environments — rail, transportation, defense, aerospace, or specialty industrial equipment.
• Experience supporting globally deployed products including remote troubleshooting and international customer engagement.
• Familiarity with ERP systems (Sage X3 or similar) for BOM management and engineering change documentation.
• Exposure to rail inspection, sensing technology, or precision measurement systems — a plus, not a requirement.

This position is based at our Shelton, CT facility. The role involves a mix of office-based design and documentation work, hands‑on lab and hardware bring‑up activities, and periodic production floor engagement. Domestic travel should be expected to support field troubleshooting, vehicle commissioning, and supplier visits. Some international travel may be required to support EMEA customer. Candidates should be comfortable with the pace and ambiguity inherent in a small engineering team where priorities evolve with program needs and field demand.

The pay range for this role is: 115,000 - 140,000 USD per year (Shelton CT (HQ)).