MAIN JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Control System Design: Design control systems to operate in harsh outdoor off-road vehicle environments. Select the appropriate off-the-shelf control products and sensors and combine in-house designed PC boards to specify a system control. The controls design has diversity to be tailored to a range of applications and is used globally on programs. Control systems are needed for individual mast product control as well as full system integrations using mast products. The engineer is responsible to design and build (or oversee build) prototypes for use in qualification testing or customer evaluations.
- Controls Programming: Will-Burt does all control programming in-house. Typically, new product controls utilize J-1939 CANbus and CANopen protocols. Legacy products use serial RS-485 communications. Programming is done in a variety of ways including C and the international standard CODESYS for example.
- Integration: Oversee the electrical system design to support customer integrations. This includes powering and operating Will-Burt equipment as well as providing power and required data interfaces to customer payload equipment. This customer equipment can range from simple payloads to complex radar and surveillance packages. Some examples of power systems are generators, shore power, solar/wind and battery management systems. Will-Burt also offers camera and mobile DVR integrations including HD-SDI, IR and IP cameras on positioners. This position also gets involved in business capture activities to support bid proposals on new programs.
- CAD & ERP Documentation: Will-Burt legacy control designs/schematics are documented in Autodesk AutoCAD. Mechanical systems are modeled in Inventor. It is desired (not required) to migrate to Inventor to support electrical design activities. PCB designs are done in Autodesk EAGLE. Design documentation is entered in the ERP system Infor Cloud Suite Industrial (Syteline).
- Testing (Break Stuff): Will-Burt has an engineering test lab to facilitate product qualification. Testing parts to failure is typically part of the process. There is a Test Lab Coordinator that can assist with building prototypes and performing product testing. The engineer in this position can take as much of a "hands-on" approach as desired during the prototype build and testing phases. Third party test labs are also used to qualify products.
- International Collaboration: Will-Burt is a multi-national company with engineering and manufacturing in the U.S., Germany, UK, and Turkey. This position provides the opportunity to interact and collaborate with colleagues all over the world.
- Design for Manufacturing & Assembly: Work with manufacturing to ensure drawings and schematics are compatible with processes and design for assembly.
- Product Expert: Over time, the Sr. Electrical Engineer becomes a product expert and is a resource to assist other functional groups with product support. Oversee system designs to meet required design standards such as CE, UKCA, MIL-STD-810 environmental testing, MIL-STD-461 EMC testing, NFPA, ANSI, etc.
- Support Operations: Assist with diagnosis and resolution of customer or production floor issues.
- Raise the Technology Bar: Lead research activities to improve the technology used in Will-Burt products, processes, and system integrations.
- Process Improvement: Develop tools to make product development more efficient.
- Travel (or Not): If you like to travel, there are opportunities to visit key suppliers, customers, and support trade shows throughout the year. If travel is not desired, these trips can be minimized.
- Make a Difference: In its 100+ year history, Will-Burt has served a broad range of industries including the first responder and military communities. Our products assist professionals as they save lives.
WHAT WILL-BURT OFFERS:
- Career Path: The Sr. Electrical Engineer position is a great springboard for other opportunities within Will-Burt. Some choose to shift over to the Applications Engineering department. Some move on to management or project management positions. Some prefer to stay in the product development role as the projects are always diverse and challenging. Engineers serve many roles at Will-Burt.
- Company Ownership: Will-Burt is a 100% employee-owned company (ESOP). This shapes the culture as everyone works together to help the company succeed. After a vesting period, company stock shares are issued yearly at no cost providing an "extra" retirement savings vehicle.
- Flexible Work Hours: Starting and ending times can be flexed a couple of hours to fit your family needs.
- Accommodating/Respectful Environment: We do our best to enjoy our work. We try to accommodate schedules when possible.
- Competitive Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, 401k, corporate profit-sharing bonus, onsite nurse, wellness program, and company stock issued through the ESOP.
- Community Involvement: There are opportunities for supporting charities and community involvement through our Employee Owners Committee corporate sponsored activities.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- BSEE or EE Technology degree with at least five years of related experience
- Individuals succeeding in this role tend to be detail-oriented and self-motivated and have experience in harsh environment electronics design.
Job ID: 487829977
Originally Posted on: 8/2/2025