What We Do at Verterra Energy
At Verterra Energy, we're on a mission to harness the power in the world's rivers, canals and oceans. To accomplish this, we are commercializing our first device called VOLTURNUS, a pioneering water-power technology that deploys in harmony with the current to capture baseline, zero emission electricity.
Backed by top-tier investors and a multi-year government contract, we are growing our founding team to help achieve key milestones. Partners and collaborators include: NIRON, DoD, DoE, University of Minnesota, WEG Group, Beckhoff, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the US Army Corp of Engineers.
Recent press releases can be found on our website:
https://www.verterraenergy.com/news
About the Role
We are seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer (typically 8–15+ years of experience) who is deeply hands-on and comfortable owning real hardware from concept through prototype and into early production.
The ideal candidate enjoys working close to the hardware, collaborating across disciplines, and making sound engineering tradeoffs in a fast-moving startup environment.
This is an individual contributor role with technical influence, not a bureaucratic lead position.
This role values engineers who prefer clear ownership, practical solutions, and steady execution over over-engineering or unnecessary complexity.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and develop power and control electronics for generator-adjacent systems and supporting hardware
- Design, simulate, and validate DC-DC converters, power conditioning circuits, and low-to-medium power electronics
- Develop schematics and PCB layouts (Altium preferred) for analog, digital, and mixed-signal boards
- Select and integrate 32-bit microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, Microchip ARM-based devices, etc.), power modules, sensors, and communication interfaces
- Familiarity with modern MCU ecosystems, including peripherals, DMA, timers, and hardware-assisted control features
- Make pragmatic design decisions between:
- discrete power stages (PWM, MOSFETs, magnetics), and
- integrated or digitally controlled power modules
- Build, bring up, and debug prototypes at the bench
- Define and execute test plans using standard lab equipment (oscilloscopes, power supplies, electronic loads, etc.)
- Collaborate closely with mechanical and controls engineers to ensure clean system integration
- Support early manufacturing, validation, and reliability improvements
- Work directly with suppliers and fabrication partners as needed
- Clearly document designs and communicate technical decisions to the team
Additional Contributions & Growth Opportunities
Beyond core circuit design, this role may also contribute to:
- Using microcontroller programming (C, Python, or similar) primarily for tests, validation, and effective collaboration with firmware developers
- Learning and supporting adjacent system areas as needed, such as:
- Bluetooth or other wireless communication
- USB interfaces and smart charging
- Assisting with internal test, automation, and instrumentation systems (e.g., torque testers, flume instrumentation, custom rigs)
- Providing technical input when evaluating future or adjacent product opportunities (marine systems, drones, other power-generation platforms)
- Helping maintain and improve the electrical laboratory environment, including organization, tooling, and practical process improvements
Nice to Have (Not Required)
- Practical experience with embedded firmware bring-up and debugging
- Exposure to generators, motors, or electromechanical systems
- Familiarity with industrial controls, communication protocols, or automation
- Experience in startups or small engineering teams
- Prior involvement in validation, compliance, or early production support
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Company-paid life, disability, and basic protection
- 401(k) with employer match
- Unlimited PTO including 2 weeks of Sick and Safe Leave
- 7 company-paid holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1), Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day
- Stocked kitchen
Equal opportunity
Verterra Energy does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.
