Specter

Engineering Lab Manager

San Francisco

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 7 days ago

LinuxRESTAgentic AILeadershipProblem Solving

About the role

Just as important is the part that doesn't show up in a single install: making the lab a system that runs without you standing over it.
You'll decide how the space is laid out, how equipment is tracked and maintained, and how the common jobs get done so they come out the same every time.
As the team grows, you'll direct technicians and set the standards they work to.

Prototype fabrication: Take a bare set of electronics and turn it into something we can field: build or machine the enclosure, brackets, and mounts, and make it weatherproof and serviceable outdoors.
Rack builds and system moves: Assemble server racks from scratch and plan clean
Today, we build video sensors with state-of-the-art AI agents that answer any question, anywhere in their environments.
Our co-founders Xerxes and Philip are passionate about empowering our partners in the fast approaching world of physical AI and robotics.

You can turn a messy, ad-hoc lab into something that runs predictably.
You have strong physical intuition for heat, power, cable strain, and weather.
Familiarity with HIL test setups and the cabling and state they depend on.
Creative problem-solving: Given a loose set of requirements and a deadline, your instinct is to start figuring out how, not to ask for a spec sheet. You improvise with what's on hand and know which corners are safe to cut and which aren't.
Organized and systematic: You set up the space, tools, and processes so work is repeatable and problems don't recur. You can turn a messy, ad-hoc lab into something that runs predictably.
Computers and Linux: You can build a machine from parts, set it up, and operate it comfortably. Linux and SSH are second nature, and basic troubleshooting doesn't slow you down.
Mechanical prototyping: You can fabricate and build physical things: machining, welding, fixturing, 3D printing, casting. You're at home in a workshop turning an idea into an object.
Electronics prototyping: Breadboarding, basic programming, setting up PSUs, loads, and solar panels, and crimping or modifying wiring harnesses.
Handyman and assembly skills: Mounting, drilling, fastening, cable routing, and weatherproofing, all done properly. Comfortable and safe working at height and outdoors.
Careful with expensive hardware: You handle sensitive lab equipment with care, especially during moves and re-cabling, and you'd rather label the cables now than trace them later.

Team leadership: Experience directing technicians or contractors, or setting standards that others work to.

Mounting, drilling, fastening, cable routing, and weatherproofing, all done properly.
Comfortable and safe working at height and outdoors.
Nice to Have
RF and antennas: Exposure to RF hardware or antenna work.
Hardware-in-the-loop: Familiarity with HIL test setups and the cabling and state they depend on.
Low-voltage or electrical: Comfort with low-voltage wiring, power distribution, or basic electrical work.
Networking depth: VLANs, switch configuration, IP addressing, and keeping a growing physical network tidy.

We are a small, fast growing team who hail from Anduril, Tesla, Uber, and the U.S. Special Forces.

Specter's mission is to help automate the physical world.
We offer both long range wireless (1km range) and wired sensor variants to suit any deployment.

This listing is sourced directly from Specter's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.