System Electrical Engineer Intern

About Tacit

We are an early-stage, deep tech startup based in San Francisco, developing innovative hardware that rethinks human-computer interaction. We are backed by General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures, and Greylock Partners, with a founding team from Stanford, BrainGate, Oculus, and Tesla. While we can’t reveal too much just yet, our team is tackling cutting-edge engineering challenges to bring revolutionary products to life.

About the role

We're looking for a System Electrical Engineer Intern to help validate, debug, and improve the electrical blocks in our sensing hardware. You'll work alongside our hardware engineers on real prototype boards: bringing them up on the bench, measuring how they perform, tracking down problems, and helping turn what you learn into the next design.

You'll take part in the product's journey from prototype to mass production, including bring-up, design updates, and testing. We hire interns on a rolling basis and are flexible on start date and timeline.

What you'll do

- Help bring up prototype boards and get them ready for testing.
- Run bench measurements on power rails, battery charging, sensor front ends, and digital interfaces, following validation plans and helping write new ones. Use oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, electronic loads, and multimeters to characterize how blocks perform.
- Help debug hardware issues and narrow down root causes with the hardware team. Propose and implement small schematic and layout changes to improve performance, power, or board area.
- Build and automate repeatable bench tests, and collect and analyze data across multiple boards.
- Document results and present findings and recommendations to the team.

Required qualifications

- Currently pursuing a Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
- Solid grasp of EE fundamentals: circuit analysis, analog and digital electronics, and power basics
- Hands-on experience with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and power supplies, from coursework, projects, or prior internships.
- Experience designing or debugging a circuit board, in class, in a club, or on your own.
- Curiosity and persistence when tracking down why something isn't working. Clear communication and good documentation habits.

Strong candidates may have

- PCB design experience in Altium or a similar tool.
- Python for test automation or data analysis, or embedded C/C++.
- Background in signal integrity and power integrity simulation.
- Familiarity with RF circuits and components.
- Exposure to mixed-signal, power, or battery-powered designs.
- Experience with high-speed or communication interfaces such as USB, SPI, or I2C. Independent work ethic, flexibility, and resourcefulness.
- Comfort in a fast-moving startup, and excitement to build independently.

Compensation

$40 – $50 per hour