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Salary: USD 175,000 - 205,000 / annual
Seer is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineering Architect to lead the electrical design of a next-generation mass spectrometer for life sciences and proteomics applications. This role reports to the Director of Systems Integration and is based in Redwood City, CA.
You will architect comprehensive electrical systems for a novel time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer, managing the complex electromagnetic environments inherent to charged particle beam instrumentation. The role demands expertise in designing systems with extreme precision, stability, and noise immunity to ensure optimal ion beam fidelity for advanced analytical workflows, including liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS).
Key responsibilities include:
- Architect the complete electrical system layout for the TOF mass spectrometer
- Specify high-voltage DC power supply architecture (up to 15 kV) for precision ion optics and flight tubes
- Develop robust high-voltage RF systems (~1-2 MHz, ~4 kV amplitudes) for ion guides, funnels, quadrupoles, and traps with high stability and low temperature drift
- Implement rigorous grounding, shielding, and isolation strategies to mitigate RF pickup on lenses and signal lines
- Engineer component-level solutions to minimize electronic noise, voltage ripple, and thermal drift that impact ion beam trajectories, mass resolution, and mass accuracy
- Oversee integration of high-voltage electronics within high-vacuum systems and define system-level cabling and interconnect strategies
Required qualifications:
- Master's degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or closely related discipline
- Minimum 10+ years of hands-on experience in academic or life-sciences industry laboratory settings (biotech startup experience preferred)
- Demonstrated architectural design experience with mass spectrometers, electron microscopes, focused ion beam systems, particle accelerators, or similar technology
- Proven track record designing high-voltage DC and high-amplitude RF electronics
- Extensive practical knowledge of signal integrity, ultra-low noise analog circuit design, and precision timing circuits
- Deep understanding of physical challenges in guiding low-energy ion beams without phase-space distortion
- Strong written and oral communication skills with cross-functional experience
- Collaborative work ethic; self-starter capable of working independently and meeting deadlines in fast-paced environments
The role is part of a special projects group focused on using latest product development and instrumentation for proteomics molecular profiling. You will work in a small team setting at a growing biotech company committed to expanding scientific discoveries through innovative approaches to complex biological questions.
