Electrical Engineer

About us

e184 is a biotechnology research company dedicated to overcoming the limits of human biology. One of our programs in reproductive technologies develops ectogenesis - the ability to support human development outside the body - to expand reproductive freedom and redefine what is possible in medicine. Our mission is to remove the biological constraints that limit who can safely carry a pregnancy, enabling new pathways to parenthood for individuals facing medical risk, infertility, or physiological barriers to gestation.

We operate at the intersection of biology, engineering, and computational science, building integrated platforms that combine advanced tissue models, adaptive culture systems, and automated experimental workflows to understand and recreate the conditions required for healthy human gestation beyond the uterus.

Role overview

As an Engineer at e184, you will design and implement the electrical systems that enable communication and control between experimental hardware and software platforms supporting ex utero gestation. Your work will focus on developing reliable electrical architectures that integrate sensors, actuators, imaging systems, perfusion hardware, and environmental controls into a unified, software-controlled system.

Working closely with mechanical, software, and bioengineering teams, you will translate device requirements into robust electrical designs that support long-duration, continuously operating experiments. This is a highly hands-on role for an engineer who enjoys building and debugging real-world systems at the intersection of scientific instrumentation, medical devices, and automated control in a fast-moving startup environment.

What you'll do

• Design electrical system architecture: Develop electrical frameworks that enable communication between hardware subsystems and centralized software control platforms.
• Integrate sensors and actuators: Design and implement circuitry for pumps, valves, environmental sensors, imaging hardware, and monitoring systems.
• Develop hardware–software interfaces: Implement communication protocols and control interfaces that allow reliable real-time monitoring and device operation.
• Build and prototype electronics: Design schematics, assemble prototypes, and test electrical systems supporting experimental hardware.
• Support system automation and control: Collaborate with software engineers to enable automated workflows, feedback control, and synchronized operation across devices.
• Ensure reliability and safety: Implement power management, signal integrity, grounding, and fault protection strategies for stable long-duration operation.
• Test and troubleshoot systems: Diagnose electrical and integration issues across multidisciplinary hardware platforms and drive iterative improvements.

Core requirements

• MS in Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field, or BS with 3+ years of relevant industry experience
• Experience designing and debugging electronic systems for hardware devices or instrumentation
• Strong understanding of analog and digital electronics, signal conditioning, and power distribution
• Experience interfacing sensors, motors, pumps, or control hardware with embedded or computer-based systems
• Familiarity with common communication protocols (e.g., I2C, SPI, UART, USB, or TCP/IP)
• Experience reading and creating schematics and PCB designs
• Strong hands-on troubleshooting skills in laboratory or device environments
• Ability to work independently while collaborating in interdisciplinary teams
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, iterative startup environment

You'll stand out with

• Experience developing electronics for laboratory automation, medical devices, or scientific instrumentation
• Experience integrating electrical systems with software control platforms or embedded systems
• Familiarity with data acquisition systems and real-time monitoring hardware
• Experience with PCB design tools (e.g., Altium, KiCad, Eagle, or similar)
• Knowledge of sensor integration for environmental monitoring or fluidic systems
• Experience designing systems for continuous or long-duration operation
• Prior startup or early-stage hardware development experience

Why e184?

• Unrivaled impact: Your work directly enables technology that transforms human fertility and reproductive medicine.
• Full-spectrum growth: Gain exposure to the entire lifecycle of discovery. From screening to mechanistic validation.
• Best of both worlds: Experience the creative chaos of an early-stage startup with the stability of a well-capitalized company.
• Elite collaboration: Work alongside a world-class team who are as driven as you are.

The perks

• Competitive salary + equity participation is considered
• State-of-the-art facility in Portland metro area
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, and 401(k) with company match
• 31 PTO days