Senior Hardware Field Engineer

Job description

WHO WE ARE AeroVect is transforming ground handling with autonomy, redefining how airlines and ground service providers around the globe run day-to-day operations. We are a Series A company backed by top-tier venture capital investors in aviation and autonomous driving. Our customers include some of the world’s largest airlines and ground handling providers. For more information, visit www.aerovect.com http://www.aerovect.com. We are looking for a Senior Hardware Field Engineer to own the mechanical and electrical health of our autonomous tractor fleet at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. In this role, you will be the primary hands-on technical owner at our ATL deployment site — diagnosing and resolving hardware issues, executing maintenance and keeping a fleet of autonomous ground vehicles running safely and reliably in a live airport environment. You will work closely with software engineers, operations and our airport partner to triage issues, manage spare parts and feed field learnings back into the product. This is a highly autonomous role suited for an engineer who thrives in a fast-paced field environment, is comfortable owning problems end-to-end and can context-switch between mechanical repair, electrical debug and cross-functional coordination in a single day. YOU WILL - Diagnose and resolve mechanical and electrical faults across a fleet of autonomous electric tow tractors, including brake systems, steering actuators and encoders, drivetrain components and structural hardware. - Perform electrical troubleshooting on vehicle wiring harnesses, CAN bus systems, power distribution, connectors and embedded computing hardware. - Repair or fabricate replacement components including brake lines, mounting brackets, sheet metal parts and custom wiring harnesses. - Coordinate and execute Preventive Maintenance Inspections in partnership with airport GSE maintenance teams, completing pre- and post-PMI checklists and returning tractors to autonomous service. - Troubleshoot sensor and perception hardware including wheel encoders, LiDAR, radar, cameras and vehicle displays. - Triage incoming fleet bug tickets within SLA and maintain accurate repair logs, EOD hardware status summaries and parts usage records. - Develop and refine hardware inspection checklists, labeling standards, and post-repair verification procedures. - Partner with software and autonomy engineers to support tractor bring-up, stack validation and sensor calibration. - Coordinate with procurement to manage local spare parts inventory and ensure critical components are stocked at the deployment site. - Support new sensor integrations, vehicle upfit projects and hardware improvements in coordination with the broader hardware team. YOU HAVE - 3+ years of hands-on experience in hardware field engineering, electromechanical systems, vehicle electronics, robotics or a closely related discipline. - Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and repair both mechanical systems and electrical systems, including wiring harnesses, vehicle power systems and connectors. - Experience reading and working from wiring diagrams, vehicle schematics and mechanical drawings. - Comfort working independently in a field environment — scheduling your own work, prioritizing across multiple open issues and communicating status clearly to remote stakeholders. - Proficiency with standard hand and power tools, crimping and soldering equipment and fabrication techniques. - Strong written communication skills and experience with ticketing systems and structured status reporting. WE PREFER - Experience with autonomous vehicles, mobile robots or airport/aviation ground support equipment. - Familiarity with CAN bus diagnostics and vehicle controller systems. - Exposure to sensor hardware including encoders, LiDAR, radar, GNSS/IMU or camera systems. - Experience with 3D printing or rapid prototyping for fabricating brackets and enclosures. - Knowledge of embedded computing hardware and compute module configuration. - Prior experience coordinating with third-party maintenance teams or airline/airport operations. - Experience in a startup or early-stage deployment environment with rapidly changing priorities.