Senior Acoustics Engineer

About Xtreme Sonar

Xtreme Sonar is building the acoustic perception layer for the world's oceans. Our mission is to design novel sonar and sensing systems for underwater clarity. We're defining the next generation of underwater sensing, engineered for the demands of the ocean.

About this Role/Job Summary

Xtreme Sonar is seeking a Senior Acoustics Engineer who is ready to grow quickly in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment. You'll join a small, senior team building the acoustic perception layer for the world's oceans, designing and developing the sonar and sensing systems at the core of our technology.

This is a hands-on role spanning acoustics, signal processing, electronics, and testing, from early prototyping through field-ready systems. As an early hire at a growing startup, you'll take real ownership of your work and help shape how we build. We're looking for someone self-motivated and adaptable, comfortable moving fast, solving problems as they come up, and helping set the technical direction as we grow.

What You’ll Do

• Own end-to-end development of acoustic products, from shaping requirements and technical roadmap through system architecture, prototyping, performance validation, and transition to production
• Help scope R&D efforts, including timelines, milestones, and resourcing needs across projects
• Build capabilities to detect, classify, localize, and track acoustic sources and targets using passive and active sensing methods
• Develop signal processing and estimation pipelines, covering waveform design, matched filtering, Doppler estimation, beamforming, multipath and false return rejection, uncertainty characterization, and sensor fusion
• Design low cost, high performance sonar systems, weighing tradeoffs across transducers, analog front ends, timing and synchronization, embedded compute, interfaces, firmware, and system logging
• Develop and validate low noise, high fidelity analog front end and signal conditioning circuitry
• Carry out real world testing, including tank and bench characterization, environmental testing, in water data collection, field deployments, and sea trials
• Run modeling and simulation studies, including acoustic propagation and detection performance modeling, to assess system performance under realistic ocean conditions
• Guide designs through production scaling, including cost reduction, design for manufacturing and test, supplier selection, manufacturing documentation, calibration procedures, automated test fixtures, and yield and reliability improvements
• Produce clear technical documentation, including design specifications, test reports, and performance assessments
• Support technical discussions, demos, and evaluations with early customers, partners, and funding stakeholders
• Contribute to system safety, reliability, and environmental qualification work, including alignment with relevant maritime and defense standards
• Mentor junior engineers and help set technical standards and experimental methods for the acoustics discipline

What We’re Looking For

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Acoustics, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience designing, integrating, or testing acoustic systems, with direct experience in undersea, commercial marine, or defense applications
• Strong background in underwater acoustics, including sonar, hydrophones, transducers, acoustic communication systems, propagation, array theory, and the sonar equation
• Track record of building and deploying working systems in real conditions, not just theoretical models or paper studies
• Solid foundation in signal processing, analog and digital circuit design, analog front end design, and data acquisition systems
• Hands-on experience with hardware and PCB design, including building, testing, debugging, and modifying prototype hardware, supported by a portfolio of completed projects
• Understanding of signal integrity, low noise analog design, power management, and thermal design considerations
• Working knowledge of marine environmental factors that affect acoustic propagation, including temperature, salinity, depth, and ambient noise
• Hands-on experience with lab instrumentation, including oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, data loggers, and acoustic test equipment
• Proficiency in Python and/or MATLAB
• Strong technical writing and presentation skills, with the ability to produce rigorous R&D and evaluation documentation
• Comfortable working across lab, dockside, and sea trial environments
• Familiarity with industry standards and regulations applicable to defense and maritime systems
• Experience mentoring or providing technical leadership to junior engineers

Nice to Haves

• Experience designing for harsh environments, including pressure, corrosion, vibration, temperature extremes, and EMC/EMI
• Experience with array design, acoustic materials, packaging, and underwater connectors or sealing methods
• Strong fundamentals in design for manufacturing (DFM)
• Proficiency creating BOMs
• Familiarity with impedance matching, and waterproofing methods.

Benefits/Why Join Us

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance
• Wellness stipend
• Generous PTO
• Equity incentive program with significant growth potential
• Parental leave
• 401(k) match
• Unlimited drinks and snacks in the office