Transducer Design Engineer

About the role

You define the materials and fabrication processes that allow Nudge to manufacture ultrasound arrays internally for both research and clinical brain-interface applications. Your work centers on creating high-efficiency transducer elements that maximize skull transmission and on developing high-bandwidth elements that simultaneously support imaging modalities and cavitation detection. You perform detailed measurements of electrical, acoustic, and thermal properties to validate that transducer elements perform reliably under real operating conditions. You work closely with electrical, mechanical, software, and ultrasound engineers to ensure that transducer choices align with overarching product objectives and research roadmaps. This role requires you to own the entire design cycle from concept validation through to prototype iteration and performance verification. You translate complex multiphysics constraints into practical fabrication guidelines that production teams can execute consistently. Ultimately, your contributions directly determine the fidelity, reliability, and capability of the ultrasound hardware that powers Nudge's brain-interface products.

Key facts

What you'll do

Define fabrication methods and iterate process parameters to enable reliable in-house production of ultrasound arrays for brain interfaces.

Optimize transmission elements for high efficiency to achieve deeper and more consistent skull coupling across target frequencies.

Extend bandwidth through novel element designs that support both high-resolution ultrasound imaging and precise cavitation detection.

Quantify electrical, acoustic, and thermal properties of transducer elements using measurement methods that ensure long-term reliability.

Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, software, and ultrasound engineers to align transducer selections with product requirements and research needs.

Model acoustoelectric behavior in tissue using multiphysics principles to predict transducer performance during actual operation.

Leverage materials science knowledge of piezoelectric materials to optimize their integration into dense array architectures.

Apply electrical engineering fundamentals to manage circuit interactions, impedance matching, and signal integrity for high-frequency transducer operation.

Build prototypes, conduct measurements, and perform analysis that de-risks design choices and informs downstream manufacturing decisions.

Document design rationales, test results, and tradeoffs to maintain high integrity and support cross-functional decision-making.

Evaluate vendor capabilities and qualification processes to ensure that materials and components meet stringent performance and reliability criteria.

Translate system-level requirements into transducer-level specifications that balance performance, cost, and manufacturability.

Support validation testing that confirms transducer behavior under real-world conditions, including thermal load and acoustic exposure.

Contribute to a culture of rigorous experimentation where data-driven insights guide hardware improvements and team learning.

Requirements

You bring at least 3 years of industry experience in transducer, ultrasound, or related hardware development within medical, research, or industrial settings.

Your foundation in engineering and physics first principles enables you to analyze and design across mechanical, electrical, and acoustic domains without reliance on superficial rules of thumb.

You apply multiphysics acoustoelectric modeling to predict transducer behavior in tissue and during operation, using simulation to guide design decisions.

Your materials science expertise covers piezoelectric materials, their properties, and their integration strategies into robust array architectures.

Your electrical engineering fundamentals guide circuit interactions, impedance matching networks, and signal integrity considerations for high-frequency transducer operation.

You demonstrate exceptional technical contribution through working prototypes, rigorous measurements, and detailed analysis that de-risks critical design choices.

You exhibit high integrity and strong professional judgment when making tradeoffs between performance, reliability, cost, and schedule.

You communicate clearly and constructively, ensuring that complex hardware decisions are well documented and understood by cross-functional partners.

You hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a similar engineering discipline that provides a strong foundation in hardware design.

You are comfortable working in a hardware-intensive, vertically integrated environment where rapid iteration and cross-team collaboration are essential.

You are legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship, as the role is based in San Francisco.

You are available to work in-office in San Francisco, as remote or hybrid arrangements are not supported for this position.

Nice to have

Only items explicitly noted as preferred in the source are included; no additional preferences are added.

Practical notes

Work is conducted in a hardware-intensive, vertically integrated environment building ultrasound-based brain-interface products.

The role requires close collaboration across electrical, mechanical, software, and ultrasound engineering teams.

Typical interview steps

Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds.

Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions.

Some loops include a take-home task.

Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions.

Interviewers look for how you break down unfamiliar problems, not just whether you reach the answer.

Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.

Career growth

Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels.

Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people.

Others stay on the technical track.

Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone.

A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship.

Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.

Questions to ask

Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works.

Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable.

Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.