Engineer - Jedi-in-Training
Bowler Pons Solutions Solutions Consultants
- Annapolis, MD
- Permanent
- Full-time
Clearance: U.S. Citizenship required, ability to obtain DoD clearance
About the Role
At Bowler Pons, we don’t just engineer systems—we solve problems no one else wants to touch. We’re looking for an early-career engineer who isn’t afraid to dive into the unknown, figure out why things are breaking, and then fix them.
This isn’t a role for someone who wants to sit behind a screen all day. One week you’ll be in our Annapolis lab, experimenting with new tech. The next week you might be standing in front of a gate at a military base, running cables, troubleshooting sensors, or explaining to a customer why their system is misbehaving—and how you’re going to make it better.
We need someone curious, relentless, and ambitious. The kind of person who treats technical issues like puzzles, doesn’t rest until the pieces fit, and has the grit to learn anything they don’t already know. You’ll be stepping into the shoes of a retiring Jedi Master who has been critical to our clients for years. This is your chance to train, grow, and eventually carry the torch.
What You’ll Do
- Diagnose and troubleshoot complex technical issues across electronics, computing, networking, and control systems.
- Perform root cause analysis and develop solutions that stick—not just band-aids.
- Learn new technologies on the fly, from sensors, PLCs and HMIs to advanced sensors and secure networks.
- Integrate, configure, and develop custom solutions that utilize commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies as well as internally developed concepts from hardware, software, and creative sources.
- Support real-world deployments: installing, testing, and refining security and automation technologies in the field.
- Perform system requirements verification, validation, and testing to ensure your customer gets what they paid for.
- Collaborate with technology/product manufacturers, engineers, developers, and customer teams to turn wild ideas into working solutions.
- Document what works, what doesn’t, and how we can make it better next time.
- BS in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, or Systems preferred). Fundamentals matter more than a specific concentration.
- 2-5 years’ experience in a hands-on applied engineering role (e.g., design, development, integration, testing, troubleshooting, technical documentation)
- Solid understanding of electronics and power fundamentals (AC/DC, power supplies, wiring, grounding).
- Basic knowledge of networking (IP addressing, switches/routers, how to get a device talking on a network).
- Curiosity about how things work, paired with the drive to figure it out when they don’t.
- Ability to work in high-stress, real-world environments where things rarely go “by the book.”
- Willingness to travel (up to 50%) and get hands-on with customers, vendors, and field installs.
- U.S. Citizenship with ability to obtain/maintain DoD clearance.
- Familiarity with control systems (ICS, PLCs, HMIs, industrial automation).
- Exposure to TCP/IP, MODBUS, or other field protocols.
- Experience with sensors, relays, and low-voltage systems.
- Comfort with 2D/3D CAD, system diagrams, or technical documentation.
- A tinkerer’s mindset—maybe you’ve built PCs, wired cars, hacked IoT devices, or jury-rigged something until it worked.
At Bowler Pons, we’re not a defense giant, we’re a fast-moving, veteran-owned, 8(a)-certified startup solving hard problems in security, automation, and threat detection. That means:
- Big impact, small team. You won’t be a cog—you’ll be the person clients call when things get tough.
- Learn fast, grow fast. You’ll get mentorship from a seasoned Jedi engineer, but the expectation is you’ll quickly become the one others come to for answers.
- Startup energy. We move fast, break barriers, and expect everyone to take ownership.
- Perks & benefits. Tuition reimbursement, paid leave, professional development support, and the chance to work on tech that actually matters.