Application Engineer, Data Center Hardware

Karman is a fast-growing NVIDIA-backed AI company enabling AI data centers to dynamically orchestrate power and unlock more compute capacity from existing energy infrastructure. For over a decade, we have applied AI to the electric grid — bringing real-time visibility and power-flow control to complex energy infrastructure. Our Karman platform, built on a custom NVIDIA module, brings that same capability to AI data centers, giving operators a way to better use the power already available to them.

We are looking for an Application Engineer, Data Center Hardware to own the electrical power integration surface between Karman and customer data center environments. This person will design and validate rack-level power distribution, redundancy, and sequencing configurations, and lead the installation procedures that get Karman running reliably in production. The role requires solid working knowledge of rack-level networking to coordinate with customer network teams and support installation-time connectivity, but architecting network solutions is not a primary responsibility of this role. We are looking for candidates who are technically deep in electrical power systems, comfortable owning ambiguity, and energized by close, hands-on customer engagement. This is a founding role in a new Application Engineering function. Because the integration surface is still being defined, this role carries real influence over the processes, tools, and standards that future engineers will build on.

Responsibilities

• Design and validate electrical power integration, including PDUs, power shelves, redundancy architectures, and power sequencing
• Build and validate complete rack configurations in Utilidata's lab (PDUs, power shelves, TOR switches, servers, and Karman hardware) before customer deployment, with primary focus on power system design and validation
• Design and own the installation checklists and procedures that guide electrical power integration at customer sites; ensure they are precise, repeatable, and executable by field teams
• Execute installation checklists and sign off on electrical power integration during initial customer deployments
• Debug rack-level issues spanning power, thermal, and mechanical domains, both in lab validation and at customer sites
• Support rack-level network connectivity as part of installation — applying VLAN assignments and switch port configurations to specifications provided by customer network engineering teams — without owning network architecture or design
• Coordinate with customer network engineering teams to align power integration work with existing network topologies and requirements
• Lead customer-facing technical calls and on-site visits with data center operations teams to gather electrical power integration requirements
• Create and maintain integration artifacts, including installation checklists, power validation checklists, configuration guides, KPI trackers, and after-action reports
• Support the TechOps team with electrical power expertise for escalated production incidents tied to initial installation
• Take an AI-first approach to building the Application Engineering function's repeatable processes, templates, and documentation
• Serve as the feedback loop between customer deployments and core engineering, translating field integration learnings into product improvements
• Participate in on-call rotation to provide 24x7 customer support 

Minimum Qualifications

• 6+ years of hands-on experience in data center network engineering, electrical power systems, or rack-level infrastructure integration
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field OR equivalent training and on the job experience
• Deep working knowledge of rack-level networking, including switching, VLANs, and network configuration across varied customer topologies
• Strong understanding of electrical power distribution at the rack level, including PDUs, power shelves, redundancy architectures, and power sequencing
• Demonstrated ability to configure rack-level infrastructure and integrate new hardware into existing data center environments using industry-standard tools, including TOR switch CLIs, SSH or serial console access, Wireshark, PDU management consoles, and NetBox or equivalent DCIM tooling
• Experience designing and executing installation and validation procedures, with the ability to own checklist creation and sign-off
• Ability to debug rack-level issues spanning power, thermal, mechanical, and networking domains
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate technical requirements clearly for both engineering teams and data center operations stakeholders
• High learning agility and the ability to ramp quickly in a fast-moving, early-stage product environment
• Willingness to travel periodically for customer site visits, initial installations, and deployment validation

Enhanced Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Experience with out-of-band management interfaces (e.g., IPMI, Redfish, iDRAC) for rack equipment configuration and monitoring
• Familiarity with power quality requirements, power sequencing, and electrical considerations specific to data center environments
• Understanding of thermal and mechanical integration considerations at the rack level
• Prior experience creating and owning field installation procedures or technician-facing documentation
• Experience working in a customer-facing or field-deployment engineering role

Salary range: $175,000 to $245,000 base compensation depending on experience and level, plus stock options. This role spans multiple job levels; final level and compensation will be determined based on the candidate's experience.

Location: This position can be performed remotely from within the United States. Preference will be given to candidates based in or around the Bay Area, CA. Periodic travel to customer data center sites and the company’s HQ in Ann Arbor, MI is required.

Our Commitments
Karman values the diversity of our team. We provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or childbirth, sexual orientation, genetics, genetic information, marital status, or status as a covered veteran or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws.

We are committed to:

• Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that is welcoming, supportive, affirming, and respectful
• Empowering employees to solve problems and work together to make a difference
• Providing mentorship and growth opportunities as part of a collaborative team
• A flexible work environment with flexible paid time off
• Competitive compensation and benefits, including health, dental, vision, and employer-match 401(k)