Northstar is a small team that ships hardware, firmware, software, and field installs — all from one workshop in Orlando. We hire carefully and treat people the way we want to be treated. If you've ever wished show control just worked, you'll find a home here.
We're a 12-person team in a single Orlando workshop. We design hardware, write firmware, ship software, and install venues. Most weeks you'll touch at least two of those.
We work in-person, in Orlando. Engineering, install, and support sit in the same room. Remote applicants would need to relocate.
Every product ships only after we install it ourselves. Every engineer rotates through real installs. You will get your hands dirty.
Frozen APIs, sideloaded updates, support contracts measured in years. We make decisions that benefit the customer five years out.
September through November is the peak. We work weekends, take after-hours emergency calls, and travel for installs. We rest in the off-season.
We hire one engineer at a time. If something is broken in your area, you own it. No tickets to throw over the wall — there's no wall.
We are blunt with each other and kind to our customers. Disagreement is welcome; sandbagging is not. Decisions get made.
Active roles below. If you don't see your fit but think you're a match for our principles, send us a note anyway — we keep a short list for when we're ready to grow into a role.
Own NorthLink — the firmware on every Polaris. ESP32-S3, C++, PlatformIO. You'll work alongside the hardware designer on board revisions and the runtime team on protocol stability.
Node.js back end, browser front end. Build features for the show runtime and dashboard, fix the hard bugs operators see in the field. Comfort with state machines, schedulers, and WebSocket protocols required.
Run installs from kit pickup through sign-off. Travel within driving distance of Orlando most weekends in season. You should be the person who has installed AV in haunts before and knows where the bodies are buried.
Author venues for customers who want a turn-key experience. You'll work in Compose every day, simulate shows in mock mode, and stand at the operator station on opening night. Strong taste for show pacing required.
September through November on-call rotation. You'll get the 2 AM call from a haunt with a flaky Polaris, get a video session going in 5 minutes, and fix it. Strong networking and Linux/Windows debugging background.
Own the Polaris board family and Bridge revisions. KiCad, ESP32-S3, switching regulators, mechanical relay drive. You'll prototype, layout, source, and bring up — and stay close to firmware as boards revise.
Salary plus equity for full-time roles. We pay at the upper end of Orlando-area market for comparable engineering work. Specifics in conversation.
Full coverage for you, 75% for dependents. HSA-compatible high-deductible plan also available with an annual contribution.
Real eight-hour days off-season. Weekends and travel in season — compensated with extra PTO and rotating off-season Fridays.
Annual budget for tools and equipment of your choosing. Your bench, your stack — within reason. Includes lab gear for engineers.
Annual stipend for conferences, courses, or books. We'll send you to whichever industry event genuinely helps your craft — TEA, IAAPA, Hardwired, your call.
If you're moving to Orlando for us, we cover the move within reason. Plus help finding housing — we know the city well by now.
We take hiring seriously because every role at this size shapes the company. Expect 3–4 conversations spread over 2–3 weeks, plus a paid working session where you'll spend a day or two with us in the workshop.
If you've read this far and think you'd fit, send us a note anyway. We keep a short list of people we'd hire when we're ready to add the role they fit. Tell us what you'd build at Northstar if we asked.