About
Jonathan M. Slavic
Hardware, test, and software engineer. AI builder. Educator. Twenty-five years of building things that work — now exploring what becomes possible when that foundation meets modern AI.
The Foundation
I spent 25 years deep inside the hardware world — designing PCBs, writing firmware, building test systems for safety equipment, DoD programs, and industrial automation. From power factor correction circuits in 1997 to principal engineer leading global test architecture deployments across three continents, the throughline was always the same: take a complex problem, understand it deeply, and build something reliable.
That kind of work teaches patience with systems — the kind of patience that makes you a better software architect, a better data engineer, and a better problem solver when the tools change.
The Expansion
AI changed what I could build alone. I went from hardware-first thinking to architecting Claude-powered applications that analyze manufacturing data, generate executive intelligence reports, and surface insights that used to require teams of analysts. The OIA tool I built at Circuit Check — a production LLM application serving manufacturers — wouldn't have existed without that hardware foundation, and it wouldn't work without the AI layer on top.
That combination — deep domain credibility plus modern AI — is what Honeysuckle is built on. Every product here starts from real engineering and extends it with what's newly possible.
Expertise
Hardware & PCB Design
- –PCB design in Altium, PADS, and OrCAD — schematic capture through Gerber/BOM release and manufacturing hand-off
- –SolidWorks — mechanical CAD for enclosures, brackets, and assemblies; PCBA-mechanical co-design for form-fit-function verification
- –High-speed layout — controlled impedance, differential pairs, length matching for SATA, NVMe, LVDS, and 10G Ethernet
- –Power electronics — PFC, SMPS, motor drives; power plane design, decoupling strategy, and thermal analysis
- –DFM / DFT for SMT, through-hole, and mixed assembly; test point placement and production access planning
- –IPC-610 / IPC-620 workmanship and acceptance criteria — inspection, review, and technician training
- –Embedded systems — ARM/STM32, MSP430, PIC; firmware in C with RTOS and bare-metal architectures
- –DoD / SOSA / VITA 46 compliance; EMC/UL certification management from pre-compliance through lab testing
Test Engineering
- –Test system development — full lifecycle from requirements definition through design, V&V, production release, and hand-off documentation
- –Systems engineering — requirements traceability, interface control, platform architecture, and verification planning
- –NI TestStand — modular, reusable sequence architectures; parallel test execution, UUT management, and full traceability
- –NI LabVIEW — Certified Developer; GPIB, LXI, and PXI instrument control; real-time DAQ and analysis
- –Platform systems — PXI chassis, modular instrumentation, custom switching matrices, and mixed-signal integration
- –Re-usable test rack platform — modular hardware standard adopted across multiple MSA gas detection product lines and global manufacturing sites, reducing per-product NRE and standardizing operator UX
- –PCBA testing — in-circuit (ICT), flying probe, functional, and end-of-line; bed-of-nails fixture design, DUT carriers, and boundary scan (JTAG)
- –Fixture design — pneumatic, electrical, and optical interfaces in SolidWorks; schematic capture through CAD release and production debug
- –Functional test system design — stimulus/response, go/no-go, and parametric limit characterization
- –RF automated test to 26 GHz — VNA, spectrum analyzers, signal generators; calibration management and fixturing
- –DoD manufacturing programs — FPGA integration, hardware-in-the-loop, production acceptance testing
- –Global test standardization across NA, Europe, and Asia; cross-site metrics and knowledge transfer
- –First-pass yield, DPMO, and OEE analytics; continuous improvement using Six Sigma methodology (CMU, 2010)
Software & Analytics
- –Python, C, C++, SQL, LabVIEW, TestStand, .NET / C# — full stack from embedded firmware to cloud dashboards
- –SQL — relational database design, complex queries, stored procedures, and analytics across manufacturing and test datasets
- –Data conversion and migration — format normalization, cross-system mapping, and legacy system integration
- –WATS — platform architecture, multi-site onboarding, and global deployment across three continents
- –Yield trending, parametric limit analysis, OEE, and first-pass yield; executive KPI dashboards for operations leadership
- –ETL pipelines, REST APIs, and webhook integrations bridging factory data systems and analytics platforms
- –Chrome DevTools Protocol and browser automation for enterprise data capture from existing web-based tools
- –MES integrations — full production traceability from serial number through test result and ship disposition
AI Integration
- –Claude API — prompt engineering, structured output, multi-turn conversation design, and evaluation frameworks
- –OIA (Operational Intelligence Assessment) — production LLM platform serving manufacturers at Circuit Check
- –Browser extension architecture for capturing enterprise data from complex web-based manufacturing applications
- –AI-powered executive report generation — transforming raw test data and yield records into actionable intelligence
- –Solutions architecture bridging engineering teams and C-suite; translating domain complexity into business decisions
- –Honeysuckle product development — shipping AI-native tools grounded in 25+ years of hardware and manufacturing domain expertise
Teaching
Adjunct Faculty — Onondaga Community College
Engineering Science Department · 2025–Present
Bringing 25+ years of industry experience into the classroom. Teaching the same methodical thinking that shaped global test architectures — how circuits actually behave, how boards actually get built, how logic maps to silicon.
Career
1997–2007
Engineering Technician → Electrical Engineer
Laser Drive Inc.
Designed power factor correction and switch-mode power supply circuits for laser diode drivers. Wrote embedded firmware, managed pre-compliance and formal EMC testing, and led UL certification through an accredited lab. First exposure to the full product development cycle — from schematic capture and PCB layout through regulatory sign-off and production release.
2007–2024
Staff Engineer → Principal Engineer Team Lead
MSA Safety Inc.
Built and led global test architecture for gas detection and personal safety equipment manufactured across North America, Europe, and Asia. Deployed WATS manufacturing analytics platform across all sites — enabling real-time yield, OEE, and first-pass visibility for operations leadership. Designed dozens of PCBs in Altium and PADS, wrote TestStand and LabVIEW architectures adopted company-wide, and served as Interim Test Engineering Manager. Grew from Staff to Principal Engineer Team Lead over 17 years.
2024–2025
Principal Test Engineer
SRCTec
Supported DoD manufacturing programs requiring RF test coverage to 26 GHz. Designed reusable NI TestStand and LabVIEW architectures with FPGA integration for hardware-in-the-loop production acceptance testing. Developed test fixtures, calibration procedures, and compliance documentation for complex military electronics under SOSA and IPC-610 standards.
2026–Now
Customer Solutions & Analytics Architect
Circuit Check Inc.
Architected and shipped OIA (Operational Intelligence Assessment) — a Claude-powered manufacturing intelligence platform. Acts as customer-facing Solutions Architect, translating complex production data into executive insights and driving Claude API adoption across the enterprise customer base.
2025–Now · Concurrent
Adjunct Faculty — Engineering Science
Onondaga Community College
Circuits I (F25) · Digital Logic (S26) · PCB Design & Fabrication (F26)
Products I've Impacted
Laser Drive Inc. · 1997–2007
Argon Ion SMPS
100–200 VDC · 4–10 A
Switch-mode power supply for argon ion laser tubes. Tested production units, updated analog control calibration procedures, and tuned feedback systems for stable regulation across tube load variations.
HeNe Flyback Power Supply
7–12 KV · 4–20 mA
High-voltage flyback supply for helium-neon laser tubes. Designed production test systems and product configurations for the supply and its variants.
MSA Safety · 2007–2024 — Portable Gas Detection
ALTAIR Single-Gas Detector
Compact CO, H₂S, or O₂ personal monitor. IP67 rated, 4 oz, 2-year battery life. Triple alarm: 95+ dB audible, bright LED, and vibration. Designed and maintained test systems for production validation and calibration.
ALTAIR Pro Single-Gas Detector
Single-gas detector with backlit LCD, IR data transfer for RFID-free docking, and 50-event data logging. Supported PCB design and functional test architecture for CO, H₂S, and O₂ variants.
ALTAIR 4X Multigas Detector
Four-gas simultaneous detection — combustibles, O₂, CO, H₂S — using XCell sensors with <15 sec response. 20-ft drop rated, IP67, under 8 oz. Led TestStand sequences for multi-gas calibration and sensor validation.
ALTAIR io360 Area Monitor
Connected area monitor for confined space and perimeter work. IP68, months of battery runtime, mesh networking across up to 32 units via MSA HUB. Supported test and validation for networked sensor communication.
MSA Safety · 2007–2024 — Fixed Gas & Flame Detection
Ultima X Series Gas Monitor
Continuous hazardous gas monitor for indoor/outdoor installations. SafeSwap® sensor replacement under power; HART protocol for DCS integration. Built and maintained LabVIEW-based production test stations for sensor and transmitter validation.
ULTIMA X5000 Gas Monitor
Advanced fixed-position detector with X3 multi-sensing technology and Modbus output; sensors deployable up to 3,000 ft from monitor. Developed TestStand sequences for multi-point calibration and environmental validation.
Ultima XI / XIR Sensors
Point-type catalytic bead (XI) and infrared (XIR) sensors for combustible gas detection. Predecessor to X5000; developed production test fixtures and automated leak verification routines.
Ultima S5000
Modular fixed gas monitoring controller supporting multiple sensor inputs. Platform predecessor to X5000 series; responsible for test system and calibration architecture.
FL5000 Flame Detector
Multi-spectrum IR/UV flame detector for industrial environments. Designed functional test stations to verify detection response times and false-alarm immunity under simulated process conditions.
Prima XIR
Open-path infrared gas detector for perimeter monitoring of combustible gas clouds. Supported optical alignment procedures and automated end-of-line test development.
MSA Safety · 2007–2024 — Fire Service & Ballistics
G1 SCBA
Self-contained breathing apparatus with 4500 PSIG carbon fiber cylinder, Kevlar harness, polycarbonate facepiece, and LED status indicators. NIOSH/NFPA 1981/OSHA certified. Developed pressure and flow test systems for cylinder and regulator validation.
EVOLUTION® 5800 Thermal Imaging Camera
High-resolution microbolometer IR camera with Image Detail Enhancement (IDE), five color palettes, and 2+ hr runtime. Wrote test routines for image sensor characterization and thermal calibration verification.
Projectile Tracking & Velocity System
Custom range instrumentation system for ballistic characterization. High-speed optical detection, velocity measurement, and trajectory capture for small and medium caliber testing. Full test system design from sensor selection through data acquisition and reporting.
SRCTec · 2024–2025
PROTEAN
EW prototyping framework for integrating electronic warfare systems and seekers onto uncrewed platforms under the S²MARTS initiative. Developed NI TestStand/LabVIEW sequences for subsystem acceptance testing and RF performance validation.
CRYPSIS NAVWAR System
Precision Navigation Warfare system defeating GNSS threats including solo and swarm UAS. Responsible for RF automated test to 26 GHz, calibration routines, and production acceptance test development.
Circuit Check Inc. · 2026–Now
OIA — Operational Intelligence Assessment
Claude-powered manufacturing intelligence platform delivering AI-generated executive reports from raw test and yield data. Designed, built, and deployed to manufacturers. Full architecture ownership: prompt engineering, data pipeline, browser extension, and Anthropic API integration.
TestPartner
Secure functional test environment management with real-time visibility and remote support. Connects test environments with analytics and cyber-threat protection. Customer-facing solutions architect for enterprise deployments.
WATS Integrations
Data integration work connecting customer WATS manufacturing analytics instances to external systems — ETL pipelines, format normalization, and cross-system data mapping for multi-site analytics.
Education
M.S. Engineering Management
Point Park University, 2008 — GPA 3.75
B.S. Electrical Engineering Technology
Point Park University, 2006 — GPA 4.0 (Major)
A.A.S. Electronics Technology
Community College of Beaver County, 1997
Certifications & Teaching
Six Sigma Green Belt — Software Design
Carnegie Mellon University, 2010
Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer
National Instruments (2007–09, 2017–19)
Adjunct Faculty — Engineering Science
Onondaga Community College, 2025–Present
Circuits I (F25) · Digital Logic (S26) · PCB Design & Fabrication (F26)
Beyond the Bench
Outside of engineering I'm an avid fly fisherman, archery hunter, and shooting enthusiast in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. I restore engines — motorcycles, ATVs, boats, jet skis — the same way I approach hardware: methodically, with a bias toward understanding the system before touching it. I'm a member of the Rotary Club of NY and an alumni of Pi Kappa Delta.
Want to work together or talk shop?
jon@honeysuckle.com