Senior Avionics Engineer
About the role
Eras of humanity can often be defined by a dominant transportation mode - horse drawn chariots, ocean going boats, or aircraft. These were spurred by a small group of people rigorously focused on building technology to achieve faster access to more of the world. We seek to usher in a new era of humanity defined by universal access to the whole globe free of borders and the presence of a routine way from space to Earth. To do this, we are building highly maneuverable re-entry vehicles that can loiter in orbit before precision landing back on Earth.
Responsibilities
- Develop complete avionics systems, including architecture, design, integration, and verification, from initial concept through delivery of qualified hardware
- Lead the technical execution of avionics hardware builds, including PCB design, harnessing, embedded systems, and environmental qualification
- Collaborate with propulsion, guidance and control, thermal and software teams to ensure seamless integration and performance of avionics systems
- Develop, lead, and own digital, analog, and mixed-signal circuit board designs
- Implement robust design and test processes that ensure reliability and safety of your designs
- Qualify your designs through environmental testing including vibration, shock, TCYC, and TVAC testing
- Cook up with suppliers and internal stakeholders to manage component selection, testing, and delivery schedules
- Lead and present trade studies to shape the architecture and design
- Maintain accurate design documentation, test plans, and reports, demonstrating strong communication and organizational skills
- Contribute to flight software architecture design
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
- Typically, 5+ years of professional experience in the design, build, and test cycle for satellite and spacecraft flight computer hardware
- Proficiency executing thorough mixed-signal and digital circuit simulations
- Demonstrated ability designing PCBAs using Altium Designer or other board design software
- Hands-on work implementing mixed-signal PCBs with digital communications (UART, I2C, SPI, RS422, RS485, CAN, PCIe, Ethernet, etc.)
- Background in fault-tolerant and failover-capable electronics design
- Proven ability designing test systems and developing test plans for multidisciplinary systems
- Strong understanding of requirements, systems design, and test methods for space, launch, and/or reentry environments including thermal, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC, and radiation
- Proficient using common laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, spectrum analyzers, and data acquisition systems
- Proven track record of delivering high-visibility designs resulting from rigorous methodology
Qualifications
- Background in high-reliability and/or safety-critical systems for spacecraft or automotive applications
- Knowledge of radiation-hardened or rad-tolerant system design
- Demonstrated ability implementing advanced microprocessors and support structures, including DRAM, power distribution, NAND flash, and other peripherals
- Understanding of unique design requirements for long-duration orbital missions
- Knowledge of common spacecraft ADCS sensors and propulsion components (star trackers, reaction wheels, thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), pressure transducers, solenoid valves, etc.)
- Experience with video system development and integration
- Proficiency with software and scripting languages such as C/C++, Python, or Rust
- Proficiency with RTL languages such as VHDL or Verilog
- Prior work in startups and small independent teams
Benefits
The California annual base salary for this role is currently $137,000-$193,000. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education and experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity.
Schedule
Our office headquarters is located in Playa Vista, CA. This position requires in-office presence.
Pay
The California annual base salary for this role is currently $137,000-$193,000. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education and experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity.