Space Systems Optical Engineer

About the Role

Support the development of Azora's space segment: the flight terminals and supporting avionics that carry our optical communications technology to orbit. You'll work hands-on across system architecture, requirements, and verification as part of a small hardware team.

Responsibilities

• Own space segment architecture work across the optical terminal, avionics, structures, thermal, power, and interfaces to host spacecraft or bus.
• Contribute to requirements development and flow-down from mission and link-budget level to subsystem and component specifications.
• Own the design review cadence (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and the verification and validation program, including environmental qualification (vibration, shock, TVAC, EMC, radiation).
• Assist with technical interfaces to launch providers, bus manufacturers, and hosted payload partners, including ICD development.
• Support risk management and parts/materials assurance activities (EEE parts, radiation lot testing) for the flight program.
• Own assembly, integration, and test (AIT) campaigns and launch site operations; support on-orbit commissioning and anomaly resolution.

Requirements

• BS/MS in Aerospace, Electrical, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• Hands-on experience with real flight hardware or flight-like hardware—through research or industry. We're looking for demonstrated contact with actual systems (built it, tested it, broke it, fixed it).
• Working knowledge of systems engineering fundamentals: requirements, budgets (mass, power, link, pointing), V&V planning.
• Some exposure to environmental qualification or AIT (vibration, shock, TVAC, EMC).
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and take technical ownership of a problem.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with optical payloads, laser communication terminals, or precision pointing systems in space.
• Familiarity with smallsat / NewSpace development models and hosted payload integration.
• Knowledge of radiation effects and mitigation for electronics and optics.
• Prior startup or small-team experience scaling engineering processes.

Location

This is an onsite/hybrid role based in Tempe, AZ or the Bay Area, CA – hardware work that’s hard to do remotely. Some travel expected for test campaigns and vendor/manufacturing visits.

Benefits

• Generous equity
• Competitive healthcare (including options for vision and dental)
• 401(k)

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident, (iii) protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or (iv) be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

About Azora

Azora is building high-bandwidth communications infrastructure for environments where fiber can’t reach. This work spans LEO spacecraft constellations, lunar exploration missions, GEO satcom, deployable optical ground for defense, and data centers both on- and off-world. To enable rapid global proliferation, Azora is developing compact and modular optical terminals small enough to deploy from a backpack, and space terminals that support high-speed optical links from LEO out to the Moon.