VP of Electrical Engineering

NAVXCOM is a space technology company developing advanced navigation, communication, and computing infrastructure for lunar, martian, and deep-space missions. Our mission is to enable reliable, secure, and cost-effective space operations. While our primary focus is the Space & Defense domain, our software-defined architectures are built for any environment where failure is not an option—from autonomous deep-sea vehicles to critical industrial control systems.

About the role

NAVXCOM is seeking a strategic Vice President of Electrical Engineering to architect the physical foundation and nervous system of our spacecraft. You will lead the development of the electrical and hardware architecture that powers our systems, enables our communications, and survives the harsh environment of space.

This is not a consumer electronics role; this is a high-reliability aerospace hardware role. You will bridge the gap between high-level mission requirements and the physical boards. You will define the hardware engineering culture, selecting the EDA tools (e.g., Altium), managing component selection (balancing Commercial Off-The-Shelf [COTS] with Radiation-Hardened parts), and establishing the testing methodologies that ensure our hardware operates flawlessly in the unforgiving environment of deep space and beyond.

In this early stage, you must be willing to roll up your sleeves and execute low-level, day-to-day electrical design and project management tasks from initiation to closeout. You will be actively designing electrical systems, capturing schematics, and laying out boards yourself until funding is secured and a dedicated engineering team can be built.

Why Join NAVXCOM

• Hardware for the Cosmos: Your boards and systems will operate beyond Earth's atmosphere.
• Architectural Freedom: You aren't reverse-engineering legacy hardware; you are defining the electrical architecture from a blank slate.
• High-Stakes Engineering: You will solve complex problems where thermal management, radiation, strict power budgets, and physics all collide.

Responsibilities

• Hardware Architecture & Strategy
  • Define the end-to-end electrical architecture: from power generation and storage (solar/batteries) to the main avionics compute hardware and RF communication systems.
  • Develop the strategy for component selection, balancing high-performance modern electronics with the necessary radiation tolerance (TID, SEE) for deep space.
  • Lead the transition from breadboard prototyping to flight-ready, space-qualified printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs).
• Development & Execution
  • Directly execute and oversee schematic capture, PCB layout, and the manufacturing pipeline for all internal hardware.
  • Drive the electrical integration of "Software-Defined" payloads, high-speed digital computing modules, and Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) sensors.
  • Manage rigorous EMI/EMC (Electromagnetic Interference/Compatibility) design and thermal management strategies at the board level.
• Dual-Use & Reliability
  • Develop robust, fault-tolerant power distribution systems and redundancy protocols that allow the spacecraft to survive localized hardware failures.
  • Apply these ruggedized hardware principles to terrestrial markets, such as automotive safety systems, deep-sea robotics, or remote industrial monitoring.
• Leadership & Team Building
  • Recruit and mentor a team of electrical engineers, PCB designers, RF specialists, and hardware test engineers (post-funding).
  • Enforce rigorous hardware design, review, and manufacturing standards (e.g., IPC Class 3, NASA-STD-8739) appropriate for safety-critical systems.

Requirements

• Required Qualifications
  • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
  • Experience: 10+ years in electrical engineering with significant experience designing hardware for embedded systems, aerospace, or extreme environments.
  • Core Competency: Expert proficiency in ECAD tools (Altium, OrCAD, etc.), mixed-signal PCB design, power electronics, and avionics architecture.
  • Environment: Experience designing and shipping hardware for safety-critical or regulated industries (Space, Defense, Automotive, Medical, or Avionics).
  • Citizenship: U.S. citizen with active TS security clearance or clear eligibility to obtain one.
  • Mindset: A "Test-Like-You-Fly" mentality combined with the agility to iterate quickly and execute hands-on work in a startup environment.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with radiation-tolerant design methodologies and testing (TID, SEL, SEU mitigation).
  • Background in RF engineering, antenna integration, or high-speed digital design for communications.
  • Familiarity with aerospace environmental testing campaigns (Thermal Vacuum [TVAC], vibration, shock).
  • Previous experience in a technical leadership role within a hardware-heavy startup.

Compensation & Commitment

• Compensation: No salary initially (unpaid until funding is secured).
• Equity: 5% equity in NAVXCOM at no cost, vested over 2 years.
• Hours: Until funding is secured, this role is entirely output-driven with no minimum or maximum weekly hour requirement.
• Location: Remote initially. Must be able to commute to the Denver area office post-funding.
• Commitment: Must be available to contribute meaningfully toward achieving preliminary technical and funding milestones.