Senior Avionics System Engineer - Hardware

The Exploration Company; München; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Exploration Company is seeking an Avionics Systems Engineer with a hardware focus to design, develop, integrate, and validate spacecraft avionics. You will shape architecture, manage interfaces, and lead verification across mission phases in collaboration with software, hardware, and mission teams.

Ideal candidates bring 3+ years in avionics or spacecraft engineering, strong systems thinking, and experience with requirements engineering and verification methods.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent.
• 3+ years experience in avionics systems, electronics, embedded systems, or spacecraft engineering.
• Strong understanding of electronic and embedded system architectures, data handling and interfaces.
• Experience with requirements engineering and system lifecycle development.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop avionics system architectures, including electronics, data handling, and communication functions.
• Ensure end-to-end consistency of data flows, interfaces, and system-level requirements.
• Perform hands-on integration, testing, and verification of avionics hardware.
• Set up, configure, and operate avionics test benches, system integration rigs, and hardware test facilities.
• Contribute to spacecraft-level trade-offs between performance, reliability, mass, power, and cost.
• Verify interaction and interoperability of avionics equipment within an integrated system.
• Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware-related issues identified during integration and testing.
• Define and manage interfaces between avionics and other spacecraft subsystems (power, propulsion, GNC, payload).
• Support external regulatory and certification leadership with authorities like NASA/ESA.

Skills

avionics system architectures

data handling

system integration

requirements engineering

fault diagnosis

multidisciplinary collaboration

Education

Electrical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Systems Engineering

Tools

CCSDS standards

HIL testing tooling

Job description

Here at The Exploration Company, we are building spacecrafts for humanity.

Here at The Exploration Company we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refueled in orbit, and which carries cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run.

Here at The Exploration Company we are looking for an Avionics Systems Engineer with focus on hardware to support the design, development, integration, and validation of spacecraft avionics systems. The role focuses on delivering robust and reliable electronic systems for data handling, communications, and control across all mission phases.

The engineer will contribute to system architecture definition, interface management, verification activities, and requirements engineering, while working closely with multidisciplinary teams and external stakeholders. In this role, you might be assigned to different avionics systems of the spacecraft.

Key Responsibilities

System Design & Architecture

• Define and develop avionics system architectures, including electronics, data handling, and communication functions.

• Ensure end-to-end consistency of data flows, interfaces, and system-level requirements.

• Perform hands‑on integration, testing, and verification of avionics hardware within system‑level test environments.

• Set up, configure, and operate avionics test benches, system integration rigs, and hardware test facilities.

• Contribute to spacecraft‑level trade‑offs between performance, reliability, mass, power, and cost.

Integration & Interface Management

• Verify the interaction and interoperability of avionics equipment and subsystems within an integrated system.

• Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware‑related issues identified during integration, testing, and system operation.

• Perform systematic fault isolation across avionics equipment, electrical interfaces, communication buses, wiring, and associated system components.

• Define and manage interfaces between avionics and other spacecraft subsystems (power, propulsion, GNC, payload, etc.).

• Ensure compatibility between spacecraft, launch vehicle, and ground segment interfaces.

• Coordinate interface definitions with internal teams, suppliers, and external stakeholders.

External Regulatory & Certification Leadership

Strong ability to technically present, defend, and substantiate avionics subsystem designs and verification evidence with external regulatory and certification authorities, including NASA, ESA, and other government agencies, supporting spacecraft qualification, safety, and flight certification.

Verification & Validation

• Define and support verification and validation strategies for avionics systems.

• Participate in simulation, hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL), and system‑level testing activities.

• Analyze test results, identify anomalies, and drive corrective actions.

• Ensure compliance with system performance and reliability requirements.

Requirements Engineering

• Capture, analyze, and manage system and subsystem requirements.

• Ensure full traceability from mission objectives to implementation and validation.

• Contribute to system documentation, including specifications, interface control documents, and test plans.

• Ensure compliance with applicable space standards and engineering best practices.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with software, hardware, systems, operations, and mission engineering teams.

• Participate in design reviews, technical exchanges, and system trade‑off discussions.

• Support alignment with external partners, suppliers, and customers.

• Contribute to integration campaigns, launch preparation, and mission operations support.

Required Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent.

• 3+ years experience in avionics systems, electronics, embedded systems, or spacecraft engineering.

• Strong understanding of:

  • Electronic and embedded system architectures

  • Communication and data handling principles

  • System integration and interface management

• Experience with requirements engineering and system lifecycle development.

• Knowledge of verification and validation methods, including testing and simulation.

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.

• Ability to work in multidisciplinary engineering environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with propulsion system controllers, engine control units, or similar control systems.

• 5+ years experience in avionics systems, electronics, embedded systems, or spacecraft engineering.

• Experience in spacecraft avionics or aerospace systems.

• Familiarity with space communication and data standards (e.g., CCSDS).

• Experience with HIL testing, simulation environments, or digital engineering tools.

• Exposure to safety‑critical or mission‑critical system development.

• Experience working in international or multi‑stakeholder engineering teams

Why you should join us!

What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:

• We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind

• We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them

• We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?

The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.

We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.

Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.

All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check.

The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third‑party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible.

If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.