Avionics Components Team Lead

Astranis; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Robust benefits

Healthcare

Job summary

Astranis is seeking an Avionics Components Team Lead to guide a team of engineers in sensor and actuator hardware for geosynchronous spacecraft. You will own hardware design end-to-end, from concept through production, and drive architecture decisions with cross‑disciplinary teams.

Lead recruiting and mentoring while coordinating with production and mission operations. Strong emphasis on analog/mixed-signal design, and hands-on testing in a fast-paced aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• B.S. or higher in electrical or computer engineering, or similar technical degree.
• 5+ years of professional experience with fast-paced product design cycles.
• 5+ years of board level experience designing electronics hardware from concept through to production.
• A passion for hardware development & fostering teamwork in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to design, build, and test hardware, hands-on, from scratch.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage teams of engineers and communicate clearly with other disciplines.
• Strong analog/mixed-signal circuit design skills.
• US Citizenship or Green Card

Responsibilities

• Directly manage and grow a team of junior and senior electrical engineers.
• Collaborate with a broad and multidisciplinary team to define the spacecraft sensor and actuator requirements and architectures.
• Oversee the design, build, and implementation of in-house component hardware and systems.
• Manage a detailed schedule to ensure hardware development stays in sync with the program schedule.
• Drive hardware design, specification, component selection, circuit board design, implementation, verification, and debugging.
• Own the technical relationship with third‑party component suppliers to ensure robust solutions.
• Support in recruiting, interviewing, and hiring additional teammates to the team.
• Support production and mission operations teams on build and in‑flight use of component hardware.
• Drive growth of the avionics components team through recruiting and hiring

Skills

Team leadership

Hardware development

Analog/mixed-signal design

Clear communication

Hands-on hardware testing

C/C++/Python

Education

B.S./B.E. in electrical or computer engineering

Tools

FPGAs

Microcontrollers

RS-485

SPI

Ethernet

I2C

Job description

Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today, Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe— large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military. With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization. Astranis has raised over $750 million from some of the world’s best investors, from Andreessen Horowitz to Blackrock and Fidelity, and employs a team of 450 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.

Avionics Components Team Lead

As the Team Lead for the Avionics Components Engineering Team, you will play a critical role in building and leading a team of engineers that own the sensor and actuator components within our avionics systems. You’ll support the team in pushing the boundary of what is possible in a geo-synchronous spacecraft design and enable performance in space that has not been realized to date.

Role

• Directly manage and grow a team of junior and senior electrical engineers
• Collaborate with a broad and multidisciplinary team to define the spacecraft sensor and actuator requirements and architectures
• Oversee the design, build, and implementation of our in-house component hardware and systems
• Manage a detailed schedule to ensure that our hardware development is in sync with the overall program schedule
• Drive hardware design, specification, component selection, circuit board design, implementation, verification, board bring-up, and debugging
• Own the technical relationship with third‑party component suppliers to ensure our vendors provide robust and performant solutions
• Support in recruiting, interviewing, and hiring additional teammates to our rapidly‑growing team
• Support the production and mission operations teams on the build and in‑flight use of our component hardware
• Drive the growth of the avionics components team through recruiting, interviewing, and hiring additional teammates to our rapidly‑expanding team

Requirements

• B.S. or higher in electrical or computer engineering, or similar technical degree
• 5+ years of professional experience with fast-paced product design cycles
• 5+ years of board level experience designing electronics hardware from concept through to production
• A passion for hardware development & fostering teamwork in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to design, build, and test hardware, hands‑on, from scratch
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage teams of engineers and communicate clearly with other disciplines
• Strong analog/mixed‑signal circuit design skills
• US Citizenship or Green Card

Bonus

• 5+ years of experience with designing and implementing signal conditioning, sensors, electro‑mechanical actuators, power switches, embedded computers, or such hardware.
• Experience with FPGAs, Microcontrollers, and communication schemes (RS-485, SPI, Ethernet, I2C)
• Strong understanding of C, C++, or Python
• Radiation effects knowledge
• Environmental test experience

What we offer:

All our positions offer a compensation package that includes equity and robust benefits.

Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company‑subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on‑site catered meals.

Astranis pay ranges are informed and defined through professional‑grade salary surveys and compensation data sources. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, and the level and scope of the position.

$160,000 - $210,000 USD

U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required

(To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3))

Our mission and our products are meant to connect the world and everyone in it, regardless of gender, race, creed, or any other distinction. We believe in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we encourage all people to join our team and bring their unique perspective to help make us stronger.