Avionics Design Reliability Engineer (All Levels)

Venturi Astrolab, Inc.; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 137,000 - 196,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Comprehensive health benefits (medical

401(k) plan with company match

Flexible PTO and parental leave

Home office set up reimbursement

Weekly lunch stipend on-site

Monthly social hour on-site

Job summary

Venturi Astrolab, Inc. is seeking an Avionics Design Reliability Engineer (all levels) to ensure CLV-1 avionics, RF and power systems survive lunar missions. You will lead reliability analyses, define design standards, and guide cross-disciplinary teams to mitigate risk before it arises.

The role reports to Chief Engineering and is based in Hawthorne, CA. The ideal candidate has 8+ years in spacecraft reliability or similar high‑reliability domains and a strong background in FMEA, DFx, and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience designing and analyzing hardware for space, automotive, or other high-reliability systems.
• Experience designing, integrating, testing, or operating space vehicles or other large, complex systems.
• Knowledge of reliability methods (FMEA, Weibull, accelerated testing) and design-for-excellence concepts.
• Ability to translate technical risk into actionable decisions and design criteria.

Responsibilities

• Lead FMEA for avionics, RF, and power systems and drive design changes to prevent failures.
• Architect avionics design standards and test methodologies for the company.
• Champion the design process and set verification approaches for new hardware.
• Own change and risk reviews, translating risk into team decisions.
• Develop tools, templates, checklists and guides to strengthen reliability practices.
• Mentor engineers in reliability methods and analysis techniques.
• Capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvements to standards and processes.

Skills

5+ years experience

Hardware design for high reliability

Space systems familiarity

FMEA and reliability methods

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline

Job description

Avionics Design Reliability Engineer (All Levels)

Department: Chief Engineering

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Hawthorne, California

Reporting To: Rius Billing

Compensation: $137,000 - $196,000 / year

Description

Astrolab is The Lunar Operations Company. We design and build the systems and hardware the lunar economy will come to depend on — rovers, power, and data networks for sustained operations on the Moon. We are focused on the problems that must be solved before the next chapter of human exploration can scale. The Moon does not forgive untested assumptions. The people who work here know that, and they wouldn\'t have it any other way.

CLV-1 is the first human-capable lunar rover since 1972. It will carry Artemis IV astronauts across the lunar South Pole, one of the harshest environments humans have ever worked in. There is no service center. It must work. As an Avionics Design Reliability Engineer, you will ensure CLV-1\'s avionics, RF, and power systems survive the mission. You will work across disciplines to build reliability into the design itself, identifying and mitigating failures before they arise.

What you\'ll do:

• Lead FMEA for avionics, RF, and power systems, and drive design changes that prevent failures before they happen
• Architect Astrolab\'s avionics design standards and test methodologies
• Champion the Astrolab design process and set design criteria, requirements, and verification approaches for new hardware
• Own change and risk reviews, translating technical risk and impact into decisions the team can act on
• become the person the organization trusts to translate technical risk into clear, confident decisions
• Build the processes that ensure designs meet standards, reviews are comprehensive, changes are implemented, and risks are mitigated
• Flow reliability requirements down to hardware: margins, screening levels, derating guidelines
• Develop specialized analysis tools, review templates, reliability checklists, and design guides
• Mentor engineers on reliability methods and analysis techniques
• Capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvements to strengthen standards and processes

What you\'ll bring:

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor\'s degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience designing and analyzing hardware for space, automotive, or other high-reliability systems
• Experience designing, integrating, testing, or operating space vehicles or other large, complex systems

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in design reliability for spacecraft, launch vehicles, aircraft, robotics, or other complex hardware
• Experience with EEE parts, PCBAs, avionics units, RF components, and wire harnesses
• Experience applying derating practices, Sneak Circuit Analysis, Worst-Case Circuit Analysis, Design for Excellence (DFX), and requirements flow-down
• Experience applying reliability engineering methods, including FMEA, accelerated testing, and Weibull analysis
• Experience creating engineering standards, review templates, or technical guidance frameworks
• Experience with manufacturing processes, materials selection, and hardware qualification pathways
• Experience applying Physics of Failure methodologies and identifying failure mechanisms in electronic hardware
• Experience with fracture control, human-rated hardware standards, or similar reliability frameworks

Benefits and Perks

• Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
• Equity ownership in the company
• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Flexible PTO and parental leave
• Home office set up reimbursement
• Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
• Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks