Avionics Engineer

Outpost; Vista (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Healthcare benefits

401(k) with company match

Equity

PTO & holidays

Lunch stipend

Pet friendly office

Team events

Job summary

Outpost is seeking an Avionics Engineer to design, build, and test avionics hardware for return vehicles in Vista, CA. You will own flight computers, power distribution, sensor integration, and communications across architecture to flight, collaborating with software, structures, and test teams.

You will work hands-on in flight-like environments, contribute to avionics architecture, and help ensure reliability in launch, orbital, and reentry operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a relevant engineering field.
• 3+ years designing and testing avionics hardware for aerospace or similar complex systems.
• Experience with flight computers, power distribution units, sensor integration, or communications systems.
• Proficiency with schematic capture and circuit analysis tools.
• Experience with embedded systems debugging and lab test equipment.
• Strong understanding of avionics architecture for launch, orbital, or reentry environments.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and test avionics hardware for the return vehicle, from flight computers to power systems and sensor suites.
• Support component- and-system-level qualification testing, including vibration, thermal, and EMI/EMC.
• Support avionics integration with the vehicle harness, structures, and software teams.
• Troubleshoot hardware issues during integration, test, and flight operations.
• Develop test procedures and support flight readiness reviews.
• Contribute to avionics architecture decisions balancing reliability, mass, and cost.
• Support vehicle assembly, integration, and test.

Skills

Avionics design

Hardware testing

Flight computers

Power distribution

Sensor integration

Embedded debugging

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field

Job description

Outpost is pioneering Earth return logistics for space. We're building vehicles that can return payloads from orbit safely and precisely enabling faster space-based manufacturing, global delivery, and entirely new capabilities in the space economy. Our spacecraft is already backed by the U.S. government with multiple missions ahead. We're a mission-focused team, building with urgency, grit, and care for the work we do and the people we do it with.

The Team

We're looking for a hands‑on Avionics Engineer to design, build, and test the avionics systems that power Outpost's return vehicles. This role owns hardware from flight computers and power distribution to sensor integration and communications, working across the full lifecycle from architecture through flight. You'll work closely with structures, software, and integration and test teams to deliver avionics that survive launch, orbital, and reentry environments. You'll report to engineering leadership and have direct ownership over the systems you build.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and test avionics hardware for the return vehicle, from flight computers to power systems and sensor suites
• Support component‑and‑system‑level qualification testing, including vibration, thermal, and EMI/EMC
• Support avionics integration with the vehicle harness, structures, and software teams
• Troubleshoot hardware issues during integration, test, and flight operations
• Develop test procedures and support flight readiness reviews
• Contribute to avionics architecture decisions balancing reliability, mass, and cost
• Support vehicle assembly, integration, and test

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• 3+ years designing and testing avionics hardware for aerospace or similarly complex systems
• Experience with flight computers, power distribution units, sensor integration, or communication systems
• Proficiency with schematic capture and circuit analysis tools
• Experience with embedded systems debugging, oscilloscopes, and lab test equipment
• Strong understanding of avionics architecture for launch, orbital, or reentry environments
• Ability to work cross‑functionally with software, structures, and test teams

Preferred Experience

• Experience with radiation‑tolerant or flight‑heritage avionics components
• Familiarity with reentry or hypersonic vehicle environments
• Experience with FPGA or embedded firmware development
• Background at a launch vehicle, satellite, or spacecraft company

Compensation

• Competitive compensation: $130,000 - $150,000 (commensurate with experience).
• Additional Compensation: Annual performance‑based bonuses that reward your impact.
• Shared upside: Meaningful equity in Outpost so you share directly in the value you help create.
• Comprehensive healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage to keep you and your loved ones covered. We cover the base tier of medical insurance and all premiums of vision and dental.
• Protection when it matters: Company‑provided short‑and long‑term disability coverage for peace of mind, plus life insurance for even more security.
• PTO: Recharge on your own terms with paid time off, plus 9 days of paid holidays.
• Invest in your future: 401(k) with company match to help you build long‑term wealth.
• Fueled for the mission: Daily DoorDash lunch stipend, plus unlimited snacks, coffee, and tea to keep you energized.
• Mission that matters: Work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with leaders from aerospace, new space, and deep‑tech industries building the future of orbital infrastructure.
• Pet Friendly Office: Bring your furry friend into the office so that they can be a part of our mission too.
• Monthly Company Happy Hours and Events: Drinks at the local bar, hibachi nights, mini golfing and more!

You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.