Avionics Engineer (All Levels)

Astrolab; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Health benefits

401(k)

Flexible PTO

Lunch stipend

On-site snacks

Monthly social hour

Job summary

Astrolab seeks an Avionics Engineer to own avionics units from requirements through qualification and lunar surface operation. You will decide whether to buy or build components, partner with vendors, and design in-house hardware when needed, across a range of staff levels.

You will coordinate with mechanical, software, and test teams to ensure robust, flight-ready systems while contributing to mission-focused development for planetary rovers in Hawthorne, California.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field.
• 1+ years of avionics or spacecraft electronics integration and test experience.
• Experience with oscilloscopes, multimeters, function generators, and logic analyzers.

Responsibilities

• Own avionics units from concept through build, qualification, flight integration, and operations.
• Lead make/buy trades and evaluate COTS components for radiation, thermal, and reliability needs.
• Coordinate with vendors to define requirements, ICDs, reviews, and delivery schedules.
• Design in-house avionics hardware when appropriate, including schematic capture and board bring-up.
• Perform system-level trades, power and signal integrity analyses, and worst-case assessments.
• Develop and execute test campaigns to qualify units for spaceflight and radiation testing.

Skills

Avionics design

Electronics integration & test

Lab equipment experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

LTspice

MATLAB

Python

Altium

E3

Siemens NX

Job description

Compensation: $140,000 - $230,000 / year

Department: Avionics

Location: Hawthorne, California

Compensation: $140,000 - $230,000 / 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.

As an Avionics Engineer at Astrolab, you will serve as the Responsible Engineer for avionics units on our planetary rovers, owning hardware from requirements definition through qualification, integration, and operation on the lunar surface. Ownership at Astrolab spans make and buy alike: for some units, the right answer is selecting a COTS component or partnering with an external vendor on a custom product, and for others it is designing the board in-house. You will make that call, and you will own the result either way. This posting covers entry-level through staff-level positions, and leveling will be commensurate with experience.

What you'll do

• Unit Ownership: Serve as Responsible Engineer for avionics units across applications including Command & Data Handling, Guidance Navigation & Control, power, motor control, and communication systems, from concept through build, qualification, flight integration, and operations
• Make/Buy & Component Selection: Lead make/buy trades for avionics units. Identify, evaluate, and qualify COTS components against mission requirements, including radiation, thermal, and reliability considerations for the lunar environment
• Vendor Management: Work with external vendors to specify, develop, and deliver custom avionics products. Define requirements and interface control documents, review vendor designs, and drive delivery schedules and technical issues to closure
• Design & Development: Design in-house avionics hardware where it is the right answer, including component selection, design analysis, schematic capture, circuit board design, board bring-up, debugging, and design documentation
• Analysis & Trades: Conduct system-level trades, power efficiency and signal integrity analysis, worst-case analysis, and FMECA to ensure avionics units are robust, fault-tolerant, and meet mission requirements
• Qualification & Test: Develop and execute test campaigns to qualify units for spaceflight, bringing components through vibration, shock, TVAC, EMI/EMC, and radiation testing. Partner with test engineers on test plans and coverage
• Integration: Interface with mechanical, software, manufacturing, and test engineers to ensure seamless subsystem integration, and support vehicle-level integration, troubleshooting, and failure investigations

What you'll bring

• Basic Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) related field
  • 1+ years of experience in avionics component design, spacecraft systems design, or electronics integration and test
  • Experience with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, function generators, and logic analyzers
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience evaluating, selecting, and qualifying COTS electronics for space or other harsh environments, including screening, up-rating, and lot acceptance approaches
  • Experience managing external vendors or suppliers through custom hardware development, including requirements definition, ICDs, design reviews, and acceptance
  • Experience with digital communication protocols including RS-422, RS-485, SPI, I2C, CAN, or Ethernet
  • Experience with power systems design for spacecraft, including LDO regulators, buck/boost converters, battery systems, and grounding schemes for high-voltage systems
  • Experience with FPGA and MCU embedded systems design. Motor controller experience is a plus.
  • Experience with analysis and design tools such as LTspice, MATLAB, Python, Altium, E3, or Siemens NX
  • Experience with radiation effects and mitigation strategies, EEE-INST-002 parts classification and derating, and failure modes of spaceflight electrical components
  • Experience with SMC-S-016, MIL-STD-810, or other environmental testing standards, including shock, thermal, burn-in, TVAC, vibration, and EMI/EMC testing
  • For senior and staff levels: experience owning avionics units end-to-end as a Responsible Engineer, leading make/buy decisions, and mentoring engineers through design and qualification campaigns

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
• Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
• Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks