Avionics Systems - Staff/Principal

Sophia Space; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 157,000 - 232,000; Full time

Job summary

Sophia Space, based in Pasadena, CA, seeks a Staff / Principal Avionics Hardware Engineer to lead the design, integration, and qualification of advanced spacecraft avionics hardware for our orbital computing platform.

You will work with firmware, PCB designers, systems and thermal engineers to deliver high‑reliability electronics, guide hardware verification, and transition technologies from R&D to production flight programs.

Qualifications

• Required: B.S./M.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Proven experience designing analog, digital, mixed‑signal electronics for spacecraft.
• Flight hardware development from requirements through qualification.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of avionics hardware for current spacecraft programs.
• Oversee integration, testbeds, and subsystem qualification of avionics hardware.
• Mature advanced avionics technologies into flight‑qualified hardware.
• Collaborate across avionics, firmware, software, systems engineering, and test.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship across hardware domains.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

Embedded electronics

Schematic design

PCB development

Hardware integration

Spacecraft avionics

SoM/FPGA/Processor

Education

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering

Tools

ECAD tools

Laboratory equipment

Job description

Sophia Space is a venture-backed deep technology company building high-performance, energy-efficient computing systems designed to operate in orbit. Our work sits at the intersection of aerospace systems, advanced computing, artificial intelligence, and applied physics, enabling a new generation of distributed edge computing capabilities in space.

Having successfully completed our Seed financing, Sophia is focused on scaling its team, products, and capabilities as we prepare for the next stage of growth. We are building a world-class engineering organization that combines expertise from aerospace, cloud computing, robotics, and AI to solve some of the most challenging problems in space infrastructure. As both a product company and an engineering-driven organization, we actively leverage modern AI tools throughout our development process to accelerate learning, improve productivity, and help deliver innovative, environmentally responsible computing platforms for the future.

Job Description

Sophia Space is developing the Tile avionics platform that powers our orbital computing architecture. We are seeking a Staff / Principal Avionics Hardware Engineer to provide senior technical leadership across the design, implementation, integration, and qualification of advanced spacecraft avionics hardware.

Working alongside the Blade Cognizant Engineer, firmware engineers, PCB designers, systems engineers, and mechanical and thermal engineers, this role leads major hardware development efforts spanning spacecraft interface electronics, networking hardware, embedded compute support electronics, power electronics, and subsystem integration. In parallel, the engineer supports the Principal Avionics R&D Lead by helping mature advanced avionics technologies into flight-qualified implementations.

This role focuses on executing the long-term avionics architecture vision by developing robust flight hardware supporting both current spacecraft and future product evolution. It combines deep technical expertise with hands‑on hardware development, helping establish one of Sophia’s long‑term technical pillars while remaining actively engaged in spacecraft development from concept through qualification and flight.

Location & Eligibility

This position is primarily in-person in Pasadena, California, with occasional hybrid flexibility based on business needs.

This position requires access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control laws. To comply with applicable ITAR and EAR regulations, applicants must qualify as a U.S. Person, as defined under those regulations. U.S. Persons generally include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and certain protected individuals as defined by applicable law.

Primary Responsibilities

Flight Avionics Hardware Development

• Lead development of major avionics hardware supporting current spacecraft programs.
• Design and implement analog, digital, mixed‑signal, and embedded electronics supporting spacecraft interfaces, networking, electrical power distribution, and command‑and‑data‑handing infrastructure.
• Lead hardware development for spacecraft avionics assemblies such as the Bus Interface Box, networking electronics, payload interface hardware, and future avionics assemblies.
• Guide schematic development, PCB layout reviews, component selection, manufacturing support, and hardware verification.

Avionics Hardware Integration

• Lead board bring‑up, laboratory debugging, subsystem integration, and hardware qualification activities.
• Develop and support avionics testbeds used for functional verification and characterization.
• Lead anomaly investigations spanning hardware, firmware, electrical interfaces, and subsystem integration.
• Support environmental qualification including TVAC, vibration, EMC/EMI, and system‑level integration campaigns.

Advanced Technology Transition

• Support the Principal Avionics R&D Lead in maturing emerging avionics technologies into flight‑qualified hardware.
• Evaluate new processors, networking technologies, electrical interfaces, and avionics hardware concepts supporting future spacecraft generations.
• Prototype, characterize, and mature advanced avionics hardware supporting Sophia’s long‑term product roadmap.
• Transition validated technologies into current and future flight programs.

Blade Platform Integration

• Work alongside the Blade Cognizant Engineer to integrate Blade into the complete spacecraft avionics architecture.
• Develop and integrate electrical interfaces supporting Blade, payload systems, Bus Interface Box hardware, and spacecraft networking.
• Support payload hardware integration, qualification, and subsystem verification.
• Coordinate hardware implementation activities across avionics, firmware, software, systems engineering, and Integration & Test.

Cross‑Disciplinary Engineering

• Coordinate technical execution across avionics, systems engineering, software, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and Integration & Test.
• Support subsystem trade studies, hardware qualification, verification planning, and engineering reviews.
• Contribute technical recommendations supporting spacecraft development and future product evolution.
• Balance technical performance, manufacturability, reliability, cost, and schedule throughout hardware development.

Technical Leadership

• Lead major avionics hardware workstreams from concept through qualification.
• Mentor engineers within assigned technical domains through design reviews, technical guidance, and engineering best practices.
• Provide technical leadership during subsystem integration, anomaly resolution, and hardware verification.
• Collaborate closely with the Avionics Lead Architect while maintaining technical ownership of assigned hardware developments.

Required Skills

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• Level IV: Typically 8–12 years of experience developing avionics or embedded electronic systems.
• Level V: Typically 12+ years leading advanced avionics hardware development across multiple spacecraft programs.
• Demonstrated expertise designing analog, digital, mixed‑signal, and embedded electronics.
• Experience developing flight or high‑reliability hardware from requirements through qualification.
• Strong experience with schematic design, PCB development, board bring‑up, laboratory debugging, and hardware integration.
• Experience supporting hardware verification, environmental qualification, and subsystem integration.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, technical communication, and multidisciplinary engineering skills.

Desired Skills

Embedded Computing & Interfaces

• Experience developing spacecraft command and data handling electronics using processors, FPGAs, or System‑on‑Module (SoM) architectures.
• Familiarity with high‑speed digital interfaces including Ethernet, CAN, SpaceWire, PCIe, USB, SPI, I²C, and UART.
• Experience integrating embedded firmware, flight software, and hardware throughout development and qualification.

Spacecraft Networking & Interfaces

• Experience designing spacecraft networking hardware and electrical interface electronics.
• Familiarity with deterministic networking, time synchronization, switch architectures, and distributed embedded computing.
• Experience implementing avionics interface hardware supporting payloads, spacecraft buses, and onboard computing systems.

Electrical Power Systems

• Experience designing switching power supplies, electrical power distribution, battery interfaces, and fault‑protection circuitry.
• Familiarity with control‑loop analysis, power integrity, EMI mitigation, grounding strategies, and electrical characterization.
• Experience supporting electrical power hardware verification and subsystem integration.

Spacecraft Hardware Development

• Experience supporting spacecraft avionics from requirements through integration, qualification, launch, and flight support.
• Familiarity with radiation effects, derating methodologies, and space‑qualified electronic components.
• Experience participating in SRR, SDR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR, and anomaly review boards.

Industry Experience

• Flight hardware experience with NASA, DoD, commercial space, or other high‑reliability embedded systems organizations.
• Experience supporting CubeSat, SmallSat, hosted payload, or demonstration‑class spacecraft development.
• Experience transitioning advanced technologies from research into production flight hardware.

The Pay Range For This Role Is

157,000 - 232,000 USD per year(Pasadena, CA)