Electrical Engineer

Observable Space; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Equity opportunities

Hybrid LA office

Unlimited PTO

Health insurance

Latest tools

Mission-driven culture

Inclusive team

Job summary

Observable Space is seeking an Electrical Engineer in Los Angeles to design and develop electronic circuits, PCBs, and wire harnesses for telescope and observatory hardware. You will run circuit simulations, capture schematics, and review layouts to ensure functionality, reliability, and manufacturability.

The role emphasizes signal integrity, EMI/EMC, power distribution, PCB rework, testing procedures, and cross-team integration with mechanical and software groups.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in a relevant electrical engineering role.
• Strong understanding of DC power circuits, motor drivers, common interfaces/protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, MIPI, PCIe), ADCs, microcontrollers, opamps, and transistor circuits.
• Excellent circuit debugging skills, knowledge of power supplies, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, multimeters.
• Comfortable with PCB rework including soldering, staking, cutting traces, preparing wires.
• Experience with circuit simulation and design tools.
• Understanding of circuit board construction, transmission line structures, signal integrity, EMI/EMC, via types, and component types.
• Experience with Altium (or similar PCB software) and LTSpice (or similar software).
• Understanding of wire harnessing fundamentals such as electrical checkout, hi-pot testing, impedance characterization, and shielding.
• Acute product sense, placing an emphasis on design for manufacturing and field reliability.
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced dynamic environment where rapid prototyping is the norm.
• An iterative mindset - perfect is the enemy of good.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop electronic circuits, PCBs, and wire harnesses for telescope and observatory hardware.
• Perform circuit simulations, schematic capture, and layout reviews to ensure functionality, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Apply best practices for signal integrity, EMI/EMC compliance, and power distribution.
• Build and test prototypes, including PCB bring-up, rework, and modification (soldering, trace cutting, wiring).
• Develop and execute test procedures for electrical subsystems, ensuring design meets performance and safety requirements.
• Perform root cause analysis and debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and spectrum analyzers.
• Collaborate with mechanical, software, and manufacturing teams to integrate electrical designs into complete systems.
• Define and document electrical interfaces, block diagrams, product requirements, assembly drawings, and other supporting documents to support cross-team integration.
• Support design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for reliability (DFR) reviews to ensure smooth transition from prototype to production.

Skills

PCB design

Circuit debugging

Altium

LTSpice

DFM/DFR

Signal integrity

EMI/EMC

Wire harnessing

DC power circuits

Microcontrollers

Soldering

Tools

Altium

LTSpice

Hyperlynx

SIwave

ADS

Job description

About Observable Space

At Observable Space, we're redefining how humanity observes and connects with the universe. We're a vertically integrated, high-growth, space technology company building industry-leading precision optics platforms for Earth and in space. Our systems are trusted by thousands of customers, including NASA, JPL, SpaceX, Boeing, RTX, the US Space Force and the U.S. Department of War, leading research institutions and international partners.

We combine precision opto-mechanical hardware, embedded compute, cloud orchestration, and developer-friendly APIs into world class products at scale with in-house manufacturing. From advanced ground stations, on-orbit sensor suites, free space optical lasercom, to distributed compute platforms, we deliver the foundational systems enabling continuous, real-time navigation, observation, and communication in space.

Observable Space is backed by top-tier institutional investors including Lux Capital, Upfront Ventures, RTX Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners and Embedded Ventures. To learn more, visit observable.space.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Electrical Engineer to join our dynamic team. This role will involve deep engagement with our product line of telescopes and observatory hardware. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in circuit fundamentals, with specific expertise in printed circuit board (PCB) design, wire harnessing, circuit simulation, and design for manufacturing (DFM). This role will report to the Director of Electrical Engineering.

What You'll Do

• Design and develop electronic circuits, PCBs, and wire harnesses for telescope and observatory hardware.

• Perform circuit simulations, schematic capture, and layout reviews to ensure functionality, reliability, and manufacturability.

• Apply best practices for signal integrity, EMI/EMC compliance, and power distribution.

• Build and test prototypes, including PCB bring-up, rework, and modification (soldering, trace cutting, wiring).

• Develop and execute test procedures for electrical subsystems, ensuring design meets performance and safety requirements.

• Perform root cause analysis and debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and spectrum analyzers.

• Collaborate with mechanical, software, and manufacturing teams to integrate electrical designs into complete systems.

• Define and document electrical interfaces, block diagrams, product requirements, assembly drawings, and other supporting documents to support cross-team integration.

• Support design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for reliability (DFR) reviews to ensure smooth transition from prototype to production.

What You’ll Bring

• 2+ years of experience in a relevant electrical engineering role.

• Strong understanding of DC power circuits, motor drivers, common interfaces/protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, MIPI, PCIe), ADCs, microcontrollers, opamps, and transistor circuits.

• Excellent circuit debugging skills, knowledge of power supplies, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, multimeters.

• Comfortable with PCB rework including soldering, staking, cutting traces, preparing wires.

• Experience with circuit simulation and design tools.

• Understanding of circuit board construction, transmission line structures, signal integrity, EMI/EMC, via types, and component types.

• Experience with Altium (or similar PCB software) and LTSpice (or similar software).

• Understanding of wire harnessing fundamentals such as electrical checkout, hi-pot testing, impedance characterization, and shielding.

• Acute product sense, placing an emphasis on design for manufacturing and field reliability.

• Ability to thrive in a fast paced dynamic environment where rapid prototyping is the norm.

• An iterative mindset - perfect is the enemy of good.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with signal integrity simulation software (Hyperlynx, SIwave).

• Experience with electromagnetics simulation software (ADS, HFSS).

• Real world experience with DSPs and ultra high speed conversion and amplification circuitry (100+GHz)

• Experience with high-reliability validation testing campaigns.

• Experience with high speed SerDes interface design and testing.

• Experience mitigating mechanical failure points for PCBs in vibration environments.

• A love of astronomy, physics, and science.

What We Offer

• Competitive Compensation – A salary package aligned with industry standards and your experience.
• Equity Opportunities – Take part in our success with stock options.
• Flexible Work Environment – Enjoy working from our office or in a hybrid work setup with the flexibility to work remotely part of the week. We require a minimum of 3 days per week in our office to support collaboration and team culture. (LA Office only)
• Unlimited PTO (exempt only) – Take the time you need with our flexible, trust-based vacation policy, including paid holidays. We encourage everyone to rest, recharge, and take care of themselves.
• Health & Wellness – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with 100% of the premium paid by the employer for employees.
• Cutting-Edge Tools – Get access to the latest hardware and software you need to do your best work.
• Mission-Driven Culture – Be part of a team working on meaningful challenges with real-world impact.
• Inclusive Team – We foster a supportive and diverse workplace where all voices are valued.

Observable Space is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.