Electrical Engineer - Payload Systems

Xona Space; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona Space in Burlingame, CA, is seeking an Electrical Engineer to join our payload hardware team. You will design, develop, and integrate electrical systems powering our satellite payloads and work with cross-functional engineers on system integration.

The ideal candidate has a BS in Electrical Engineering, 3–5 years of hands-on design experience from schematic to layout, and strong knowledge of electronics, power, and signal integrity, with experience in embedded interfaces such as I2C, SPI,

Qualifications

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Fundamental understanding of electronics, power systems, layout, and signal integrity.
• Experience with embedded systems and peripheral interfaces (I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, etc).
• 3-5 years of experience taking designs from schematic to layout, manufacturing and system integration.
• Familiarity with electrical design and simulation tools (Altium, KiCad, Spice).
• Hands-on experience with electrical testing and debugging.

Responsibilities

• Develop Flight Hardware: design and develop electrical subsystems for payload electronics, power distribution, and interconnects; test components for space-grade robustness.
• Own the Design Cycle: take designs from concept to schematic capture and PCB layout; conduct design reviews; develop and execute test plans.
• Be Hands on in the Lab: troubleshoot and debug electrical systems using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and power meters.
• Document Your Design: maintain engineering documentation and electrical interface documents for satellite subsystems.
• Support Integration: assist with assembly, integration, and system-level testing on the satellite.

Skills

Electronics fundamentals

Power systems

PCB layout & signal integrity

Embedded systems

I2C/SPI/CAN/Ethernet

Education

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

KiCad

SPICE

Job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

Overview:

We are looking for an Electrical Engineer to join our payload hardware team. In this role, you will design, development, and integrate electrical systems that power and control our payload as well as work closely with engineers from other subsystems to integrate your designs.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop Flight Hardware: Design and develop electrical subsystems, including payload electronics, power distribution systems, and interconnect solutions. Source and test electrical components to ensure they can survive the harshness of space.

• Own the Design Cycle: Take a design from concept to schematic capture and PCB layout design. Conduct multi-disciplinary design reviews. Develop and execute electrical test plans.

• Be Hands on in the Lab: Troubleshoot and debug electrical systems in a lab environment using test equipment (e.g., oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power meters).

• Document Your Design: Maintain engineering documentation and develop electrical interface documents for satellite subsystems.

• Support Integration: See design through assembly, integration, and test activities, including system-level testing, validation, and integration onto the satellite.

What You Bring:

• Knowledge:

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering or a related field.

• Fundamental understanding of electronics, power systems, layout, and signal integrity.

• Experience with embedded systems and peripheral interfaces (e.g, I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, etc).

• Industry Experience:

• 3-5 years of experience taking designs from schematic to layout, manufacturing and system integration.

• Familiarity with electrical design and simulation tools (e.g., Altium, KiCad, Spice).

• Hands-on experience with electrical testing and debugging (e.g. oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power meters).

Company Culture:

• A collaborative, team-oriented mindset and the ability to communicate effectively.

• Attention to design details and eagerness to always improve design process and rigor.

• A passion for learning and growing in the aerospace industry.

Bonus:

• Exposure to satellite systems, bus avionics or payload electronics.

• Working knowledge of space radiation effects and space design practices.

• Design experience with FPGAs and MCUs.

For U.S. Roles:

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles:

To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles:

Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.