Lead Electro-Optical Sensor Engineer for Spacecraft

Apex Space, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Apex

Healthcare benefits

PTO 15–20 days + holidays

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Lunch & snacks

Job summary

Apex Space, Inc. in Los Angeles is seeking an Electro-Optical Engineer to own sensor products from concept to production.

You will drive architecture trade studies, qualification campaigns, and field-ready hardware, balancing performance, cost, and risk. You will lead verification activities, develop test plans, and collaborate with diverse teams across structures, optics, software, and manufacturing to deliver integrated sensor solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related discipline
• Hands-on experience developing, prototyping, integrating, and/or testing multidisciplinary systems
• Demonstrated hardware, project, or product ownership experience
• Strong understanding of test engineering fundamentals and methodologies
• Demonstrated leadership, time management, and organizational skills
• Comfortable researching and creating clean-sheet subsystem architectures and designs within an open design space
• Self-motivated and eager to learn in a fast-paced, collaborative engineering environment

Responsibilities

• Own sensor products through the full development lifecycle, including conceptualization, architecture, design, analysis, prototyping, qualification, and production
• Support production as the hardware Responsible Engineering Authority (REA), providing technical solutions, guidance, and documentation when issues arise
• Manage project budget, schedule, and tasking within a multidisciplinary team of engineers
• Own verification and validation activities for sensor subsystem requirements
• Develop and execute qualification and test campaigns, including creation of test plans, procedures, and reports; collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and maintain test stations and ground support equipment
• Perform failure investigations and root cause analyses, incorporating lessons learned into future designs and test approaches
• Perform system- and component-level trade studies to evaluate architectures and designs to optimize performance, cost, schedule, and technical risk
• Collaborate with teams across structures, thermal, optics, avionics, software, GNC, manufacturing, mission assurance, and supply chain to develop integrated sensor solutions
• Present technical work at design reviews and create clear, thorough engineering documentation

Skills

Sensor systems

System ownership

Test engineering

Hardware design

Leadership

Prototyping

Education

Engineering degree (related)

Job description

Apex Space, Inc. in Los Angeles is seeking an Electro-Optical Engineer to own sensor products from concept to production.

You will drive architecture trade studies, qualification campaigns, and field-ready hardware, balancing performance, cost, and risk. You will lead verification activities, develop test plans, and collaborate with diverse teams across structures, optics, software, and manufacturing to deliver integrated sensor solutions.