Lead, Spacecraft Communications and Payload Engineering

AdAstra Talent Advisors; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off (20 days PTO + 12 holidays)

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with company contribution

Mental health support and wellness stipend

Job summary

AdAstra Talent Advisors is seeking a Lead, Spacecraft Communications and Payload Engineering in Los Angeles, CA. This senior role encompasses owning the architecture, design, and delivery of complex spacecraft communications payloads, including RF and/or optical systems.

Responsibilities include leading a cross-functional team, defining system architecture, and ensuring flight readiness. The position offers competitive cash compensation ranging between $175,000 to $250,000 annually, generous PTO, and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience designing and delivering complex electrical systems.
• Deep expertise in RF and/or optical communications payloads.
• Demonstrated experience owning multi-disciplinary systems across the full lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end development of a spacecraft communications payload.
• Define and drive system architecture across multiple constraints.
• Plan and execute development and test campaigns.

Skills

RF and/or optical communications design

Systems engineering principles

Technical communication

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Physics

Tools

Electrical systems design tools

Job description

About the Company

Our client is building next‑generation launch vehicles to serve today’s needs and enable tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Their platform is designed to deliver customer payloads to orbit, addressing the rapidly growing demand for launch capacity while laying the foundation for more ambitious missions.

Beyond launch, this work unlocks new opportunities across science and exploration. By developing scalable, high‑performance systems, the organization is helping expand what’s possible in space.

This is an opportunity to operate in a highly autonomous, high‑impact environment where individual contributions directly shape outcomes. Engineers take ownership of complex challenges and collaborate across disciplines to bring advanced systems from concept through execution, combining creative problem‑solving with strong technical fundamentals.

There is meaningful opportunity to influence product direction, technical approach, and team culture while working on hardware that is actively being designed, built, and tested.

The program associated with this role focuses on expanding access to scientific exploration across the solar system. Its mission is to make planetary research faster, more cost‑effective, and more capable by rethinking how missions are designed, built, and operated. By enabling more frequent and accessible missions, the team is building a continuous engine for discovery.

About the Role

As the Lead, Spacecraft Communications and Payload Engineering, you will own the architecture, design, and delivery of a complex spacecraft communications payload (RF and/or optical).

You will define a system architecture that meets performance requirements while closing key constraints across structural integration, thermal management, power, EMI/EMC, and reliability.

You will lead a cross‑functional team of engineers across communications, compute, power, and thermal disciplines to deliver a fully integrated, flight‑ready system.

This is a senior, hands‑on leadership role in a fast‑paced, iterative environment. You will drive development efforts to evaluate technologies and mature designs ahead of final system integration.

You will work closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to translate concepts into hardware, moving efficiently from early design through prototyping into production.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end development of a spacecraft communications payload, including RF and/or optical systems
• Define and drive system architecture across thermal, structural, power, and EMI/EMC constraints
• Own technical execution to retire risk, validate interfaces, and ensure system performance
• Plan and execute development and test campaigns to mature designs toward flight readiness
• Lead and mentor a small team of engineers, providing technical direction across key subsystems
• Drive cross‑functional alignment across subsystem teams and overall vehicle integration
• Partner with external stakeholders to translate requirements into deliverable hardware
• Balance speed with engineering rigor in an iterative development environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field
• 10+ years of experience designing and delivering complex electrical systems, ideally with leadership in RF and/or compute‑heavy programs
• Deep expertise in RF and/or optical communications payloads; experience across both preferred
• Demonstrated experience owning multi‑disciplinary systems across the full lifecycle, from architecture through integration and delivery
• Strong foundation in electrical system architecture and/or detailed design
• Working knowledge of systems engineering principles, including interface definition and requirements management
• Experience identifying and mitigating technical risk in complex systems
• Strong technical communication and structured problem‑solving skills

Preferred Experience

• Experience with RF and/or optical communication systems design, including link budgets, antennas or optical terminals, radios, testing, and integration
• Experience with high‑performance compute, data handling, or storage systems
• Familiarity with electronics design for space or radiation‑influenced environments
• Exposure to aerospace systems engineering practices in commercial or government programs

Logistical Requirements

• This position is on‑site in Long Beach, CA and is not remote or hybrid
• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Cash Compensation and Benefits

Cash compensation of $175,000 – $250,000 per year. Compensation is determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay may vary based on job‑related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities, and internal equity.

• Meaningful equity in a well‑funded space startup
• Generous paid time off (20 days PTO + 12 holidays) and sick leave
• Paid parental leave for birth, adoptive, and foster parents
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with company contribution
• HSA and FSA options for healthcare and dependent care
• Life and disability insurance, plus optional voluntary coverage
• Mental health support, wellness stipend, and Employee Assistance Program
• Annual learning and development stipend
• Additional perks including One Medical access, employee discounts, and pet insurance

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. They evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.