Principal Electrical Engineer (RPU Unit Lead)

CesiumAstro; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision

HSA and FSA

Company stock options

Life, disability and retirement plans

Job summary

CesiumAstro seeks a Principal Electrical Engineer to lead the design, development, integration, test, and flight qualification of advanced spaceborne payloads.

You will drive architecture, prototyping, verification, and production readiness for the Reconfigurable Processing Unit (RPU) line, coordinating RF, digital, and power teams while engaging with customers and program management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Extensive experience leading multidisciplinary hardware development.
• Proven track record in flight hardware and environmental qualification.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end engineering for the RPU box from architecture to flight readiness.
• Coordinate RF, digital, power, mechanical, thermal, software, and systems teams.
• Own schedule, requirements, ICDs, test plans, and design reviews.
• Interface with spacecraft systems engineering and customers; manage risks.

Skills

Systems engineering

Technical leadership

RF engineering

Digital design

Embedded firmware

Project management

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Tools

VPX hardware

Environmental test planning

Job description

• We are seeking a highly skilled Principal Electrical Engineer to lead the design, development, integration, test, and flight qualification of advanced spaceborne payloads
• This post focuses on the role of Unit Lead (aka Responsible Engineer) in our Reconfigurable Processing Unit (RPU) product line
• CesiumAstro RPUs are complex, VPX-based electronics boxes consisting of our software-defined radios, single-board computers, power supply modules, and RF front ends, driven by CesiumAstro modems and software
• The Unit Lead is responsible for both technical definition and execution of a new RPU product
• This combines deep, multi-disciplinary technical accountability with responsibility for on-time schedule execution
• The project may include the development of new VPX module products, new backplanes and interface options, and/or new software features, coming together into a qualified, customer-ready product
• The Unit Lead is the leader of the multidisciplinary technical team, the primary point of contact for the program manager, and often a key interface point for our customers
• Success in this role requires strength in technical topics as well as project management, leadership, and communication in a fast-paced startup environment
• Serve as the RPU Unit Lead and primary technical point of contact for the box throughout the product development lifecycle
• Lead the end-to-end engineering effort for the box, including architecture, design, prototyping, integration, test, environmental qualification, and flight readiness
• Coordinate and direct a team of RF, digital, power, mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineers to ensure consistent and timely technical execution
• Hold schedule accountability for the box development
• Develop and review payload control schemes, internal data interfaces, command & telemetry architecture, and firmware/software integration as needed
• Manage all flight qualification activities, including environmental test planning (thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, EMC), margin assessment, and final acceptance testing
• Own the transition to volume production, including manufacturability, testability, and customer-facing documentation
• Generate and maintain box-level documentation: requirements, ICDs, block diagrams, test plans, verification matrices, risk registers, and design reviews
• Interface with spacecraft systems engineering, mission assurance, manufacturing, vendors, and test facilities
• Drive root cause analysis, anomaly resolution, and technical risk mitigation throughout development and test campaigns
• Communicate status, technical trades, risks, and design decisions to internal leadership and external customers

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision
• HSA and FSA
• Company stock options
• Life, disability and retirement plans

Strong knowledge of systems engineering practices, requirements flowdown, verification/validation, and configuration managementHands-on experience with related technologies such as software-defined radiosLeadership experience, including mentoring or leading multidisciplinary engineering teamsBachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or a related field9+ years of engineering experience in electronics hardware developmentExcellent communication skills with ability to present complex technical information to diverse audiencesDemonstrated understanding of payload control systems, digital interfaces, command & data handling, and embedded hardware/software interactionsProven experience executing or overseeing flight qualification and environmental test campaigns (TVAC, vib/shock, EMC, radiation considerations)Experience managing hardware/software product development projectsExperience with high-rate manufacturing, rapid development cycles, and/or NewSpace ecosystemsExperience with radiation-tolerant designPrior role as a Responsible Engineer, Technical Lead, IPT Lead, or Chief Engineer on flight hardwareBackground in digital signal processing, beamforming algorithms, or embedded firmware for payload controlHigh energy and a “get it done” attitudeExperience mentoring less-experienced project engineers and design engineers in associated discipline