Senior Avionics Engineer

Astranis Space Technologies; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Healthcare

401(k)

Flexible PTO

Free on-site meals

Job summary

Astranis Space Technologies in California is seeking a Senior Avionics Engineer to lead designs for the sub-systems that form the backbone of our satellites. You will own avionics architecture, drive trades, and collaborate with mechanical, software, RF, and GNC teams to deliver reliable, space-qualified hardware.

The role covers end-to-end design from concept through production, with emphasis on radiation tolerance, test, and qualification.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering or similar technical degree
• 5+ years of professional experience in fast-paced product design cycles
• 5+ years of board level experience designing hardware from concept through production.
• Strong analog/mixed-signal circuit design skills

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and develop space-grade electronics supporting satellite operation
• Drive electronics design from concept to qualification, including DFx and bring-up
• Collaborate with mechanical, thermal, software, RTL, RF, GNC, and manufacturing teams
• Work with contract manufacturers to ensure manufacturability and on-time delivery
• Develop and maintain schedules and keep stakeholders informed
• Help build optimal hardware development processes across the company
• Assist in recruiting and expanding the team

Job description

Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today, Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe— large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military. With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts.

Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization. Astranis has raised over $750 million from some of the world’s best investors, from Andreessen Horowitz to Blackrock and Fidelity, and employs a team of 450 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.

Senior Avionics Engineer

As a senior electrical engineer on the Avionics team at Astranis you will be responsible for leading designs for the sub-systems that form the backbone of our satellites' internal communication, power distribution, sensor aggregation, and flight computer systems. You'll take ownership of the architecture for the avionics systems, drive discussions on key design trades, and work collaboratively with engineers across the organization to develop creative and innovative solutions that will push the envelope of satellite technology.

Role

• Architect, design, and develop space and radiation tolerant and highly reliable electronics that will support the operation of our satellites
• Drive electronics design from concept development, requirements gathering, architecture definition, component selection, schematic capture, layout, simulation, DFx, bringup, verification, and through to qualification
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of mechanical, thermal, software, RTL, RF, GNC, and manufacturing engineers to solve challenging problems and develop innovative and creative solutions
• Work closely with our CMs to ensure designs are manufacturable, built on-time, and meet Astranis’s quality and reliability needs
• Develop and maintain schedules and ensure that project stakeholders are regularly informed
• Help build optimal processes for hardware development and collaboration across the company
• Assist in recruiting, interviewing, and hiring additional teammates to our rapidly‑growing team.

Requirements

• B.S. or higher in electrical or computer engineering, or similar technical degree
• 5+ years of professional experience with fast-paced product design cycles
• 5+ years of board level experience designing hardware from concept through production.
• A passion for hardware development, including working in a fast-paced environment and hands‑on design and development
• Demonstrated ability to design, build, and test hardware from scratch
• Strong analog/mixed‑signal circuit design skills
• Don't meet them all? Not a problem. Please apply even if you do not meet all these criteria.

Bonus

• 5+ years of experience with designing and implementing signal conditioning, sensors, electro‑mechanical actuators, power switches, embedded computers, or such hardware.
• Experience with FPGAs, Microcontrollers, and communication schemes (RS-485, SPI, Ethernet, I2C)
• Experience leading a team of engineers and working with teams in other disciplines.
• Strong understanding of computers and knowledge of C, C++, or Python
• Radiation effects knowledge
• Environmental test experience

What we offer:

All our positions offer a compensation package that includes equity and robust benefits. Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company‑subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on‑site catered meals.

Astranis pay ranges are informed and defined through professional‑grade salary surveys and compensation data sources. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, and the level and scope of the position.

Base Salary

$145,000—$235,000 USD

U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, Or Refugee/Asylee Status Required

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

Our mission and products are built for everyone, regardless of gender, race, creed, or background. We believe in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we invite all people to join our team and bring their unique perspectives to make us stronger.