Senior Avionics Engineer - Digital Electronics & Embedded Systems

Approach Venture; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Paid parental leave

Paid vacation and company holidays

Competitive equity opportunity

Job summary

Approach Venture is seeking a hardware engineer to own the digital avionics architecture for next-generation spacecraft. You will lead design from architecture through PCB layout, validation, and integration, collaborating with firmware and software teams.

The role emphasizes high-speed digital electronics, sensor integration, and robust hardware debugging. 5+ years in embedded electronics and space/aerospace exposure are valued; on-site Denver location available.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years designing embedded digital electronics.
• Experience with microcontrollers, processors, memory and embedded hardware.
• Experience with SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet, USB, PCIe, MIPI or similar interfaces.
• Strong understanding of high-speed PCB layout and signal integrity.
• Experience using Altium Designer, KiCad, or similar PCB design tools.
• Hands-on hardware bring-up and debugging experience.

Responsibilities

• Design digital and mixed-signal avionics hardware for spacecraft systems.
• Develop schematics, PCB layouts, and manufacturing documentation.
• Design interfaces between processors, sensors, memory, communications hardware, and embedded peripherals.
• Develop high-speed digital interfaces while maintaining signal integrity.
• Design electrical interconnects between spacecraft subsystems.
• Support schematic capture, PCB layout reviews, board bring-up, and validation.
• Debug hardware using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers.
• Partner with firmware and software engineers throughout hardware development.
• Support hardware integration, testing, and continuous product improvements.

Skills

Embedded digital electronics

Microcontrollers/Processors

High-speed interfaces (SPI/I2C/UART/Eb

PCB signal integrity

Hardware bring-up & debugging

Collaboration with firmware/software

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Altium Designer

KiCad

Job description

Opportunity Summary

Join a venture-backed aerospace company developing next-generation spacecraft technologies designed to expand what is possible in orbit. As the company advances from prototype hardware toward flight-ready systems, this role will own the design and development of the spacecraft's digital avionics architecture. This position focuses on high-speed digital electronics, embedded hardware, sensor integration, and communication interfaces that enable spacecraft computing, navigation, and control. You'll work closely with firmware, software, and systems engineers while taking ownership from initial architecture through PCB design, hardware validation, and integration.

About Us

We are an early-stage aerospace company building advanced spacecraft platforms for future commercial and government missions. Our multidisciplinary engineering team develops tightly integrated hardware and software systems that require rapid iteration, technical ownership, and collaboration across multiple engineering disciplines.

Job Duties

• Design digital and mixed-signal avionics hardware for spacecraft systems.
• Develop schematics, PCB layouts, and manufacturing documentation.
• Design interfaces between processors, sensors, memory, communications hardware, and embedded peripherals.
• Develop high-speed digital interfaces while maintaining strong signal integrity.
• Design electrical interconnects between spacecraft subsystems.
• Support schematic capture, PCB layout reviews, board bring-up, and validation.
• Debug hardware using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers.
• Partner with firmware and software engineers throughout hardware development.
• Support hardware integration, testing, and continuous product improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years designing embedded digital electronics.
• Experience with microcontrollers, processors, memory, and embedded hardware.
• Experience with SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet, USB, PCIe, MIPI, or similar interfaces.
• Strong understanding of high-speed PCB layout and signal integrity.
• Experience using Altium Designer, KiCad, or similar PCB design tools.
• Hands-on hardware bring-up and debugging experience.

Preferred Experience

• Ethernet switching or networking hardware.
• Mixed-signal electronics.
• Camera or imaging interfaces.
• IMUs, magnetometers, or precision sensor integration.
• Spacecraft, aerospace, automotive, medical, or defense electronics.
• Basic embedded firmware development.

Why Join Us

• Own foundational spacecraft avionics architecture.
• High technical ownership in a collaborative engineering team.
• Competitive equity opportunity.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Paid parental leave.
• Paid vacation and company holidays.

Compensation Details

$130,000 - $170,000