Senior Electrical Engineer- Space

Vector Atomic; Pleasanton (CA); On-site; USD 142,113 - 186,063; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Platinum-level family health coverage

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Employer 401(k) contributions

20 days paid time off

Paid parental leave

Fully stocked kitchen

Job summary

Vector Atomic in Pleasanton, California, seeks experienced electronic engineers to lead the design of advanced electronics for next-generation quantum sensors. You will focus on PCB assemblies for Low Earth Orbit missions, ensuring high reliability and performance.

The ideal candidate has substantial experience in designing space electronics, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and has strong skills in analog circuits and PCB design. The position offers platinum-level health coverage and generous paid time off.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience with a Bachelor's or 3+ years with a Master's degree.
• Minimum 3 years of experience designing electronics for space applications.
• Proficient in electronic design tools and circuit simulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the electrical architecture for quantum sensors.
• Collaborate to translate system requirements into designs.
• Manage end-to-end PCB development and system integration.

Skills

Designing electronics for space applications

Analog and mixed-signal circuits

Radiation testing and mitigation techniques

Circuit simulation tools

High-speed PCB design techniques

Use of lab equipment

Strong communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

LTSpice

Oscilloscopes

Spectrum analyzers

Job description

About IonQ

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum company delivering solutions to solve the world’s most complex problems. IonQ’s newest generation quantum computers, IonQ Tempo and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in cutting‑edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results. The company achieved 99.99% two‑qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance in 2025.

The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world’s most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ’s advancements in quantum networking position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.

About Vector Atomic

Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is building quantum technology to transform navigation, timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. Our team of engineers, scientists, software developers, and operations professionals works together to solve complex challenges and turn bold ideas into real‑world solutions. We value collaboration, curiosity, and diverse perspectives, and we give every team member the opportunity to make an immediate impact while growing their skills. If you’re excited to work on breakthrough technology in a fast‑paced, hands‑on environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Location

Location: Pleasanton, California, United States
Travel: Up to 20%, domestic or international.

The Role

We are seeking experienced electronic engineers to join a multidisciplinary team of physicists and electrical, mechanical, software, and optical engineers. In this role, you will lead the design of advanced electronics for next‑generation quantum sensors, with a focus on specifying, designing, characterizing, and testing PCB assemblies featuring complex FPGA, MCU, mixed‑signal, and RF architectures. Designs must meet the stringent reliability and environmental requirements of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions.

As a key contributor, you will drive the full lifecycle of electronic subsystem development—from concept through implementation—while developing innovative solutions for novel quantum instruments. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast‑paced environment, shifting fluidly between deep design challenges and hands‑on troubleshooting, and consistently delivering high‑quality results.

Responsibilities

• Lead the high‑level electrical architecture for next‑generation quantum sensors, balancing size, weight, power, and performance (SWaPC).
• Collaborate across disciplines to translate system requirements into detailed electronic designs.
• Own end‑to‑end PCB development, including requirements definition, schematic design, layout, fabrication coordination, and performance verification.
• Support system integration and testing to ensure instrument‑level requirements are met.
• Develop new circuits and adapt existing designs for reliable operation in LEO.
• Partner with firmware and RTL engineers to implement radiation‑tolerant techniques such as error detection/correction, bit scrubbing, and recovery methods.
• Create environmental test plans simulating LEO conditions; estimate FIT rates and electronics lifetimes based on mission parameters.
• Oversee testing at external facilities and refine test protocols to optimize outcomes.
• Use electronic test and measurement equipment to characterize and validate design performance.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (or related field) with 6+ years of experience, or a Master’s degree with 3+ years.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience designing electronics for space applications, particularly LEO missions.
• Experience designing power, analog, and mixed‑signal circuits for satellite systems.
• Familiarity with radiation testing (TID, SEE) and mitigation techniques.
• Background in selecting and qualifying components for radiation performance, including COTS parts requiring verification testing.
• Proficiency with circuit simulation tools such as LTSpice.
• Expertise in high‑speed PCB design techniques: microstrip, controlled impedance, length matching, grounding, decoupling, and shielding.
• Skilled with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, VNAs, spectrum analyzers, power supplies, function generators, and DVMs.
• Comfortable working in a laboratory environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross‑functional collaboration.
• To comply with the US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e. green card holders), and certain categories of refugees, and asylees.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with space‑qualified microprocessors or FPGA families.
• Background developing FPGA RTL or algorithms, including TMR and SEU mitigation.
• Understanding of digital signal processing techniques and FPGA implementation constraints.
• Experience with AS9100‑compliant processes is a plus.

Benefits

• Platinum‑level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision)
• Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employer 401(k) contributions
• 20 days of paid time off / 11 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Fully stocked kitchen

Pay Range

The approximate base salary range for this position is $142,113 - $186,063 per year. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity and benefits. Please note that it is less common for candidates to be hired at the top of this range, as final compensation is determined by factors such as job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Vector Atomic is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other classification protected by law.

Vector Atomic does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third‑party recruiting agencies in response to job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers or HR team.