Senior Motor and Power Controls Engineer

spacekinetic; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity-Based Compensation

401(k) retirement plan with a 3.5%公司匹配

Highly Competitive PTO

Paid holidays + winter break

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Performance-based bonus opportunities

Job summary

SpaceKinetic in El Segundo, CA, seeks a Senior Power Electronics Engineer to own the design, development and testing of power systems for payloads and spacecraft. You will drive high-performance conversions, distribution and control electronics across electrical, mechanical, and software teams, ensuring flight-ready hardware.

The role demands hands-on leadership and experience taking concepts to qualification and flight, with strong C/C++ firmware, real-time embedded systems, and motor control

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in embedded systems, motor controls, or power controls.
• Strong embedded firmware development skills in C/C++ for real-time platforms.
• U.S. Person required for access to export-controlled information or facilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and design of power electronics for spacecraft and electromechanical systems.
• Design high-power switching electronics, DC/DC converters, motor drives, and power distribution.
• Develop power architectures with energy storage, battery management, protection, and distribution.
• Perform electrical, thermal, efficiency, transient, and derating analyses.
• Select and qualify power semiconductors, gate drivers, magnetics, and other components.
• Develop schematics, PCB layouts, interfaces, and hardware specifications.
• Lead hardware bring-up, debugging, characterization, and qualification testing.
• Collaborate with controls and embedded systems for interfaces and control strategies.
• Support vehicle integration, environmental testing, and flight hardware development.
• Provide technical leadership while staying hands-on.

Skills

Embedded systems

Motor controls

Power controls

C/C++

Real-time embedded

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer/Controls Engineering

Tools

Microcontrollers

PWM

ADC

RTOS

FPGA

Job description

A New Paradigm For Space Operations.

Who We Are:

Space Kinetic is a dual-use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations - one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attainable, distributed) to space missions while reducing the ecosystem's reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different - an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head-on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures - where each satellite in a constellation has one (or a small # of) primary payloads attached to the bus -- and unlock a 'one-to-many' system, where each satellite has a large number of payloads which can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster. This is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40-hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first-of-its-kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space.

What You'll Do:

As a Senior Power Electronics Engineer , you will own the design, development, integration, and testing of power electronics and electrical power systems for Space Kinetic's payload and spacecraft. You will lead the development of high-performance power conversion, distribution, and control electronics that enable demanding electromechanical systems and other flight-critical hardware. You will work across electrical, mechanical, controls, software, and systems engineering to translate system-level requirements into robust electrical architectures and flight-ready hardware. This is a highly hands-on engineering role requiring technical leadership, sound engineering judgment, and the ability to take complex power electronics from initial concept through qualification and flight.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead the architecture and design of power electronics for spacecraft and electromechanical systems.
• Design high-power switching electronics, DC/DC converters, motor drives, and power distribution systems.
• Develop power architectures incorporating energy storage, battery management, protection, and distribution.
• Perform electrical, thermal, efficiency, transient response, and component derating analyses.
• Select and qualify power semiconductors, gate drivers, magnetics, and other critical components.
• Develop schematics, PCB layouts, electrical interfaces, and hardware specifications.
• Lead hardware bring-up, debugging, characterization, and qualification testing.
• Collaborate with controls and embedded systems engineers on power electronics interfaces and control strategies.
• Support vehicle integration, environmental testing, and flight hardware development.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship while remaining hands-on with design and development.

What It Takes:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in embedded systems, motor controls, or power controls.
• Strong embedded firmware development skills in C/C++
• Experience with BLDC/PMSM motor control, commutation, and closed-loop control
• Experience with microcontrollers, PWM, ADCs, and real-time embedded systems.
• Experience integrating firmware with motor drives and power electronics.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.

What We'd Love:

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience with Field-Oriented Control (FOC) and motor-control optimization.
• Experience with isolated DC/DC converters, battery charging, and high-voltage power systems.
• Familiarity with CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, and embedded communication protocols.
• Experience with RTOS, FPGA-based controls, or hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Experience developing controls for aerospace, spacecraft, robotics, or other high-performance electromechanical systems.

Where You'll Be:

The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. Domestic travel may be required, approximately 25% to 40% of the year.

What We Offer:

• Equity-Based Compensation
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 3.5% company match
• Highly Competitive PTO
• Paid company holidays + winter break
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Unique Performance-based bonus opportunities

ITAR Requirements:

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8