Senior Spacecraft Avionics Engineer - Equity & Relocation

Katalyst Space; Broomfield (CO); On-site; USD 145,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Stock Options

Relocation bonus

Discretionary bonuses

Medical, Vision, Dental coverage

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

Katalyst is hiring a senior electrical engineer to own avionics architecture and lead the design of spacecraft electronics from concept through qualification and on‑orbit operations. You will work on processor boards, power interfaces, sensor interfaces, and high‑speed communications, coordinating across hardware, software, and systems teams.

The role requires 5–8 years in avionics hardware for space or related mission critical fields, with hands‑on testing, EMI/EMC, and robust documentation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 5–8 years of experience designing and delivering complex electrical or avionics hardware for spacecraft, aerospace, defense, robotics, or other mission‑critical systems.
• Ownership of avionics or embedded electronics from architecture through bring‑up, integration, verification, and qualification.
• Strong fundamentals in analog and digital circuit design, embedded processors/FPGAs, power electronics interfaces, high‑speed/serial communications, and hardware debugging.
• Hands‑on proficiency with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, power supplies, electronic loads, and data acquisition equipment.
• Strong technical communication skills and ability to work across hardware, software, systems, manufacturing, and program teams.

Responsibilities

• Own flight avionics architecture and detailed electrical design for upgrade modules from concept through qualification, integration, launch, and on‑orbit operations.
• Design, analyze, and release spacecraft electronics including processor/compute boards, power conversion and distribution interfaces, sensor/actuator interfaces, communications interfaces, and supporting analog/digital circuitry.
• Develop electrical schematics, component selections, interface definitions, grounding/bonding approaches, and board‑level requirements; partner with PCB layout and manufacturing through build and bring‑up.
• Drive avionics integration across flight software, GNC, power, communications, propulsion, robotics, and payload systems, resolving electrical and data‑interface issues at the spacecraft level.
• Plan and execute board bring‑up, functional test, environmental qualification, EMI/EMC testing, hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, and spacecraft‑level integration; lead anomaly investigation and root‑cause closure.
• Perform and review worst‑case circuit analysis, power and signal integrity analysis, timing/bus analysis, derating, reliability assessments, and radiation‑informed part selection appropriate to mission needs.
• Create high‑quality engineering documentation and technical baselines, and contribute to major design reviews and flight readiness decisions.

Skills

Avionics architecture ownership

Analog and digital circuit design

Embedded processors/FPGAs

Power electronics interfaces

High-speed/serial communications

Hardware debugging

Laboratory equipment (O-scil, spectrum

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline

Tools

ECAD tools

PCB layout knowledge

Job description

Katalyst is hiring a senior electrical engineer to own avionics architecture and lead the design of spacecraft electronics from concept through qualification and on‑orbit operations. You will work on processor boards, power interfaces, sensor interfaces, and high‑speed communications, coordinating across hardware, software, and systems teams.

The role requires 5–8 years in avionics hardware for space or related mission critical fields, with hands‑on testing, EMI/EMC, and robust documentation