Sr. Electrical Engineer

Xona; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Diversity and inclusion commitments

Job summary

Xona in Burlingame, CA is seeking a Sr. Electrical Engineer to lead the design and development of high-voltage power electronics for satellite propulsion systems. In this key role, you will be responsible for the entire lifecycle of the design, from initial architecture through flight qualification.

This hands-on position involves working closely with engineers across disciplines to ensure efficient and reliable performance in a demanding space environment. Strong electrical engineering skills and a background in switched-mode power conversion are essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience designing power electronics.
• Experience designing high-voltage and/or high-power electronics.
• Strong fundamentals in switched-mode power conversion.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of power electronics for satellite systems.
• Own the architecture and detailed design of high-voltage power electronics.
• Develop and execute test plans for various hardware.

Skills

Power electronics design

Switched-mode power conversion

Schematic capture

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering

Tools

PCB design tools

Job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

We are seeking a Sr. Electrical Engineer to lead the design and development of high-voltage power electronics for satellite propulsion systems from the ground up. In this role, you will own the design from initial architecture through flight qualification. You will develop the converters, control electronics, and define the software requirements needed to deliver high voltage power in a demanding space environment.

You will work closely with mechanical, software, and subsystem engineers to deliver a reliable, efficient, and manufacturable unit for the space environment. This is a hands‑on, senior role spanning circuit design, analysis, prototyping, and test, with design authority over the unit from early breadboard through spacecraft integration and into production.

What You’ll Do

• Own the architecture and detailed design of a high‑voltage power electronics unit, including topology, component selection, and PCB design.
• Design high‑voltage DC‑DC converters (e.g., phase‑shifted full bridge or similar topologies) optimized for efficiency, mass, and reliability.
• Design control electronics for regulation, sequencing, telemetry, and fault protection.
• Perform analysis to validate designs against electrical, thermal, and radiation requirements of the space environment.
• Develop and execute test plans for breadboard, engineering model, and flight hardware.
• Lead schematic capture and collaborate on PCB layout for high‑voltage, high‑power flight hardware.
• Drive component selection and qualification, including evaluation of radiation‑tolerant and high‑reliability parts.
• Troubleshoot and debug power electronics hardware throughout development.
• Develop qualification and acceptance test procedures and hardware.
• Support integration of the unit with spacecraft avionics.
• Support Design for Manufacturability (DFM) efforts as the design transitions from prototype to sustained production.
• Define and maintain requirements, interface control documents, and verification artifacts.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience designing power electronics, with demonstrated ownership of designs from concept through hardware bring‑up and test.
• Strong fundamentals in switched‑mode power conversion, including isolated DC‑DC converter topologies and closed‑loop control.
• Experience designing high‑voltage and/or high‑power electronics.
• Proficiency with schematic capture and PCB design tools.
• Strong problem‑solving ability and attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Ability to work onsite in Burlingame, CA.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience designing power conditioning or power conversion units for spacecraft or other high‑reliability applications.
• Familiarity with radiation effects and radiation‑tolerant component selection for space.
• Experience with plasma or other nonlinear high‑voltage loads.
• Knowledge of magnetics design for high‑frequency power converters.
• Experience with EMI/EMC design and mitigation.
• Familiarity with space hardware standards and qualification processes (e.g., NASA, MIL‑STD, ECSS).
• Experience supporting hardware integration, assembly, or environmental testing.
• Familiarity with embedded control or firmware for power electronics.

For U.S. Roles

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

For U.K. Roles

To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles

Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.