Avionics Engineer

About the role

This role focuses on electronic subsystems for the first spacecraft, owning design through flight operations. The position targets candidates with spacecraft experience who can drive system-level change.

Software engineers turn product ideas into working code. Engineers work in small teams, review each other's work, and ship in small batches. Most teams follow agile practices such as sprints and daily standups. Engineers also write tests, fix bugs, and improve performance. The field values clear communication as much as technical skill. Engineers spend part of every week on planning, code review, and debugging, not just writing new code. The ability to explain a technical decision in plain words separates strong engineers from the rest.

Key facts

What you'll do

Ownership defines avionics system-level design and interface choices while evaluating system-level tradeoffs for the spacecraft.

Prototyping builds flight computers, communication systems, power electronics, and ADCS hardware, followed by bring-up and validation to confirm functionality.

Development delivers in-house test infrastructure, including flatsat, GPS sim, power sim, and communications simulation, to verify hardware behavior.

Requirements

Four to six years of avionics or electronics engineering experience on spacecraft is required for this position.

Design and validation of PCBAs for space environments or similar high-performance vehicles must be part of your background.

Ownership of multiple high-reliability electronics subsystems from concept to deployment demonstrates your end-to-end responsibility.

Success with a high level of autonomy is necessary given minimal direct supervision on demanding schedules.

Iteration on requirements and architecture has to achieve optimal designs within highly constrained trade spaces.

Troubleshooting through electronics systems by hacking and crawling is expected to resolve complex issues in the lab and flight hardware.

Practical notes

This role requires a bachelor's degree and at least six years of relevant experience.

Unpaid time off is not permitted; paid time off follows the stated policy.

Work occurs onsite in Hawthorne, California, with team coordination aligned to business needs.

Typical interview steps

Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.

Good to know

The role emphasizes fast execution and deep ownership in a hardware-focused environment.

General avionics work combines power, communications, and ADCS subsystems on spacecraft programs.

Expect heavy use of electronics test and measurement tools during qualification and debugging.

Team collaboration depends on clear interfaces and trade studies under strict reliability requirements.

Engineers at this level drive architecture decisions that shape flight hardware for the entire mission.

Questions to ask

Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works. Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable. Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.

Career growth

Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.