Navigation Sensor Hardware Engineer

The role

You will own the sensor suite used across launch vehicles and spacecraft. You will select, characterize, calibrate, qualify, and integrate inertial sensors and GNSS hardware.

What you will do

• Define navigation sensor hardware requirements and select the sensor suite.
• Evaluate supplier accelerometers, gyroscopes, IMUs, and GNSS receivers.
• Identify shared components and interfaces across launch vehicles and spacecraft.
• Own electrical and mechanical integration of the sensor suite with avionics and vehicle teams.
• Develop characterization and calibration methods for inertial sensors.
• Plan and lead component and assembly acceptance and qualification testing.
• Lead sensor hardware failure analysis and work with suppliers to resolve defects.
• Establish repeatable calibration and acceptance processes with manufacturing and test teams.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of related experience in navigation sensor hardware or avionics assembly design and integration.
• Understanding of IMU error sources, environmental sensitivities, calibration methods, and mitigation techniques.
• Experience integrating accelerometers, gyroscopes, or IMUs into flight or other high-reliability systems.
• Hands-on experience developing test setups, analyzing sensor data, and characterizing or qualifying hardware.
• Understanding of design for manufacturing and the ability to work independently.
• Experience with Analog to Digital Converters and Digital to Analog Converters and Data Acquisition systems.
• Experience with a variety of sensors such as proximity, pressure, temperature, strain gages, as well as with encoder selection.

Nice to have

• Master's degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field.
• Experience integrating GNSS receivers and working with navigation software or guidance, navigation, and control teams.
• Experience qualifying sensor hardware for both launch-vehicle and spacecraft environments, or reusing components across platforms.
• Experience developing custom inertial sensor assemblies, including navigation-grade IMU triads, or supporting accelerometer and gyroscope development.
• Experience improving calibration, acceptance-test coverage, manufacturing yield, or production throughput for sensor hardware.

Benefits

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid time off
• 10 paid holidays per calendar year
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance if applicable
• Daily lunch in the office
• Fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

Before you apply

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Depar

About the company

Cowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. The company is building modular, scalable satellites to collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit.