Sr. Electrical Engineer, Avionics

The role

This role involves designing and developing electronic circuits, PCBs, and wire harnesses for telescope and orbital hardware. You will design complex multi board computers and perform circuit simulations, testing, and root cause analysis.

What you will do

• Design and develop electronic circuits, PCBs, and wire harnesses for telescope and orbital hardware.
• Design and own complex multi board computers utilizing state of the art high performance SoCs and FPGAs.
• Perform circuit simulations, schematic capture, and layout reviews.
• Apply best practices for signal integrity, EMI/EMC compliance, and power distribution.
• Build and test prototypes, including PCB bring-up, rework, and modification.
• Develop and execute test procedures for electrical subsystems.
• Perform root cause analysis and debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and spectrum analyzers.
• Collaborate with mechanical, software, and manufacturing teams to integrate electrical designs.
• Define and document electrical interfaces, block diagrams, product requirements, and assembly drawings.
• Support design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for reliability (DFR) reviews.

Required qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a relevant electrical engineering role.
• Strong understanding of DC power circuits, common interfaces/protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, MIPI, PCIe), ADCs, microcontrollers, opamps, and transistor circuits.
• Excellent circuit debugging skills, knowledge of power supplies, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, multimeters.
• Comfortable with PCB rework including soldering, staking, cutting traces, preparing wires.
• Experience with circuit simulation and design tools.
• Understanding of circuit board construction, transmission line structures, signal integrity, EMI/EMC, via types, and component types.
• Experience with Altium (or similar PCB software) and LTSpice (or similar software).
• Understanding of wire harnessing fundamentals such as electrical checkout, hi-pot testing, impedance characterization, and shielding.
• Acute product sense, placing an emphasis on design for manufacturing and field reliability.
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced dynamic environment where rapid prototyping is the norm.
• An iterative mindset.

Nice to have

• Experience with signal integrity simulation software (Hyperlynx, SIwave).
• Real world experience with CMOS image sensors or other high data rate collection sensors.
• Understanding of radiation tolerant design for TID, SEE/SEU mitigation
• Past experience with HDI IPC-class 3 systems.
• Experience with high-reliability validation testing campaigns.
• Experience with high speed SerDes interface design and testing.
• Experience mitigating mechanical failure points for PCBs in vibration environments.
• A love of astronomy, physics, and science.

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation
• Equity Opportunities
• Flexible Work Environment
• Unlimited PTO (Salaried positions only)
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with 100% of the premium paid by the employer
• Cutting-Edge Tools
• Mission-Driven Culture
• Inclusive Team

About the company

Observable Space is a vertically integrated, high-growth, space technology company building precision optics platforms for Earth and in space. They deliver foundational systems enabling continuous, real-time navigation, observation, and communication in space.