Radiation Assurance Engineer

The role

The Radiation Assurance Engineer assesses the suitability of electronic components and subsystems for operation in orbit. This role involves analyzing parts, designing and building radiation test hardware, and executing test campaigns in laboratory and external facilities.

What you will do

• Analyze electronic components and subsystems to define radiation assessment strategies and testing requirements.
• Design schematics, PCB layouts, test boards, fixtures, and daughterboards.
• Build, integrate, troubleshoot, and validate electronic test setups.
• Operate laboratory instrumentation including oscilloscopes, power supplies, and data loggers.
• Develop and maintain test automation, control, and monitoring scripts using Python and LabVIEW.
• Support and execute radiation test campaigns at external irradiation facilities.
• Analyze radiation test results and evaluate performance against mission requirements.
• Prepare detailed test plans, procedures, technical reports, and radiation assurance assessments.
• Collaborate with hardware, systems, and mission engineering teams.
• Maintain laboratory equipment, test hardware inventory, and technical documentation.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 1-4 years of hands-on experience in electronics hardware design, testing, or a related engineering field.
• Ability to work in a standard office and electronics laboratory environment.
• Ability to use computers, laboratory equipment, and testing instrumentation for extended periods.
• Ability to assemble, solder, rework, and test prototype electronic hardware.
• Ability to transport, set up, and operate test equipment at customer and external radiation testing facilities.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as required for radiation test campaigns.
• Ability to work occasional night shifts during test campaigns when required.
• Ability to comply with controlled-access facility procedures and radiation safety requirements.

Nice to have

• Master's degree in Electronics Engineering, Space Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of radiation effects on electronics, including Total Ionizing Dose (TID), Single Event Effects (SEE), and Displacement Damage Dose (DDD).
• Familiarity with industry radiation test standards such as ESCC 22900, ESCC 25100, MIL-STD-883 TM1019/TM1017, and JESD57/JESD89.
• Experience supporting radiation test campaigns, EEE component engineering, or space-qualified hardware programs.
• Proficiency in Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, or similar tools for test automation and data analysis.
• Experience with instrument control protocols such as SCPI and VISA.
• Familiarity with FPGA or microcontroller firmware development for hardware monitoring and test execution.
• Knowledge of COTS component qualification, derating practices, and reliability analysis for space applications.

About the company

AST SpaceMobile and its global partners are building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network to be accessible by standard smartphones. The SpaceMobile network is designed to provide 4G/5G speeds everywhere on the planet.