Power Electronics Engineer - Spacecraft Systems
$180,000–$220,000 year
On-siteHawthorne, California, United States
Job Summary
Lead the architecture and development of power electronics supporting advanced electric propulsion systems, designing high-performance power conversion hardware including isolated DC-DC converters and power processing units. Own electrical designs from system requirements through schematic capture, PCB layout, prototype development, qualification, and flight readiness. Define power and communication interfaces between propulsion and avionics, perform circuit analysis and component selection, and execute laboratory bring-up, integration, and performance testing. Create test plans, automation tools, and validation procedures while supporting environmental qualification activities such as vibration, thermal vacuum, shock, EMI/EMC, and radiation testing. Collaborate with propulsion, software, avionics, and systems teams to ensure seamless subsystem integration and troubleshoot hardware issues to continuously improve system performance.
Required Qualifications
- BS in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
- 5+ years of experience designing and developing power electronics hardware
- Experience designing isolated DC-DC converters from concept through testing and validation
- Proficiency with schematic capture and PCB layout tools such as Altium, KiCad, or similar
- Experience performing circuit simulation using LTSpice or comparable software
- Hands-on experience bringing up and testing electronic hardware in a laboratory environment
- Programming experience using C++, Python, or similar languages for test automation or embedded development
- Strong understanding of power conversion, analog electronics, and system integration
- Ability to solve complex engineering challenges using first-principles thinking
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment with significant technical ownership
Desired Qualifications
- Experience developing power processing units for spacecraft or electric propulsion systems
- Background supporting plasma devices, electric thrusters, or other high-voltage aerospace hardware
- Familiarity with radiation-tolerant electronics and component selection for space applications
- Experience supporting environmental qualification including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC, and radiation testing
- Knowledge of spacecraft electrical power systems and avionics integration
- Startup or early-stage hardware development experience
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