Principal Avionics Engineer

Department: Avionics

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Hawthorne, California

Reporting To: Dan Fuller

Compensation: $150,000 - $240,000 / year

Description

Venturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab) is pioneering new ways to explore and operate on distant planetary bodies. We are singularly focused on designing, building, and operating a fleet of multi-purpose commercial planetary rovers to extend and enhance humanity’s presence in the solar system. We are seeking motivated, creative, and exceptional people to join our world-class team.   

The Astrolab Avionics team is at the forefront of developing advanced, space-grade vehicle platforms for terrestrial applications.  Our team brings deep knowledge and specialized expertise, covering everything from crucial power systems and command and data handling to precise motion control.  This broad skill set enables us to produce the high-quality flight hardware essential for challenging missions across our solar system.  Our engineers are involved in every step of a mission's journey, from concept development and implementation to integration & test, verification & validation, delivery, and ongoing operations. 

As a Principal Avionics Engineer, you will be instrumental in planning and executing the hardware design for highly complex, one-of-a-kind avionic systems tailored for terrestrial use.  This comprehensive role involves performing in-depth trade studies, defining and managing avionic interface definitions and requirements, leading verification & validation (V&V) efforts, and analyzing system performance.  You'll also serve as a key technical advisor, drawing upon your extensive experience and expertise.   

What you'll do:

• Lead the design, modeling, analysis, testing, and validation of avionic systems 
• Define requirements to verify architectural integrity and designs 
• Generate comprehensiRequires a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a relevant technical discipline, typically complemented by a minimum of 9 years of progressive professional experience.  Alternatively, a Master's degree with a minimum of 7 years, or a Ph.D. with at least 5 years of experience. 
  
  Advanced proficiency in several of these areas: Analog/Digital Electronics, Control Systems, Power Systems, Reliability Engineering, and Integration & Test 
  
  Strong understanding of motor control, power electronics, and system engineering principles 
  
  Fundamental understanding across core engineering disciplines, including electronics, electromagnetics, and computer hardware/software 
  
  Proven experience implementing closed-loop control methodologies for power, motor, and/or thermal systems using microcontrollers and/or FPGAs 
  
  Demonstrated expertise in electronic design, encompassing schematics, reliability analysis, board layout, manufacturing, and testing of modern space-grade avionics systems 
  
  Track record of innovation in creating new products, algorithms, and systems 
  
  Ability to excel both independently and collaboratively 
  
  Exceptional problem-solving skills 
  
  Strong organizational and documentation capabilities 
  
  Excellent communication and interpersonal skills 
  
  Recent hardware development experience in military, aerospace, or space domains 
  
  Proven experience in testbed or flight hardware testing 
  
  Familiarity with key design tools such as:   
  
  Altium Designer (electronics schematic capture and PCB layout) 
  
  LTSPICE and/or PSPICE (electronics design simulation) 
  
  Strong understanding of industry and academic standards for developing, testing, and integrating electronic assemblies for space applications 
  
  Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and consistently meet schedule milestones 
  
  Experience in designing power conversion systems for harsh radiation environments and implementing mitigation strategies 
  ve documentation for hardware developments 
• Identify and resolve deficiencies in designs and prototypes 
• Communicate complex architectures and designs to technical teams 
• Collaborate effectively as a key team member, both internally and externally 
• Contribute to defining optimal architectural design criteria and approaches, guiding technical implementations 
• Stay current with emerging avionic technologies and industry advancements 

What you'll bring:

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a relevant technical discipline, typically complemented by a minimum of 9 years of progressive professional experience.  Alternatively, a Master's degree with a minimum of 7 years, or a Ph.D. with at least 5 y