Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Engineer

Astrion • Houston, TX

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Astrion is seeking an Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Engineer with an electrostatics concentration to join its Engineering Division and support NASA Johnson Space Center. The engineer will support spacecraft charging analysis, surface potentials, electrostatic discharge (ESD) mitigation, materials evaluation, and vehicle-level electrostatic risk assessments. The role supports teams developing spacecraft, rovers, and other platforms where electrostatic phenomena may pose mission, safety, or performance risks.

The position has been advertised at multiple levels; candidates may be considered at any advertised level based on their experience and business needs. The job posting states that the role typically requires a bachelor's degree in Engineering and 5–10 years of related experience, while the specific minimum qualifications call for a bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, or Materials and at least five years of job-related experience. A license or certification may be required.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, or Materials.
• A minimum of five years of job-related experience; the posting also states that the role typically requires 5–10 years of related experience.
• Ability to lead spacecraft charging analyses, including surface and internal charging, differential potentials, plasma interactions, and discharge risks.
• Ability to develop and validate electrostatic models for vehicle design, verification, and certification.
• Experience with laboratory and field electrostatic testing, including high-voltage discharge, plasma chamber testing, triboelectric measurements, and ESD characterization.
• Working knowledge of NASA-STD-4003, NASA-HDBK-4002, MIL-STD-464, and MIL-STD-461 as applied to spacecraft.
• Basic understanding of RF design, circuit theory, electromagnetic principles, and EMI/EMC fundamentals.
• Familiarity with common electrical test equipment, including oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, function generators, power supplies, and analyzers.
• Strong communication and organizational skills, with the ability to work across multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency with MS Office, including Project, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, OneNote, and Outlook.
• U.S. citizenship and completion of a background check are required.
• A license or certification may be required.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or Materials.
• Experience with electrostatic and EMC analysis tools such as EMA-3D Charge, HFSS, LT-Spice, and NASCAP.
• Understanding of orbital environments and their implications for spacecraft charging.
• Experience assessing circuits and electronics for electrostatic risk and mitigation effectiveness.
• Ability to define bonding, coating, passivation, and operational mitigation strategies.
• Experience conducting ESD hazard assessments and analyzing discharge pathways.
• Background in systems engineering, EMI/EMC design, compliance testing, and MIL-STD-461 test interpretation.
• Experience reviewing schematics, PCB layouts, and mechanical designs for electromagnetic mitigation.
• Familiarity with filtering, grounding, shielding, RF systems, high-power networks, and electronics design.
• Experience with EMI/EMC tools such as SPICE, Matlab/Simulink, Mathcad, and LabVIEW.
• Experience with EMI test setups, chambers, antennas, and grounding practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead spacecraft charging analyses for surface, internal, and differential charging, plasma interactions, and ESD risks.
• Develop and validate electrostatic models to support vehicle design, verification, and certification.
• Conduct electrostatic testing, including high-voltage discharge, plasma chamber, triboelectric, and ESD characterization tests.
• Evaluate materials, coatings, grounding, bonding, and shielding methods to reduce charging and ESD risks.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure compliance with NASA standards and integrate electrostatic controls into vehicle designs.
• Perform other duties as required.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level