Lead Avionics Engineer - Flight Termination System

Castelion Corporation•Torrance, CA

14h

About The Position

Castelion is developing next-generation long-range strike weapons systems using short, iterative design cycles, rapid development testing, and modern commercial manufacturing strategies. The Lead Avionics Engineer specializing in Flight Termination Systems (FTS) is responsible for designing, developing, testing, and qualifying systems that safely terminate a flight if it deviates from its planned trajectory. The role works across hardware and software and coordinates with key stakeholders. For the Blackbeard vehicle, the engineer owns FTS system and electrical architecture and integration, develops and maintains system requirements with regulatory partners and Range Safety, and leads system and component validation, qualification, and acceptance testing. The role includes safety-critical circuit design and analysis, requirements interpretation, reliability analysis, documentation, anomaly investigations, and responsibility for confirming the as-built FTS is flightworthy and ready for launch.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.
At least 5 years of experience with electrical component design, system-level integration of electronic components, or system-level testing.

Nice To Haves

Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, enthusiasm for problem solving, and a desire to optimize modern defense production.
At least 3 years of experience designing and analyzing electrical systems through professional work, project- or research-based student experience, or a combination.
Strong background in RF link design and validation, including antenna integration, link-budget analysis, and EMI/EMC mitigation for high-reliability environments.
Experience designing low-noise, isolated power supplies, DC-DC converters, and battery-management systems for mission-critical hardware.
Familiarity with U.S. range-safety standards, including AFSPCMAN 91710, RCC 319, and NASA 8719, and certification processes with FAA/AST and DoD ranges.
Experience designing, integrating, and troubleshooting FTS hardware with flight avionics, telemetry, and ordnance devices, including safe-arm devices and separation mechanisms.
Hands-on leadership of vibration, thermal, shock, and EMI/EMC test campaigns per MIL-STD-810 and related aerospace standards.
Proficiency in hardware-in-the-loop testing, RF link verification, and fault-injection testing for destruct-command reliability.
Strong project-management skills and ability to communicate technical concepts across multidisciplinary teams.
Leadership experience on a project or research team.
Knowledge of electromechanical devices, actuators, motors, or explosives.
Understanding of fundamental principles of explosives, solid mechanics, and dynamics.
Experience with system design and testing for hardware subsystems such as RF, power, communications, and sensors.
Familiarity with electrical test equipment, including multimeters, oscilloscopes, and power supplies, and basic analysis techniques.
Experience writing engineering software for test automation, data review, and design analysis, preferably in MATLAB or Python.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Bias to action and creative problem solving, including questioning assumptions, applying useful processes or concepts from other industries, and resolving minor development issues independently.
High commitment and initiative, passion for Castelion's mission, accountability, integrity, and ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomous, demanding environment.
Clear, proactive communication, including communicating blockers and managing relationships with regulators, suppliers, gatekeepers, customers, and other stakeholders.
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations, to meet U.S. Government export regulations.

Responsibilities

Own system and electrical architecture development and integration of Blackbeard Flight Termination System components, including RF command interfaces, control boxes, electronic safe and arm devices, initiators, and destruct charges.
Define detailed system design, including component selection, interconnect schematics, RF interfaces, consumable budgets, harness and channel capabilities, fault tolerance, and reliability.
Validate the system through compatibility testing with range assets, electrical testing in hardware-in-the-loop (HITL), and flight-test qualification.
Collaborate with regulatory partners and Range Safety to develop and maintain Blackbeard-specific requirements defining FTS certification.
Design and analyze safety-critical circuits for ordnance initiation and command destruct receivers.
Define test plans, processes, fixturing, and test sequences, and generate technical reports demonstrating compliance with regulatory standards.
Lead component qualification and acceptance testing in rigorous environments, including shock, vibration, and thermal cycling.
Conduct analyses supporting reliability data and reduced-scope testing.
Generate and maintain detailed system and component documentation and specifications.
Serve as the technical expert for the overall system and piece-part components; lead component and system anomaly root-cause investigations and use data-driven rationale to determine hardware disposition and corrective action.
Assess the applicability and intent of baseline regulatory requirements rather than relying solely on their wording.
Act as the responsible engineer for FTS flightworthiness through launch and validate that the as-built system is ready for launch.