Principal Electrical Engineer I - FlatSat Lead

CesiumAstro•Westminster, CO

About The Position

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team. We are seeking a FlatSat Lead to architect, build, and manage our FlatSat infrastructure. This role owns the planning, execution, and continuous evolution of a system that mirrors the spacecraft and integrates flight hardware, flight software, ground systems, and GSE into a complete mission representation. The FlatSat Lead will be responsible for technical direction, configuration control, infrastructure development, and cross-functional coordination to ensure the FlatSat enables rapid development, risk reduction, and mission success. Your work will have a direct impact on the success of the company. You will work closely with the engineering team, program management to ensure the successful build and launch of our satellite. Element will be the largest, most powerful rideshare satellite in LEO. Weâre launching eight of them in the next four years, starting with our first launch this year. Together, our small team will design, build, and iterate to reduce mass and cost while increasing performance, reliability, and manufacturability of a new generation of satellites. Letâs build!

Requirements

Bachelorâs degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field
9 years of experience in spacecraft integration, systems engineering, or hardware/software test environments
Hands-on experience working with satellite subsystems and avionics
Strong understanding of spacecraft power, communications, command & data handling, and ground interfaces
Experience designing or supporting hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or integration testbeds
Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics and system diagrams
Proven ability to operate in fast-paced, evolving technical environments

Nice To Haves

Experience leading integration efforts for small satellite or spacecraft programs
Experience designing custom GSE
Familiarity with flatsat or spacecraft system test campaigns, including Hardware-in-the-Loop labs (HIL/HWIL)
Knowledge of RF and payload integration
Experience supporting environmental test or mission rehearsals
Background in high-reliability or mission-critical systems

Responsibilities

Define the architecture, configuration, and roadmap for the FlatSat environment
Develop system-level integration plans covering flight hardware, avionics, software, and ground interfaces
Ensure the FlatSat accurately represents mission configuration and operational scenarios
Establish infrastructure to support full mission simulations and end-to-end testing
Design and sometimes personally build custom Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and test interfaces
Oversee mechanical, electrical, and network integration of FlatSat hardware
Define power, communications, data handling, and environmental support architecture
Ensure maintainability, scalability, and reliability of the FlatSat system
Plan and execute system integration campaigns
Coordinate across flight software, hardware, RF, payload, and ground teams
Enable regression testing, mission rehearsals, anomaly reproduction, and validation testing
Drive configuration management and documentation discipline
Establish procedures for safe operations, access control, and hardware handling
Manage upgrades and configuration changes as flight hardware evolves
Track risks, integration issues, and system limitations
Support design reviews, test readiness reviews, and mission readiness reviews