Radiation Effects Engineer

K2 Space•Los Angeles, CA

7h•$100,000 - $130,000

About The Position

You will play a critical role in the qualification, implementation and reliability of our satellite’s avionics hardware in the most intense radiation environments of space. You will own the rapid development of component, board and subsystem level radiation test setups that you will execute at national labs across the country, while growing the team’s capabilities through test rack and automation development to keep up with our growing business needs. Through detailed analysis and reporting of your test results, you will inform hardware designers and mission planners of how to confidently operate our satellites to meet our Commercial, National Security and science customer’s needs. As an essential part of the engineering team, you will demonstrate excellent test engineering fundamentals and a high level of attention to detail to ensure our hardware and test capabilities are second to none. Prior experience in radiation effects testing is preferred but not required; strong electrical lab skills and a willingness to learn are essential.

Requirements

1+ years of experience assembling, integrating, and testing electrical components, assemblies and/or hardware in the aerospace industry
Ability to set up and run common electrical measurements (voltage, current, timing, digital I/O)
Familiarity of radiation effects on semiconductor devices, including how to mitigate common failure modes
Experience with test equipment such as oscilloscopes, power supplies, SMUs, function generators, or logic analyzers
Demonstrated ability in soldering and crimping as well as assembling cable harnesses and connectors
Demonstrated ability to document work clearly and follow structured test processes
Must be available to travel up to 25% of the year to support radiation tests
Valid Driver's license

Nice To Haves

1+ years of experience in the radiation effects testing (TID, SEE, proton, heavy ion, gamma, neutron, etc.)
Familiarity with designing circuits and setups around common components such as transistors, regulators, digital/analog components and RF devices
Familiarity with FPGA or microcontroller-based test systems
Experience designing, building, and testing electrical assemblies, fixtures and test racks
Experience designing PCBs using common EDA tools (e.g., Altium, KiCad, OrCAD)
Ability to create, read, review, and redline electrical and test rack schematics
Experience developing modular, reusable test automation software and drivers in Linux, C++, Rust, Python, Visual Studio, etc.
Strong troubleshooting skills and attention to detail
Strong communication skills with ability to communicate hardware, systems, and scheduling problems and solutions

Responsibilities

Lead cradle-to-grave radiation test campaigns (SEE, TID, DDD and materials) through coordinating test facilities/dates, designing electrical test setups, writing test procedures, executing tests, and documenting results
Design, fabricate, and assemble production quality test racks, basic PCBAs, and cable harnesses
Troubleshoot, repair, and modify electronic components, assemblies, parts, and systems
Perform tests and checkouts using standard lab equipment such as programmable power supplies, ohmmeters, oscilloscopes, DMM, SMU, logic analyzers and DAQs.
Develop basic test automation, data collection and analysis scripts in Python
Own the scheduling and prioritization of component, board and subsystem radiation testing to support the hardware and vehicle lifecycle
Flash firmware and perform software load verifications under the direction of engineering team members
Build fixtures and tooling using an array of hand, power, and pneumatic mechanical tools