Senior Electrical Engineer, Radiation Effects & Avionics Reliability

Cowboy Space Corp.•Seattle, WA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth. Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure. About the Role: As a Senior Electrical Engineer, Radiation Effects & Reliability, you will ensure our spacecraft electronics remain resilient against the harsh environment of space. You will own radiation assurance and reliability across electrical systems from architecture through on-orbit operations. In this hands-on role, you will lead radiation test campaigns, perform reliability analysis, and implement robust mitigation strategies. You’ll be expected to move quickly, translate complex environmental data into actionable design decisions, and take ownership of system-level resilience that directly impacts mission success.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field
4+ years of experience in radiation effects, avionics reliability, or high-reliability electronics
Hands-on experience with radiation testing (SEE, TID) and familiarity with test methodologies and data analysis
Experience with reliability engineering methods (e.g., FMEA/FMECA, FTA, derating, WCCA)
Strong understanding of electronic components (FPGAs, ASICs, power systems, mixed-signal circuits) and failure mechanisms in harsh environments
Ability to translate test and analysis results into actionable design and system-level improvements

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or related field
Experience designing, qualifying, or supporting spaceflight hardware (LEO, MEO, GEO, or deep space)
Deep expertise in Single Event Effects (SEU, SEL, SET) and practical mitigation techniques in digital and power systems
Familiarity with radiation environment and analysis tools (e.g., SPENVIS, OMERE, NOVICE) and standards (e.g., NASA, MIL-STD)
Experience with rad-hard or rad-tolerant design, component derating, and system-level trade studies under mass/power constraints
Background working in fast-paced, high-reliability environments with tight iteration cycles (e.g., aerospace, defense, advanced hardware startups)
Proven ability to take ownership of ambiguous problems and drive cross-functional engineering decisions

Responsibilities

Own radiation effects and reliability across spacecraft electrical systems—from early architecture through on-orbit operations
Define radiation and reliability requirements, translating mission environments into component- and system-level specifications
Plan and execute radiation test campaigns (heavy ion, proton, gamma/TID) for components including FPGAs, ASICs, power electronics, and COTS parts
Characterize and analyze Single Event Effects (SEE), Total Ionizing Dose (TID), and displacement damage; document results and drive design decisions
Develop and implement avionics reliability strategies, including redundancy, fault detection/isolation/recovery (FDIR), derating, and robustness in degraded modes
Design and implement mitigation techniques (e.g., ECC, watchdogs, latch-up protection, shielding) at both component and system levels
Perform reliability analyses such as FMEA/FMECA, fault tree analysis (FTA), and worst-case circuit analysis (WCCA)
Establish and maintain approved parts lists (APL) with a focus on radiation performance, reliability, and supply chain considerations
Model radiation environments for LEO missions and conduct system-level risk assessments and margin analyses
Partner cross-functionally with avionics, hardware, and software teams to ensure resilient, fault-tolerant system architectures
Drive radiation assurance and reliability processes across the full lifecycle—from design and qualification through launch and on-orbit operations