Senior Power Electronics Engineer (Space/Hi-Rel Systems)

Star Catcher•Jacksonville, FL

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Star Catcher is powering the future of space by building the world’s first orbital energy grid: the Star Catcher Network. Spacecraft connect into the Star Catcher Network and receive conditioned energy via their existing solar arrays, requiring no retrofit to utilize the first true space-based infrastructure. The Star Catcher Network provides power as needed from tens of Watts to tens of thousands of Watts at concentrations from fractions of a Sun of flux to ten Suns of flux. The Star Catcher Network enables More Uptime, More Bandwidth, and More Mission. Join our team of experienced and passionate space innovators driven to transform and expand humanity’s utilization of space. The creation of space-based power infrastructure is as impactful for space missions in the 2020’s and 2030’s as the advent of low-cost launch services was in the 2010’s. We seek individuals who share our passion for enabling people to do more in space and are not afraid to get their hands dirty to make our vision of the future reality. Star Catcher Industries, Inc., located in Jacksonville, FL, is seeking an experienced Senior Power Electronics Engineer to design the critical hardware that enables our technology development. You will be responsible for interfacing directly into our spacecraft’s onboard battery system and developing the high-power regulators and conditioners needed to deliver clean, continuous power to the lasers. This is a high-stakes, high-reliability challenge, and we need an expert with a proven ability to design robust, high-current power electronics capable of operating in a space-based environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
7+ years of professional experience in power electronics design, specifically with high-power, high-current regulators and power conditioning systems.
Deep understanding of switching power supply topologies (e.g., buck, boost, forward, flyback, full-bridge, LLC).
Proven experience in schematic capture and PCB layout for high-power circuits utilizing advanced EDA tools (e.g., Altium Designer or equivalent), alongside circuit simulation, SI/PI, and thermal analysis suites (e.g., Ansys or equivalent).
Strong background in managing thermals, EMI/EMC, and grounding in high-power systems.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and tackle unprecedented engineering problems with a rigorous, analytical approach.
U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience designing overall Electrical Power System (EPS) architectures for satellites, including battery management systems (BMS), solar array regulators, and power distribution.
Prior experience designing power supplies specifically for high-power lasers, directed energy, or large-scale optical payloads.
Proven track record of designing hardware that has flown in space. Familiarity with radiation-hardened or radiation-tolerant design practices.
Strong familiarity with key industry standards for testing, qualification, and manufacturing, including MIL-STD-461 (EMI/EMC), MIL-STD-810, NASA GEVS, or IPC J-STD-001 Space Addendum.
Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Power Electronics or a related field.

Responsibilities

Architect, design, and analyze high-power DC-DC converters, regulators, and power conditioning units capable of sustaining multi-kilowatt continuous loads.
Design safe, efficient interfaces to tap directly into the spacecraft's primary battery system, managing extreme current draws, high discharge rates, and transient behaviors during high-power beaming operations.
Work closely with mechanical and thermal engineers to ensure power electronics can survive the extreme thermal dissipation requirements of a continuous, multi-kilowatt load in a vacuum.
Develop and execute rigorous test plans (including EMI/EMC, TVAC, and vibration) to validate power electronics from the breadboard phase through flight qualification.
Select and qualify components for high-reliability, space-flight applications, ensuring survivability against radiation (TID, SEE) and extreme thermal cycling.
Mentor junior engineers, lead a dedicated power electronics team, and efficiently manage technical relationships with external contractors and vendors.