Senior Systems Engineer, Avionics
About The Position
The Senior Systems Engineer, Avionics oversees the design, integration, and testing of avionics systems for Varda’s Winnebago Spaceship. The role ensures systems are ready for launch and operational phases and requires expertise in avionics system design, manufacturing processes, and operational protocols. The engineer works closely with multiple engineering teams to reconcile competing requirements and achieve seamless integration, supporting mission objectives that include space manufacturing and hypersonic reentry testing. The position also contributes to mission operations, develops and operates Hardware In The Loop (HITL) testbeds, and builds ground infrastructure for testing and communicating with flight vehicles. The engineer helps advance test automation and engineering practices and mentors and trains other engineers. This role is on-site in El Segundo, California.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
- At least 5 years of experience in system design, test planning, and validation.
- Proficiency in programming and debugging with Python.
- Experience with power supplies, modular DAQ systems, RTD and 4-20mA devices, and general test equipment.
- U.S. person status as defined in the posting: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or a protected individual admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.
Nice To Haves
- Experience taking vehicle electrical systems from concept to operational production.
- Experience setting up HITL testbeds, managing configuration control, and conducting system-level tests.
- Familiarity with Unix environments and command-line utilities.
- Experience developing test cases and test equipment to meet vehicle operating conditions.
- Strong project or program management skills.
- Relevant prior roles include Avionics Hardware, FPGA Engineer, Electronics Test Engineer, or Electrical Systems Engineer.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define project scopes and initial requirements, guiding designs from concept through prototype and full-scale production.
- Develop electrical architecture, system diagrams, and budgets for power, telemetry, channel count, size, and mass predictions to communicate vehicle solutions against company-level objectives.
- Analyze architecture for faults and risks, develop mitigation plans, resolve uncertainties, and collaborate on Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) or operational workarounds when hardware solutions are unfeasible.
- Conduct verification plans for avionics systems on flight and HITL hardware to ensure launch readiness and compliance with mission objectives for space and reentry operations.
- Participate in mission operations as an Avionics specialist or system operator, determine system health, and suggest corrective actions to reentry commit criteria for operational success.
- Oversee integration of the Winnebago avionics systems and act as the primary point of contact for integrated systems investigations.
- Design, build, and operate HITL testbeds that simulate the spacecraft on the ground and ensure systems are mission ready.
- Develop avionics ground infrastructure and support the design and integration of test racks and R&D equipment used to power and communicate with flight vehicles.
- Contribute to engineering best practices, with a focus on improving test automation and efficiency.
- Mentor and train new engineers, fostering learning and continuous improvement.
Benefits
- Eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
