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Apex manufactures satellite buses (spacecraft platforms) at scale for the commercial space industry. The company combines software, vertical integration, and hardware designed for manufacturing to enable earth observation, communications, and other space-based applications.
You will join the test team as an Avionics Test Engineer, Hardware, focusing on developing test hardware, infrastructure, and platforms that ensure spacecraft hardware meets specification. This is a hands-on role where you'll own technical work independently, work directly with flight hardware and integrated test environments, and drive significant impact on how Apex tests spacecraft at scale.
Key responsibilities include:
- Design, build, integrate, and maintain bus-level and component-level avionics test racks, including harness design, rack component selection, circuit design, and test infrastructure
- Develop and maintain FlatSats and avionics testbeds with electrical interfaces, emulators, EGSE, harnessing, and supporting infrastructure
- Lead hardware integration activities including harnessing, fixturing, rack integration, and mechanical/electrical interface validation
- Define test architecture and strategies in collaboration with electrical, mechanical, RF, software, and systems engineering teams
- Troubleshoot flight hardware and test setup failures using laboratory instrumentation (oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, DAQ systems, VNAs, vector signal analyzers/generators)
- Perform hardware bring-up, interface validation, signal integrity troubleshooting, and end-to-end system checkout
- Develop test fixtures, breakout boxes, interface electronics, and custom test hardware as needed
- Support component qualification, acceptance, regression, and spacecraft-level testing
- Investigate test failures and hardware anomalies, determine root cause, and drive issues to resolution with responsible engineering teams
- Improve test infrastructure and processes to increase coverage, reliability, repeatability, and throughput
The company is a fast-growing startup that has raised over $500M in funding, with a world-class office in Playa Vista offering in-person collaboration and flexibility. Benefits include equity, 100% company-paid medical/dental/vision, 15-20+ days vacation plus 10 paid holidays, 401(k) matching, 8 weeks paid parental leave, daily catered lunch, and professional development support.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or related technical field
- 5+ years of professional experience in aerospace hardware, avionics, electronics, or integrated hardware testing
- Hands-on experience with laboratory instrumentation and hardware bring-up
- Experience troubleshooting integrated electrical systems and complex test setups
- Strong understanding of hardware integration, verification, and validation workflows
- Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, interface control documents, and technical requirements
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to independently drive technical issues to resolution
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder) per ITAR requirements
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience integrating or testing spacecraft, launch vehicles, avionics, or other flight electronics
- Experience with harness design and fabrication, test fixturing, environmental testing, vibration testing, or component acceptance and qualification testing
- Experience in fast-paced aerospace production, manufacturing, or integration environments
- Experience designing PCBs or developing prototype electronics
- Experience conducting sensor functional testing, avionics channelization, or electrical interface validation
- Familiarity with embedded communication interfaces (CAN, RS-422/485, UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet)
- Basic Python or scripting experience for test support, data collection, and automation
