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Observable Space is a vertically integrated space technology company building precision optics platforms and advanced systems for Earth observation and in-space applications. The company serves NASA, JPL, SpaceX, Boeing, RTX, the US Space Force, and leading research institutions. Products include advanced ground stations, on-orbit sensor suites, free space optical lasercom, and distributed compute platforms.
You will lead and scale the electrical engineering department as a hands-on technical director. This is a critical leadership role responsible for advancing the product line of observatory systems and laser communication systems, driving both architectural vision and execution across complex, high-performance hardware.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead end-to-end development of electrical systems from concept through production and field deployment
- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of electrical engineers across varying experience levels
- Define and own electrical architecture across observatory platforms, including PCBs, harnessing, and subsystem integration
- Establish best practices in circuit design, signal integrity, EMI/EMC compliance, and power distribution
- Provide technical oversight on schematic design, simulation, layout, and validation
- Drive rigorous testing methodologies and validation plans for system performance and safety
- Define electrical interfaces, system architectures, and product requirements
- Collaborate with manufacturing partners on prototype-to-production transitions
- Champion design for manufacturing (DFM), design for test (DFT), and design for reliability (DFR)
- Partner with mechanical, software, optical, and manufacturing teams on system integration
- Identify and mitigate risks related to high-speed interfaces, vibration, thermal performance, and field reliability
- Support supplier selection, manufacturing processes, and quality control standards
The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader with deep expertise in circuit and electrical system design, proven ability to lead teams, and experience defining engineering standards and guiding products from concept through production.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field
- 10+ years of experience in electrical engineering roles
- Strong understanding of DC power circuits, motor drivers, common interfaces/protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, MIPI, PCIe), ADCs, microcontrollers, opamps, and transistor circuits
- Excellent circuit debugging skills and knowledge of power supplies, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, multimeters
- Comfortable with PCB rework including soldering, staking, cutting traces, preparing wires
- Experience with circuit simulation and design tools
- Understanding of circuit board construction, transmission line structures, signal integrity, EMI/EMC, via types, and component types
- Understanding of wire harnessing fundamentals including electrical checkout, hi-pot testing, impedance characterization, and shielding
- Strong product sense with emphasis on design for manufacturing and field reliability
- Ability to thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environment with rapid prototyping
- Iterative mindset and pragmatic approach to problem-solving
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience with Altium or similar PCB software and LTSpice or similar simulation tools
- Familiarity with high-rate interconnect backplane technologies like VPX with capabilities >100GB/s
- Experience with electromagnetics simulation software (ADS, HFSS)
- Experience with high-reliability validation testing campaigns
- Experience with high-speed SerDes interface design and testing
- Experience mitigating mechanical failure points for PCBs in vibration environments
- Background in astronomy, physics, or science
