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CesiumAstro is seeking a Senior Staff Electrical Engineer to serve as Payload Lead Engineer for advanced spaceborne phased array antenna systems. This is a technical leadership role combining deep multi-disciplinary expertise with program accountability.
In this position, you will lead the end-to-end engineering effort for Ka-band Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) payloads and associated processing units, from architecture and design through prototyping, integration, environmental qualification, and flight readiness. You will coordinate Unit Leads developing AESA and RPU subsystems, direct engineers working on integrated payload, and hold schedule accountability for payload development.
Key responsibilities include:
- Serve as primary technical point of contact for payload throughout product development lifecycle
- Lead architecture, design, prototyping, integration, test, environmental qualification, and flight readiness activities
- Coordinate and direct multidisciplinary engineering teams (Unit Leads and individual contributors)
- Develop and review payload control schemes, data interfaces, command & telemetry architecture, and firmware/software integration
- Manage all flight qualification activities including environmental test planning (thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, EMC), margin assessment, and acceptance testing
- Own transition to volume production including manufacturability, testability, and customer documentation
- Generate and maintain payload-level documentation: requirements, ICDs, block diagrams, test plans, verification matrices, risk registers, design reviews
- Interface with spacecraft systems engineering, mission assurance, manufacturing, vendors, and test facilities
- Drive root cause analysis, anomaly resolution, and technical risk mitigation
- Communicate status, technical trades, risks, and design decisions to internal leadership and external customers
CesiumAstro develops communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. The company operates in a dynamic, cross-functional environment emphasizing hands-on, autonomous work.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or related field
- 12+ years of engineering experience in electronics hardware development
- Hands-on experience with active phased array antennas
- Expertise in antennas and board-level RF electronics
- Strong familiarity with power/digital support circuitry and design for manufacturability
- Leadership experience including mentoring or leading multidisciplinary engineering teams
- Strong knowledge of systems engineering practices, requirements flowdown, verification/validation, and configuration management
- Excellent communication skills with ability to present complex technical information to diverse audiences
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
- Proven experience executing or overseeing flight qualification and environmental test campaigns (TVAC, vibration/shock, EMC, radiation considerations)
- Experience testing active antennas, including measuring EIRP and G/T
- Experience managing hardware/software product development projects
- Experience with radiation-tolerant design
- Experience with high-rate manufacturing, rapid development cycles, and/or NewSpace ecosystems
- Prior role as Responsible Engineer, Technical Lead, IPT Lead, or Chief Engineer on flight hardware
- Experience in high-frequency antenna design (e.g., Ka band)
- Experience mentoring less-experienced project and design engineers
NOTE: Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, conditional resident, asylee, or refugee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from U.S. Department of State (export control compliance).
