Director of Avionics Engineering Department: Avionics
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Hawthorne, California
Reporting To: Jaret Matthews
Compensation: $190,000 - $250,000 / year
Please ensure you read the below overview and requirements for this employment opportunity completely.
DescriptionVenturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab) is pioneering new ways to explore and operate on distant planetary bodies. We are singularly focused on designing, building, and operating a fleet of multi-purpose commercial planetary rovers to extend and enhance humanity’s presence in the solar system. We are seeking motivated, creative, and exceptional people to join our world-class team.
As the Director of Avionics Engineering at Astrolab, you will oversee a talented team working on solutions for the FLIP, FLEX Rover, and FLEX LTVS, all contributing to our missions to the lunar surface and beyond.
Key Responsibilities Drive a technical team to execute system-level and component-level design for rovers and other assets, considering all environments and operational cases. The system may include power generation, power storage, power distribution, compute, motor control, command and data handling, sensing and perception systems, communication systems, robotic manipulators, illuminators, and other I/O
Recruit, lead, and mentor a team of people leaders, responsible engineers, systems engineers, and analysts. Facilitate autonomy and growth opportunities while achieving exceptional results
Develop and manage budgets, operational risks, and technical risks to achieve Astrolab’s business objectives
Formulate program and technical strategies, including decisions to outsource NRE or to conduct in-house development
Drive concurrent engineering between Avionics, Electromechanical, Vehicle Engineering, Software, GNC, Test, Reliability, and Production to optimize speed of execution while adhering to a rigorous design review process
Guide the team through technical and programmatic milestone reviews, ensuring technical and programmatic success.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Bachelor’s or master’s degree in STEM from an accredited institution
7+ years of experience in space system development in a leadership role with direct reports.
Proven track record of delivering spaceflight hardware through the full design life cycle (design, test, qualification, launch, operation)
Understanding of all failure modes of spaceflight electrical components
Strong understanding of radiation effects on spaceflight electronics
Experience using Altium, E3, or equivalent design programs
Exposure to sensor and actuator calibration and characterization needs, methodologies, equipment, and procedures
Experience with instrumentation, sensors, and communication protocols, including DMMs, DAQ, function generators, oscilloscopes, DIO, GPIB, USB, RS-232/422/485, GigE, SPI, etc.
Experience with system commands and data handling, I/O management, networking, and similar (or analogous experience)
Strong understanding of environmental testing, such as shock/vibe, TVAC, burn-in, and its implications for electrical design. Preferred experience with SMC-S-016.
Ability to lead in a dynamic and flexible environment
Must be able to communicate complex technical subjects to a variety of audiences succinctly
Must work well in fast-paced, interdisciplinary environments
What We Offer: Collaborate with a team of top-tier engineers pioneering planetary surface exploration
Ownership opportunities in the company
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
401(k) plan with matching contributions
Flexible time off and parental leave
On-site snacks, beverages, and bi-weekly lunches
A flexible and dynamic work environment
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