Spacecraft Engineer - Office of the CTO
Location: San Francisco
Department: 3601 Office of the CTO
Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today, Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe— large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military. With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts.
Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization. Astranis has raised over $750 million from some of the world’s best investors, from Andreessen Horowitz to Blackrock and Fidelity, and employs a team of 450 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.
Astranis is seeking a motivated and experienced Spacecraft Engineer to join our dedicated team. This critical role involves the full lifecycle development of advanced small form-factor Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites. The successful candidate will be a key driver for cross-system trade studies, own satellite budgets, work to develop mission CONOPs, coordinate unit & vehicle test planning & readiness, and ensure that the satellites meet all mission design criteria.
Role:
- Lead the definition, documentation, and maintenance of the complete GEO spacecraft system architecture, including high-power payload accommodations, propulsion systems for orbit raising and station-keeping, and high-throughput communication links.
- Identify and rapidly solve cross-functional issues that arise at every stage of the satellite lifecycle.
- Define and manage spacecraft internal and external interfaces (mechanical, electrical, thermal, data) to ensure seamless integration and compatibility across subsystems, especially between Bus and Payload systems.
- Act as the technical owner and primary point of contact for critical system budgets, particularly Mass and Power Budgets.
- Establish and maintain technical budget tracking tools and reports, providing accurate, up-to-date status and forecasts to project leadership and stakeholders.
- Provide technical guidance and oversight to subsystem engineers, ensuring their designs are integrated correctly and meet system-level design criteria and budgets.
- Support Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T) activities and mission operations by leading the systems-level analysis and resolution of technical anomalies.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.) or a related technical discipline.
- 3 to 10 years of experience in integrated system design, integration, and/or test.
- Experience as a hands-on engineer or other technical domain expert. Note that both junior and senior engineers are sought for this role.
- Track record of solving hard problems independently
- Ability to lead outside of the traditional reporting chain.
- Proven experience in managing complex technical budgets (e.g., mass, power) and enforcing design discipline.
- Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment, overcome obstacles with creative solutions, and clearly document/communicate tactical plans
Bonus:
- Experience working through a complete GEO spacecraft development lifecycle.
- Familiarity with Smartsheet, Jira, and Confluence
- Deep technical experience across multiple domains
- Specific experience with GEO or high-power communication satellite systems.
Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company-subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on-site catered meals.
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