Avionics Engineer

Department: Engineering

Location: Robot Ranch (Austin,TX)

Employment Type: FullTime

At TerraFirma, we’re redefining how the world moves earth for construction. Founded by former SpaceX engineers and backed by Bain Capital Ventures, TerraFirma is automating construction to make it faster, cheaper, and safer.

Job Overview

You will design and maintain the electrical systems that enable reliable remote operation of construction equipment. This includes wiring harnesses, circuits, and system integration for drive-by-wire machines in rugged outdoor environments. The role is hands-on, spanning fabrication, lab and field troubleshooting, and vendor collaboration to streamline builds.

Responsibilities

• Engineering Design: Design wiring harnesses, circuits, and systems to enable reliable control of drive-by-wire machinery in high vibration, dirty, outdoor environments

• DFM/DFT & Serviceability: Drive improvements to designs to simplify builds and installs, reduce wiring ambiguity, add practical test points, and make field service faster and more repeatable

• Install & Integration Support: Support vehicle builds and retrofits by unblocking installation issues, improving harness routing/packaging, and iterating rapidly based on shop and field feedback

• Documentation: Eliminate uncertainty through the use of effective documentation practices; create and maintain wiring diagrams, harness drawings, assembly/installation procedures, test procedures, bills of materials, and suitable alternates

• Fabrication: Assemble and install harnessing and circuits for development testing and use in an operational environment out in the field

• Debugging, Failure Analysis & Corrective Action: Use measurement equipment to troubleshoot electrical systems on the bench and in the field; own root-cause investigations, implement immediate fixes, and drive sustainable long-term solutions

• Vendor / Contractor Collaboration: Develop and maintain working relationships with manufacturers to streamline production and improve build and install quality over time

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. in Electrical or Computer Engineering

• Practical experience working on electrical systems

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Circuit design fundamentals and component selection experience

• Experience designing and qualifying systems for high vibration and/or outdoor environments

• Experience using electrical measuring equipment (oscilloscope, multimeter, signal analyzer, etc.)

• Experience building wiring harnesses and assembling circuit boards (preferably to industry or other recognized standards)

• Strong understanding of “fail-safe” design principles

• Experience designing, setting up and debugging computer networks (Ethernet, CAN bus, Cellular, WIFI, etc.)

• Experience creating clear installation/test documentation for technicians and partners (photos, diagrams, checklists, acceptance tests)

Additional Requirements

• Comfortable with working in a fast-paced startup environment

• Must be willing to relocate to Austin, TX if not within commuting distance

• Must be willing to work extended hours or weekends when needed to support critical deadlines

Compensation & Benefits

Base compensation will vary based on factors such as relevant experience and education. Salaries and leveling will be determined on a case-by-case basis if an offer is extended. Our total compensation package also includes equity in TerraFirma. Relocation packages are available to help cover moving costs, if applicable.

Our Story & Mission

At SpaceX, we were part of the teams that built the largest rocket in human history, launched the largest constellation of satellites ever made, and delivered connectivity to millions of people worldwide. What we learned was simple: infrastructure is everything.

At Starbase, the biggest barrier to launching missions to Mars was not building the rocket. It was how slow, expensive, and complex it was to build the infrastructure around it. We lacked buildings, roads, water, power, communications, and waste management, and constructing them took far more time and resources than it should have.

From a first-principles perspective, that doesn't make sense. It shouldn't be this hard or costly to create the foundations for progress. That’s when we realized something important: the same engineering mindset that enabled us to tackle space exploration and mass manufacturing could be applied to infrastructure. By bringing the principles of simplification, iteration, acceleration, and automation to construction, we can unlock a new era in how the world builds.

Accelerating infrastructure unlocks progress across every domain, creating a self-sustaining engine for tackling humanity’s toughest challenges. The innovations we develop on Earth will lay the groundwork for the technologies that one day make settlement on Mars possible.