Circuit Designer, Space

ABOUT THE TEAM 

In the Space Special Programs team, we build spacecraft and space systems which serve a wide variety of functions in the space architecture. At a time when space superiority can no longer be taken for granted and with space systems proliferating at an incredible rate, the Space Special Programs team provides advanced, mission critical capabilities to our customer base to be able to more effectively operate and survive within this expanding environment with limited personnel. Working across product, engineering, sales, logistics, operations, and mission success, the Space Special Programs team develops, tests, deploys, and operates new, unique, space capabilities to drive mission success in challenging operational environments. 

ABOUT THE JOB 

We are looking for Circuit Designers to join our rapidly growing team in Chantilly, VA. In this role, you will be responsible for Full Cycle PCB design for spacecraft and associated systems including deriving requirements, schematic design, component selection, supervision or completion of layout, bring-up, test, debug and integration with the system. The engineering team as a whole must span the capabilities of digita-to-analog circuit design, analog circuit design, RF circuit design, digital circuit design (including FPGA, SOC, and MCU implementations), motor control, small power system design, and ultra-low power circuitry, as well as computer engineering basics such as basic embedded software and PC-based tools, and FPGA development in VHDL.  

WHAT YOU’LL DO 

• Work with a cross-functional team to design market leading space flight hardware and associated ground equipment products 
• Implement product components through rapid prototyping, design verification, and space qualification activities 
• Learn and apply modern space-flight hardware design standards and guidelines to create high-reliability, highly manufacturable assemblies 
• Implement combinations of high-speed digital, precision analog, RF, and ultra low-power designs 
• Participate in peer-level and cross-discipline design reviews and collaborate with other EEs on your team to improve everyone’s capabilities 
• Low level firmware development for bring-up and test 
• Root cause investigation data collection and analysis in support of production operations 
• Work in a fast-paced environment, having to juggle multiple concurrent projects and changing delivery timelines 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• B.S. in electrical / computer engineering or similar engineering or technical field  
• 2-8 years of professional experience, in hardware product development 
• Basic understanding of PCB Layout techniques to meet space flight mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing requirements 
• Ability to read and interpret schematics and apply best practices appropriate for each design 
• Familiarity with standard interfaces such as Ethernet, CAN, I2C, SPI, PCIe, MIPI CSI-2, etc 
• Familiarity with common MCU, CPU, FPGA devices and technologies 
• Knowledge of modern analog and digital electronics and electronic circuits 
• Ability to determine manage work assignments based on prioritized direction from management, near-term goals, and day-to-day levels of progress 
• Experience using Altium Designer or equivalent E-CAD tools 
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively with others 
• Ability to work within our company and team culture and take ownership of the tasks assigned to you 
• Willing to listen and learn from experts but still speak up when you have ideas 
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret security clearance 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Experience designing, integrating, and flying Cubesat spacecraft meant to operate in LEO through GEO environments is a significant plus 
• 1+ years of experience working in a classified environment is a plus