Avionics Engineer - Hawthorne, CA

Avionics Engineer

Location: Hawthorne, CA - HQ (On-site)

Employment Type: Full-Time Department: Engineering

Compensation: My client welcomes candidates across a broad range of experience levels. Titles and compensation will be calibrated based on demonstrated expertise and impact.

• Level 1: $90K – $110K + Equity
• Level 2: $100K – $125K + Equity
• Level 3: $130K – $160K + Equity
• Level 4: $150K – $185K + Equity
• Level 5: $165K – $205K + Equity

About the Role My client is building spacecraft from the ground up—and they’re looking for an Avionics Engineer who thrives in high-autonomy, high-impact environments. You’ll own the design and deployment of electronic subsystems for our first flight vehicle, with full lifecycle responsibility from concept to orbit.

This is a zero-to-one opportunity for engineers who want to shape hardware that survives the harshest environments and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.

Responsibilities

• Architect and own avionics system-level design, interfaces, and trade studies
• Prototype, bring up, and validate flight computers, comms systems, power electronics, and ADCS hardware
• Build internal test infrastructure (flatsat, GPS sim, power sim, comms sim, etc.)
• Lead qualification testing across vibration, shock, thermal, and thermal vacuum environments
• Establish best practices for electrical design and tooling
• Support flight operations with hands-on hardware ownership

Qualifications

• Proven experience designing and validating PCBAs for space or similarly demanding environments
• Ownership of high-reliability electronics from concept through deployment
• Ability to operate independently and iterate rapidly in a constrained trade space
• Deep troubleshooting instincts—comfortable crawling through systems to isolate and resolve issues
• A mindset for excellence, not perfection—my client values bold builders over box-checkers

Bonus Points

• You’ve shipped flight hardware
• You’ve built something unconventional that worked
• You’ve challenged requirements to make the system better
• You’ve mentored others or built tools that improved team velocity

Culture & Fit My client is obsessed with impact. They move fast, expect ownership, and prioritize hiring exceptional individuals—even those with unconventional backgrounds. If you’re the kind of person who builds things in your garage, rewrites specs to make them better, or thrives in ambiguity, they want to hear from you.

Benefits

• 100% coverage for medical, dental, and vision base plans
• Access to HSA, FSA, 401K, and commuter benefits
• Unlimited PTO (with a minimum of two weeks mandatory use)
• Daily catered lunches
• Equity in a company that’s redefining what’s possible in space