Senior Spacecraft Engineer

Senior Spacecraft Command and Data Handling (C&DH) EngineerLos Angeles, CA | Level 4: $146,200 to $215,000 | Level 5: $176,800 to $260,000You have architected enough avionics to know when a design is wrong. This role lets you say so and be listened to.This is a technical authority position on the C&DH and electrical hardware architectures behind small satellites built for national security missions. Missile warning. Earth observation. Work that gets watched at government level.We are hiring for a small satellite company that moves at startup pace but sits inside one of the world’s largest aerospace and defence groups. That combination is the point. You get the autonomy and the speed of a small team, with the programme volume and the funding stability that comes from the parent business.They are hiring at two levels. Level 4 is technical leadership on specific programmes, acting as the subject matter expert on C&DH, running the trade studies and holding technical oversight through integration and test. Level 5 is broader, setting technical strategy across the whole C&DH group, establishing engineering practice, defining roadmaps and building the next generation of engineers.What you will ownArchitect C&DH subsystems that shape system level design decisions and meet mission, constraint and fault management requirementsLead avionics architecture selection and trade analysis, balancing performance, power, mass and costDrive requirements definition, interface control documents and verification activitiesDirect high fidelity analysis across data budgets, signal integrity, clock drift, jitter and EMI/EMC compatibilityOwn vendor selection and make or buy recommendations, weighing technical risk, schedule, cost and lifecycle supportLead resolution of complex avionics and electrical hardware issues through design, integration and testContribute to fault detection, isolation and recovery strategy so architectures stay resilient, and support mission operations and system health assessmentMentor engineers at earlier career stages and grow the group’s capabilityWhat you will needA bachelor’s degree in electrical, computer or aerospace engineering or a related discipline, plus 9 or more years of relevant experience, or an equivalent mix of technical education and experience9 or more years with spacecraft communication protocols such as SpaceWire, Ethernet, RS422, RS485 and LVDS7 or more years designing, analysing and integrating spacecraft electrical hardware or complex avionics systemsThe ability to obtain a US Security Clearance, which requires US citizenshipComfort working with a high degree of autonomy, and the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to technical and non technical audiencesWhat lifts an applicationFor Level 5, 14 or more years of relevant experience or an equivalent mix of education and experienceTime as a Responsible Engineering Authority or lead engineer on complex space programmesFamiliarity with industry standards and government cybersecurity practice for space assetsExperience in high rate manufacturing environmentsA master’s or PhD in a relevant engineering disciplineStrong communication and presentation skillsThe practical detailThis role is export controlled and clearance bearing, so applicants must be US citizens and eligible for a security clearance, and must be willing to apply for and maintain one. There is no visa sponsorship and no relocation assistance on this position. Successful candidates go through a conflict of interest assessment, and the company operates a drug free workplace with post offer testing.Pay is set on experience, qualifications and market. The ranges above are base salary and sit alongside variable compensation and a range of benefit programmes, with eligibility depending on factors such as location and hire date.ApplySend your resume through this advert and we will come back with the full company details and process. Darwin Space is a specialist space industry recruitment firm. All applications are treated in confidence.Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.Adam Slade