AstroTalentSpace Jobs

Spacecraft Power Systems Engineer (Mid/Senior) Verified today

AST SpaceMobile · Lanham, MD · Electronics · first seen 2026-09-29
Apply at AST SpaceMobile →

About the role

You will own the electrical power system for the next generation of BlueBird satellites, the largest commercial phased-array spacecraft in low Earth orbit.

You will join an Electrical Power Systems team that owns the subsystem end to end: requirements and architecture, unit design and analysis, qualification test, launch, and on-orbit performance. The same engineers who design the hardware review its telemetry after launch. You will see your work fly and how it behaves when it gets there.

Location and compensation

Lanham, Maryland (Washington, DC metro area), relocating to Arlington, Virginia in Q2 2027. On-site with hybrid work opportunity after the first six months.

Competitive base salary, annual bonus eligibility, and equity (RSUs and/or PSUs). Benefits effective on your date of hire. Relocation assistance available.

Level

Mid to Senior. At senior level you own subsystem-scale efforts and lead trade studies, qualification campaigns, and failure investigations. At mid level you own units and analyses and grow into that scope with the team's support.

What you'll do

  • Own unit- and subsystem-level requirements for the electrical power system (solar arrays, batteries, power control and distribution, harness) and keep them current through the program.
  • Lead trade studies, architecture development, and interface definition for the EPS and its interfaces to the bus, payload, and ground support equipment.
  • Guide detailed design: review schematics, layouts, drawings, and BOMs, and make the calls on parts, derating, and margins.
  • Perform and review analyses that close the design: worst-case circuit analysis, derating, voltage drop, grounding and bonding, transient and load-step behavior, and power integrity (IR drop, impedance targets, resonances).
  • Plan and lead unit- and subsystem-level acceptance and qualification testing: test plans, EGSE definition, execution oversight, and test reports.
  • Lead failure investigations and root-cause analysis during test and on orbit, and drive corrective actions to closure.
  • Review on-orbit power system telemetry and support anomaly resolution with the operations team.
  • Mentor junior engineers and raise the technical bar for the group.

What we're looking for

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field.
  • 3+ years (5+ for senior level) designing, analyzing, or testing electrical power systems or power electronics in spacecraft, aircraft, defense, EV, or similar high-reliability hardware.
  • Hands-on experience taking hardware through qualification: writing test plans, defining or using EGSE, running tests, and writing reports.
  • Comfortable with standard power analyses (worst-case circuit, derating, voltage drop, grounding, transient) and able to explain results to a review board.
  • For senior level, a track record of leading a technical effort: a unit, subsystem, test campaign, or failure investigation. For mid level, ownership of a unit or analysis from design through test.
  • Clear written and verbal communication; you write requirements and reports that other engineers can act on.
  • U.S. person (U.S. citizen or permanent resident) due to ITAR/EAR requirements.

Nice to have

  • Direct experience with LEO spacecraft power systems: solar arrays, lithium-ion batteries, PCDUs, or high-power bus architectures.
  • Familiarity with NASA, MIL, or ECSS derating and design standards (e.g., EEE-INST-002, MIL-STD-461, ECSS-E-ST-20).
  • Experience supporting on-orbit operations or anomaly investigations.
  • Power integrity and PCB-level analysis experience (SI/PI tools, impedance targets, decoupling design).
  • M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with power electronics emphasis.
  • Prior experience at a fast-moving hardware company where you owned a subsystem end to end.

What we offer

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage starting on date of hire with three plan options including high-deductible plan with company-funded HSA.
  • Company-paid life and AD&D insurance, short-term and long-term disability.
  • 401(k) through Fidelity with automatic enrollment.
  • Healthcare and dependent-care flexible spending accounts.
  • Fertility and family-building benefits through Kindbody.
  • On-demand healthcare concierge, telemedicine, employee discount program, and complimentary financial and retirement planning.
  • Equity compensation in publicly traded company (NASDAQ: ASTS) as RSUs and/or PSUs.
  • Relocation assistance for candidates moving to the DC area.