Staff Electrical Engineer - RPU Unit Lead Verified today

CesiumAstro develops communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We are seeking a highly skilled Staff Electrical Engineer to serve as Unit Lead for our Reconfigurable Processing Unit (RPU) product line.

RPUs are complex, VPX-based electronics boxes consisting of software-defined radios, single-board computers, power supply modules, and RF front ends, driven by CesiumAstro modems and software. As Unit Lead, you will own both technical definition and execution of new RPU products, which may include development of new VPX modules, backplanes, interface options, and software features culminating in a qualified, customer-ready product.

You will be the technical leader of a multidisciplinary team, primary point of contact for the program manager, and key interface with customers. Success requires strength in technical depth combined with project management, leadership, and communication in a fast-paced startup environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as RPU Unit Lead and primary technical point of contact throughout the product development lifecycle
• Lead end-to-end engineering for the box including architecture, design, prototyping, integration, test, environmental qualification, and flight readiness
• Coordinate and direct RF, digital, power, mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineers to ensure consistent and timely execution
• Hold schedule accountability for box development
• Develop and review payload control schemes, internal data interfaces, command and telemetry architecture, and firmware/software integration
• Manage all flight qualification activities including environmental test planning (thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, EMC), margin assessment, and acceptance testing
• Own the transition to volume production including manufacturability, testability, and customer-facing documentation
• Generate and maintain box-level documentation: requirements, ICDs, block diagrams, test plans, verification matrices, risk registers, and design reviews
• Interface with spacecraft systems engineering, mission assurance, manufacturing, vendors, and test facilities
• Drive root cause analysis, anomaly resolution, and technical risk mitigation throughout development and test
• Communicate status, technical trades, risks, and design decisions to internal leadership and external customers

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or related field
• 8 years of engineering experience in electronics hardware development
• Hands-on experience with software-defined radios
• Leadership experience including mentoring or leading multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering practices, requirements flowdown, verification/validation, and configuration management
• Excellent communication skills with ability to present complex technical information to diverse audiences

Preferred Experience

• Understanding of payload control systems, digital interfaces, command and data handling, and embedded hardware/software interactions
• Experience executing or overseeing flight qualification and environmental test campaigns (TVAC, vibration/shock, EMC, radiation considerations)
• Managing hardware/software product development projects
• Radiation-tolerant design
• High-rate manufacturing, rapid development cycles, and/or NewSpace ecosystems
• Prior role as Responsible Engineer, Technical Lead, IPT Lead, or Chief Engineer on flight hardware
• Background in digital signal processing, beamforming algorithms, or embedded firmware for payload control
• Mentoring less-experienced project and design engineers

Full-time employment includes company stock options and benefits: health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability, and retirement plans.

U.S. citizenship or equivalent status is required to comply with U.S. Government Space Technology Export Regulations.