Electrical Test Engineer, AI Satellites (Starmind)

SpaceX
Bastrop, TX
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at mid-level to senior electrical test engineers who can design and troubleshoot complex space-grade hardware and collaborate cross-functionally.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with experience in space-grade electronics testing and automation software development
    — “Design and develop automated test solutions for complex, space grade hardware”
  • Individuals who have worked on environmental testing and reliability improvement in electronics
    — “Understanding of metrology, sources of measurement error, and uncertainty analysis”
  • Professionals with a background in PCB design and a strong grasp of analog and digital systems
    — “Experience designing and troubleshooting PCBAs”

Things to consider

  • This role requires U.S. citizenship or residency due to ITAR export regulations
    — “applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident”
  • The position may involve irregular hours to meet mission-critical deadlines
    — “Ability to work extended hours or weekends as needed for mission critical deadlines”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with Python-based automation for testing and data analysis
    — “Write automation software in Python to interact with units under test”
  • Emphasize projects involving environmental testing like HALT/HASS or thermal analysis
    — “Understanding and experience in environmental testing such as HALT/HASS, thermal”
  • Showcase reliability-focused improvements in electronics design or test coverage
    — “Work closely with ... to drive design or infrastructure improvements to increase product reliability”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • design and develop automated test solutions
  • work closely with design engineers
Typical background
Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering1+ years of experience in hardware development or electronics test engineering

Skills & requirements

Required

Hardware DevelopmentElectronics Test EngineeringPythonC/c++Test EquipmentPCB Design

Preferred

Analog ControlDiscrete Logic DesignEnvironmental TestingElectronics Reliability

Stack & domain

PythonHardware DevelopmentElectronics Test EngineeringAnalog ControlDiscrete Logic DesignCircuits AnalysisFunctional Test PlansPcbas Design And TroubleshootingTest Equipment And Measurement TechniquesElectronics ManufacturingMetrologyElectronics ReliabilityEnvironmental TestingComputers And Programming LanguagesLeadershipCommunicationProblem-solvingTeamworkSpace TechnologyAISatellitesElectrical Engineering

About the role

Original posting from SpaceX via Greenhouse

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

ELECTRICAL TEST ENGINEER, AI SATELLITES (STARMIND)

SpaceX is leveraging its experience deploying and operating the world’s largest satellite constellation to develop Starmind, a new constellation of satellites capturing solar energy in space to power low-cost, high-performance AI compute for Earth. Realizing this vision demands highly reliable, high performance electrical hardware ranging from power electronics, high speed digital systems, mixed signal designs, robust avionics, networking, and custom compute electronics. These systems must operate in the extreme environment of space while delivering the connectivity, control, power distribution, and processing needed for orbital AI inference.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Design and develop automated test solutions for complex, space grade hardware

Select commercial-off-the-shelf hardware and/or design custom PCBAs to measure signals, apply flight-like loads, and power units under test

Write automation software in Python to interact with units under test, test equipment, instrumentation, field data, and production documentation systems

Work closely with and consistently provide feedback to responsible design engineers, manufacturing engineers, and test lab teams to drive design or infrastructure improvements to increase product reliability and yield

Challenge assumptions and work to find simple solutions to complex problems

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline

1+ years of experience with hardware development or electronics test engineering 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Master’s degree in electrical engineering or related field

Strong grasp of analog control and discrete logic design

Experience analyzing circuits and developing functional test plans

Experience designing and troubleshooting PCBAs

Experience with test equipment and measurement techniques to verify and validate product requirements (oscilloscope, multimeter, electronic load, spectrum analyzer, network analyzer, vector signal generator, source measurement unit, etc.)

Understanding of electrical schematics and electronics manufacturing to analyze and improve test coverage

Understanding of metrology, sources of measurement error, and uncertainty analysis

Experience developing object-oriented software

Thorough understanding of electronics reliability and failure mechanisms

Understanding and experience in environmental testing such as HALT/HASS, thermal, vibration and TVAC

Strong understanding of computers and programming languages (Python, C/C++)

Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to work extended hours or weekends as needed for mission critical deadlines

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com. 

Source: SpaceX careers (Greenhouse)

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