Senior/Principal Electrical Engineer - Spacecraft and Instruments
Role Overview
Design, analyze, build, and test electronics for space science missions.
Develop custom flight and ground electronics for scientific instruments and spacecraft.
Carry high-reliability electronics from requirements and schematic capture through PCB implementation, qualification, and system integration.
Act as a largely self-directed individual contributor who can lead a small electrical design team; people management is not the focus.
Key Skills for This Role
Full Job Posting
Job Summary
Design, analyze, build, and test electronics for space science missions.
Develop custom flight and ground electronics for scientific instruments and spacecraft.
Carry high-reliability electronics from requirements and schematic capture through PCB implementation, qualification, and system integration.
Act as a largely self-directed individual contributor who can lead a small electrical design team; people management is not the focus.
Key Responsibilities
- Design analog, mixed-signal, power, motor-control, embedded, or high-speed digital electronics for spaceflight instruments and small spacecraft.
- Develop electrical requirements, interfaces, architecture, grounding, power and performance budgets, fault-management concepts, and verification plans.
- Capture schematics in Altium Designer, review PCB layout, and release PCBA design data for fabrication and assembly.
- Select EEE parts and perform derating, worst-case, reliability, and circuit-performance analyses using simulation tools.
- Bring up and debug hardware, support environmental testing, investigate anomalies, and integrate electronics with instruments or spacecraft.
- Present design decisions, risks, verification results, and readiness evidence; provide technical leadership and mentoring.
Work Arrangement
- Regular onsite presence in Boulder is required for flight hardware, laboratory work, and integration.
- Casual remote work one or two days per week may be possible with project approval.
Compensation
- Salary range is $120,416.44 to $189,585.27 per year.
Required Qualifications
- Relevant bachelor's degree plus 8 years, master's plus 6 years, or doctorate plus 4 years of experience.
- Technical ownership of a complex electronic assembly or subsystem through production, qualification, and integration.
- Deep expertise in at least one relevant design domain and breadth across adjacent disciplines.
- Schematic capture and PCB design experience with Altium Designer, Cadence OrCAD, or KiCad.
- Circuit modeling and simulation experience with LTspice, Ansys, MATLAB, Python, or similar tools.
- Hands-on board bring-up, electrical testing, and troubleshooting using standard laboratory equipment.
- Multidisciplinary collaboration and technical leadership experience.
- Must be eligible to access export-controlled information under applicable U.S. export-control laws.
Preferred Qualifications
- Spaceflight, avionics, or high-reliability electronics experience, including radiation effects, EEE parts, and harsh-environment design.
- Knowledge of IPC-6012, IPC/WHMA-A-620, NASA EEE-INST-002, and electronics manufacturing practices.
- Experience with HyperLynx, high-speed digital interfaces, FPGA hardware, DDR3 or DDR4, EMI/EMC, and design-for-manufacture or test.
- Experience with reliability analyses, supplier coordination, production support, or automated electrical test.
Benefits
- Benefits include retirement contributions, medical, dental, life insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, tuition assistance, and transit benefits.
Application Materials
- Submit a resume or CV and cover letter through CU Boulder Jobs by September 30, 2026.
- Transcripts or proof of degree are optional; finalist degree verification will be completed by Campus Human Resources.
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