Staff Electrical Engineer - Satellite C&DH Subsystem
About the job
- A Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering from an accredited university.
- At least 8 years of industry experience in spacecraft electrical system design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and troubleshooting; a Master's degree may count as two years of experience.
- Strong understanding of electronics and electrical engineering fundamentals.
- Understanding of spacecraft electrical-system subsystems, including processors, digital input/output, timing signals, power rails, and grounding.
- Experience with successful rapid-prototype, iteration, and flight-delivery cycles.
- Proficiency in electrical-system design and analysis, including electrical interface control document definition, requirement derivation, digital input/output standards, power interfaces, connectors, and cabling.
- Hands-on experience with laboratory instruments such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, electronic loads, and signal generators to debug, test, and validate high-reliability electronics.
- Experience with satellite electrical-system concepts such as data and memory budgets, telemetry, flight software controls, and electronics thermal management.
- Understanding of the space-electronics supply chain, production issues, test processes, and flight operations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Direct the technical definition, implementation, and verification of satellite avionics systems.
- Define and maintain the Command and Data Handling subsystem architecture and interfaces.
- Conduct make-or-buy trades.
- Represent Command and Data Handling by interfacing with satellite systems, mechanical, software, and integration, assembly, and test teams.
- Collaborate on in-house solutions to advance satellite performance and manufacturability at scale.
- Make decisions with limited input and analysis while driving the team to produce and iterate hardware.
- Design and execute box-level and subsystem-level test plans for design verification, qualification, and/or acceptance testing.
- Prepare and deliver technical communications to company leadership and executives.
- Deliver reliable, high-performance space avionics systems for spaceflight missions.
- Experience with multiple distinct spacecraft electrical architectures that informs a vision for next-generation spacecraft.
- Experience with Python, C++, MATLAB, or other programming languages.
- Experience evaluating and testing hardware for effects due to total ionizing dose, single-event effects, electromagnetic interference, and related phenomena.
- Familiarity with environmental testing, including thermal, shock, vibration, and thermal vacuum testing.
About the company
CesiumAstro develops end-to-end space and airborne communications systems, including active phased array antennas, software-defined radios, and complete payloads. Its technology enables electronically steered beams for inter-satellite links, high-rate downlinks, lunar and deep-space communication, and 5G/NTN networks. It ships plug‑and‑play, commercially manufactured hardware and SDR software as a full-stack solution, reducing development time and cost. The company targets both government programs (NASA, DoD) and commercial space ventures, aiming to make space-based connectivity more accessible and adaptable.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
Series C
Total Funding
$780M
Headquarters
Bee Cave, Texas
Founded
2017
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- EXIM and J.P. Morgan backed $300 million financing funds the Bee Cave factory and Texas hiring.
- April 21, 2026 Missile Defense Agency work validates Skylark for national-security modernization.
- The $470 million Series C gives CesiumAstro cash to industrialize manufacturing and scale deliveries through 2027.
What critics are saying
- Three 2026 acquisitions create integration drag and culture clashes before 2027 product revenue lands.
- CesiumAstro still depends on U.S. defense buyers, EXIM financing, and Bee Cave buildout finishing on time.
- L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Lockheed can crush margins on phased-array programs; CesiumAstro loses share fast.
What makes CesiumAstro unique
- CesiumAstro vertically integrates antennas, radios, semiconductors, and mission software under one roof.
- Its 2026 Jariet, Vidrovr, and 1Aardvark buys deepen full-stack space-defense autonomy.
- Skylark and Element target software-defined, mobile-ready links across missiles, satellites, and airborne platforms.
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The Export-Import Bank of the United States has signed a $300 million credit agreement with CesiumAstro, an Austin-based space and defence connectivity specialist. The agreement, announced on 9 September, aims to consolidate the company's design, manufacturing, assembly and test operations into a single 270,000-square-foot US facility currently under construction. The financing includes a $20 million revolving credit facility from JP Morgan, making it EXIM's largest loan approval under its "Make More in America" initiative. CesiumAstro is the only company to receive a second credit agreement under the programme. EXIM previously approved $185 million in financing to CesiumAstro in January 2026, later increased to $280 million. Founded in 2017, CesiumAstro recently secured a $470 million Series C funding round.
CesiumAstro buys 1Aardvark to add mission software for defense space. * 1Aardvark is a service-disabled veteran-owned and HUBZone-certified business in Manassas, Virginia * Its work covers missile defense and missile tracking programs * The deal follows CesiumAstro's purchases of Vidrovr and Jariet Technologies this year CesiumAstro has acquired 1Aardvark, adding mission software and systems engineering to a portfolio built around satellites and communications payloads. CesiumAstro announced the deal Tuesday. 1Aardvark, based in Manassas, Virginia, builds software, algorithms and systems engineering for national defense programs. It holds service-disabled veteran-owned small business and HUBZone certifications. What does 1Aardvark bring to CesiumAstro? 1Aardvark's software supports missile defense and missile tracking work. The company builds systems that enable distributed platforms to coordinate and execute missions in contested or disconnected environments. CesiumAstro expects the pairing to yield spacecraft that adjust to changing conditions and keep operating when connectivity degrades. Shey Sabripour, founder and CEO of CesiumAstro, said defense space systems increasingly require software that can adapt and make decisions. According to Ryan Kenward, president of 1Aardvark, joining CesiumAstro extends the company's work pushing mission capability to the edge. How does the deal fit CesiumAstro's acquisition strategy? The 1Aardvark deal lands days after CesiumAstro closed its purchase of Jariet Technologies, a semiconductor firm focused on millimeter-wave radio frequency system-on-chip designs. That deal gave the company in-house chip capability to pair with its phased-array antenna and payload work. The company also acquired Vidrovr in March, an AI firm specializing in real-time multimodal signal analysis. Vidrovr co-founder Joe Ellis oversees integration of machine learning tools into the CesiumAstro portfolio. CesiumAstro closed a $470 million Series C round in February and took $200 million in Export-Import Bank financing in January to acquire a 270,000-square-foot West Austin facility.
CesiumAstro’s purchase of Virginia-based 1Aardvark advances its strategy to deliver more resilient, software-defined communications and onboard systems for government missions, strengthening its position in the defence...
CesiumAstro acquires Jariet Technologies, expanding semiconductor capabilities across SATCOM, electronic warfare, radar and space systems.