Astrolab

Designs modular lunar rovers for exploration

Avionics Systems Engineer

AvionicsUpdated on Nov 13

Full-timeHawthorne, CA, USA$100k - $230k /yrHybrid

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics-related field is required.
Experience with aerospace component or system development, testing, integration, or operations is required.
Experience using electrical test equipment, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, signal generators, electronic loads, and multimeters, and the ability to interpret electrical schematics are required.

Responsibilities

Define avionics system architecture and vehicle-level electrical architecture, including power distribution, grounding, data networks, and harnessing; write, flow down, and verify system- and component-level requirements.
Lead design trades and sensitivity studies to select robust, fault-tolerant architectures that meet mission requirements, and represent the avionics team in vehicle-level trades with mechanical, software, and thermal teams.
Create and maintain system diagrams, schematics, interface control documents, procedures, test reports, and anomaly reports; own electrical interfaces between avionics units, payloads, and ground systems.
Develop design verification, qualification, and acceptance test plans; coordinate with avionics hardware, manufacturing, and test engineers to execute them; help develop and operate hardware-in-the-loop testbeds to verify functionality before vehicle integration.
Support assembly, integration, and test; write and execute vehicle-level electrical functional validation procedures; support launch campaigns and lunar surface operations.
Support integration testing, production issue dispositions, and troubleshooting of failures using root-cause techniques such as fault tree and fishbone analysis, and manage overall avionics system risk.

Desired Qualifications

Experience with spacecraft or launch-vehicle avionics systems design, development, production, testing, and operations.
Experience writing, flowing down, and verifying requirements using systems engineering tools and processes.
Experience performing trade studies and sensitivity studies to select an architecture option.
Experience with spacecraft power-system engineering, including power budgeting, distribution, and grounding architecture.
Experience with digital communication protocols and vehicle networks, including RS-422, RS-485, CAN, or Ethernet.
Experience developing hardware-in-the-loop testbed systems and programming in Python, C, or C++ for testing and automation.
Familiarity with FMECA, fault-tolerance and isolation design, and failure modes of spaceflight electrical components.
Familiarity with SMC-S-016, MIL-STD-810, or other environmental testing standards, including shock, thermal, burn-in, TVAC, vibration, and EMI/EMC testing.
For senior and staff levels, experience leading avionics architecture development for current and future vehicles, developing schedules and system-level test and operations plans, and mentoring engineers.

Astrolab is The Lunar Operations Company. We design and build the systems and hardware the lunar economy will come to depend on — rovers, power, and data networks for sustained operations on the Moon. We are focused on the problems that must be solved before the next chapter of human exploration can scale. The Moon does not forgive untested assumptions. The people who work here know that, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

As an Avionics Systems Engineer at Astrolab, you will define the requirements, architecture, and implementation of avionics systems on our planetary rovers. You will own the electrical architecture at the vehicle level, spanning power distribution, data networks, harnessing, and the interfaces between avionics units, and you will represent the avionics team in vehicle-level trades with mechanical, software, and thermal teams. You will serve as Responsible Engineer for avionics system design and performance, carrying it from requirements definition through integration, verification, and operations on the lunar surface. This posting covers entry-level through staff-level positions, and leveling will be commensurate with experience.

Architecture & Requirements: Define avionics system architecture and electrical architecture at the vehicle level, including power distribution, grounding, data networks, and harnessing. Write, flow down, and verify requirements at the system and component level
System Trades: Lead design trades and sensitivity studies to select architectures that are robust, fault-tolerant, and meet mission requirements. Represent the avionics team in vehicle-level trades with mechanical, software, and thermal teams
Interfaces: Create and maintain technical documentation including system diagrams, schematics, interface control documents, procedures, and test and anomaly reports. Own electrical interfaces between avionics units, payloads, and ground systems
Verification & Test: Develop design verification, qualification, and acceptance test plans, and coordinate with avionics hardware, manufacturing, and test engineers to execute them. Help develop and operate HIL testbeds to verify functionality before vehicle integration
Integration & Operations: Support assembly, integration, and test (AIT), write and execute vehicle-level electrical functional validation procedures, and support launch campaigns and lunar surface operations
Anomaly Resolution: Support integration testing, production issue dispositions, and troubleshooting of failures, using root cause techniques such as fault tree and fishbone analysis, and manage overall avionics system risk

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) related field
Experience with aerospace component or system development, testing, integration, or operations
Experience with electrical test equipment including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, signal generators, electronic loads, and multimeters, and the ability to interpret electrical schematics

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with spacecraft or launch vehicle avionics systems design, development, production, test, and operations
Experience with requirements writing, flow-down, and verification using systems engineering tools and processes
Experience performing trade studies and sensitivity studies to select the best architecture option
Experience with spacecraft power system engineering, including power budgeting, distribution, and grounding architecture
Experience with digital communication protocols and vehicle networks including RS-422, RS-485, CAN, or Ethernet
Experience with HIL testbed system development, and programming in Python, C, or C++ for test and automation
Familiarity with FMECA, fault tolerance and isolation design, and failure modes of spaceflight electrical components
Familiarity with SMC-S-016, MIL-STD-810, or other environmental testing standards, including shock, thermal, burn-in, TVAC, vibration, and EMI/EMC testing
For senior and staff levels: experience leading development of avionics architectures for current and future vehicles, developing schedules and system-level test and operations plans, and mentoring engineers

About the Company

Astrolab

Designs modular lunar rovers for exploration

Astrolab designs and builds modular rovers for lunar and extraterrestrial surface missions. Its flagship FLEX rover is a modular, reusable vehicle that can transport cargo, equipment, and crew across the Moon. The system works by using interchangeable payload modules on a shared rover chassis, allowing rapid reconfiguration for different mission profiles—from cargo delivery to astronaut transport—without needing a new vehicle. The rover is designed to be compatible with existing and planned space infrastructure, including NASA’s Artemis program, enabling integration with governmental and commercial lunar operations. What sets Astrolab apart is its emphasis on a single, adaptable platform with modular payloads that can handle a range of tasks and mission profiles, rather than many specialized, single-use machines. The company aims to enable a sustained lunar presence and expanded human activity beyond Earth by providing reliable, flexible surface mobility.

Company size: 51-200
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Hawthorne, CA
Founded: 2019

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