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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Federally funded robot space missions developer

Avionics Systems Engineer 2

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
$118.9k - $143k/yr
Mid
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Pasadena, CA, USA
In Person
Aerospace EngineeringAvionics
No H1B Sponsorship
US Top Secret Clearance Required

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a similar technical discipline with typically at least 3 years of related work experience; a master's degree in similar disciplines with typically at least 1 year of related work experience; or a PhD in a similar discipline with typically at least 0 years of related work experience.
  • Knowledge of industry and/or academic practices and standards across applications related to developing, testing, and integrating electronic assemblies for space applications.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills when relating to internal and external customers.
  • Ability to multitask and a track record of meeting schedules and milestones.
  • Ability to work in a fluctuating, competing, and fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain any required U.S. Government security clearance and to work with export-controlled hardware and technical data; this may require U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency.
  • Must be willing to obtain Top Secret clearance based on a Single Scope Background Investigation and be approved for Sensitive Compartmented Information access.
Responsibilities
  • Generate requirements from the avionics subsystem level through the electronic card level, design description and interface documents, engineering change requests, trade studies, model generation and analyses, and verification items.
  • Develop and execute verification and validation plans.
  • Collaborate with Cognizant Engineers, Design Engineers, and Integration and Test Engineers throughout the product design, integration and test, and delivery lifecycle.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience working with high-data-throughput systems.
  • Experience working with Versal ACAP.
  • Experience with fiber-optic harnesses, connectors, and associated electronics.
  • Experience taking a design from concept through design, build, test, and delivery for a space mission.
  • Military, aerospace, or space hardware development experience.
  • Experience developing and delivering avionics system documentation, including requirements, functional description documents, test plans, and test reports.
  • Experience specifying, designing, or testing Command and Data Handling modules.
  • Experience using Jama or a similar tool for requirement and verification item management and tracking.
  • Experience with integration and test of flight electronics.

About the company

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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federal research center managed by Caltech for NASA. It designs, builds, and operates robotic space missions for planetary exploration, Earth science, and space-based astronomy, along with technology development. JPL translates scientific ideas into real missions using specialized engineering, software, and mission operations conducted by cross-disciplinary teams, often in collaboration with NASA centers and other partners. Unlike many contractors, JPL functions as a government-run R&D center that directly plans and executes missions from concept through flight operations, ensuring national-space capabilities and scientific discovery stay aligned with NASA's goals. The lab’s aim is to turn bold science questions into working space missions and technologies that advance our understanding of the solar system and Earth, while upholding values of being bold, inclusive, and trusted.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Pasadena, California

Founded

1936

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Congress funded NASA at $24.4 billion on January 16, 2026, stabilizing JPL.
  • FAME demonstrations started June 2026, targeting near-real-time wildfire and flood alerts.
  • JPL still manages dozens of missions, preserving customer trust and technical relevance.

What critics are saying

  • JPL cut 550 jobs in October 2025 after earlier 2024-2025 layoffs.
  • Mars Sample Return cancellation erased JPL's flagship program and funding base.
  • Persistent budget cuts and telework exodus threaten JPL's Caltech-managed lab model.

What makes NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory unique

  • JPL runs more than three dozen flying missions across Earth science and planetary exploration.
  • Loft Orbital's June 23, 2026 partnership puts JPL AI on orbit.
  • Howard Eisen and Keyur Patel anchor mission success and chief-engineering discipline.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Wellness Program
  • Paid Vacation
  • Parental Leave
  • Childcare Support
  • Flexible Work Hours

Company News

Associated Press
Jun 23rd, 2026
Loft Orbital to deploy NASA JPL's AI software for real-time Earth disaster monitoring

Loft Orbital has secured an agreement with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to host and demonstrate AI software on its space infrastructure. The collaboration, part of JPL's Federated Autonomous MEasurement project funded by NASA's Earth Science Technology Office, will advance on-orbit AI capabilities for Earth science remote sensing. Flight demonstrations began in June 2026, with additional deployments scheduled through 2028. JPL's AI software aims to reduce data latency by processing information in near-real time, delivering urgent insights on wildfires, flooding and natural disasters to emergency responders. The spacecraft will demonstrate autonomous tip-and-queue tasking without ground intervention using intersatellite links. Founded in 2017, Loft Orbital has flown over 25 missions and operates facilities in San Francisco, Colorado and Toulouse, France.

newsupdates24
Jan 5th, 2025
NASA's Martian helicopter promises unprecedented views of the red planet

Next-generation Mars helicopter prototype (NASA)YOU'LL NOW BE ABLE TO CHARGE YOUR DEVICES ON THE MOONNASA's next-gen Mars helicopterNASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is working on a concept for a next-generation Mars helicopter that could revolutionize exploration of the red planet.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Dec 9th, 2024
William Hayward Pickering

Pickering retired from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1976 and served for two years as director of the research institute of the University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia.

ABC7
Nov 13th, 2024
JPL to lay off 325 employees, about 5% of its workforce, amid budget cuts

JPL to lay off 325 employees, about 5% of its workforce, amid budget cuts.

Pasadena Now
Sep 5th, 2024
JPL Partners with Cal State LA to Boost STEM Diversity Through NASA Grant

JPL scientists will work closely with Cal State LA faculty on this two-year project to strengthen the university's research capacity in remote sensing.