- Location
- El Segundo, California · Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Department
- Whirlwind Development Team - Electrical Engineering
- Education
- Bachelor
- Source
- Greenhouse
Description
A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
Space Kinetic is a dual use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations – one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attainable, distributed) to space missions while reducing the ecosystem's reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different – an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head-on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures – where each satellite in a constellation has one (or a small # of) primary payloads attached to the bus -- and unlock a ‘one-to-many’ system, where each satellite has a large number of payloads which can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster.
This is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40-hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first-of-its-kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space.
Position Overview:
The Electrical Design Engineer will play a critical role in designing, building, and maturing prototypes for Space Kinetic’s core technology. You will support the team in refining the electrical architecture of the current prototype and driving the system closer to a flight-ready configuration with each iteration. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys taking concepts from schematic to hardware, solving complex electrical challenges, and working closely with mechanical and manufacturing teams to bring cutting-edge space hardware to life. We are exploring electrical engineering opportunities in New Mexico and welcome qualified candidates interested in supporting innovative aerospace programs to connect with us for potential future roles.
What You’ll Do:
Job Responsibilities:
Responsibilities will vary based on experience and role level, and will include:
- Design, develop, and test electrical circuits, PCBs, and prototype hardware.
- Refine electrical architectures, schematics, and subsystem designs.
- Perform component selection, circuit analysis, and electrical trade studies.
- Support PCB layout, fabrication, assembly, and vendor coordination.
- Develop and integrate motor drives, power electronics, sensors, and embedded control interfaces.
- Integrate electrical systems with mechanical assemblies and vehicle hardware.
- Conduct hardware bring-up, troubleshooting, debugging, and performance testing.
- Develop electrical documentation, including BOMs, wiring diagrams, ICDs, and test procedures.
- Participate in design reviews and cross-functional engineering activities.
- Support prototype maturation, qualification, and progression toward flight readiness.
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related STEM discipline.
- 0-3 years of experience through internships, academic projects, or professional work involving circuit design and hardware development.
- Familiarity with electrical schematics, component selection, and PCB design tools such as Altium.
- Understanding of electronics fundamentals, electrical testing, and hardware troubleshooting.
- Hands-on experience with laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and power supplies.
- Strong problem-solving skills and willingness to learn and work across disciplines.
- Experience developing hardware for aerospace, defense, robotics, or other demanding applications.
- Knowledge of embedded systems, microcontrollers, sensors, motor controls, and power electronics.
- Experience with high-voltage or high-current systems.
What We’d Love:
- Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical field
- Familiarity with environmental qualification and functional testing.
- Experience coordinating with external PCB fabrication and assembly vendors.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving technical requirements.
- 3–7+ years of experience designing, building, and testing complex electrical hardware.
- Experience with three-phase motor drives, field-oriented control (FOC), and bidirectional power electronics.
- Proficiency in circuit design, schematic capture, PCB development, and component selection.
- Experience taking electrical systems from concept through prototype development and integration.
- Ability to independently own electrical design tasks and drive technical challenges to resolution.
- Experience with design-for-manufacturing, design-for-test, and engineering documentation.
- Strong cross-functional collaboration and technical communication skills
*Our vision is unique, and so is the team we’re building. If you’re driven to succeed in this role, even if your background doesn’t fully align with every qualification, we want your application.
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The position will be onsite at our El Segundo, California facility.
What We Offer:
- Equity-Based Compensation
- 401(k) retirement plan with a 3.5% company match
- Highly Competitive PTO
- Paid company holidays + winter break
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Unique Performance-based bonus opportunities
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 ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space Kinetic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.