Spacecraft Engineer - Office of the CTO

<div class="content-intro"><p>Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today, Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe— large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military. With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts.<br><br>Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization. Astranis has raised over $750 million from some of the world’s best investors, from Andreessen Horowitz to Blackrock and Fidelity, and employs a team of 450 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.</p></div><p>Astranis is seeking a motivated and experienced Spacecraft Engineer to join our dedicated team. This critical role involves the full lifecycle development of advanced small form-factor Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites. The successful candidate will be a key driver for cross-system trade studies, own satellite budgets, work to develop mission CONOPs, coordinate unit vehicle test planning readiness, and ensure that the satellites meet all mission design criteria.<br><br><strong>Role:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Lead the definition, documentation, and maintenance of the complete GEO spacecraft system architecture, including high-power payload accommodations, propulsion systems for orbit raising and station-keeping, and high-throughput communication links.</li> <li>Identify and rapidly solve cross-functional issues that arise at every stage of the satellite lifecycle.</li> <li>Define and manage spacecraft internal and external interfaces (mechanical, electrical, thermal, data) to ensure seamless integration and compatibility across subsystems, especially between Bus and Payload systems.</li> <li>Act as the technical owner and primary point of contact for critical system budgets, particularly Mass and Power Budgets.</li> <li>Establish and maintain technical budget tracking tools and reports, providing accurate, up-to-date status and forecasts to project leadership and stakeholders.</li> <li>Provide technical guidance and oversight to subsystem engineers, ensuring their designs are integrated correctly and meet system-level design criteria and budgets.</li> <li>Support Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT) activities and mission operations by leading the systems-level analysis and resolution of technical anomalies.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Requirements:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.) or a related technical discipline.</li> <li>3 to 10 years of experience in integrated system design, integration, and/or test.</li> <li>Experience as a hands-on engineer or other technical domain expert. Note that both junior and senior engineers are sought for this role.</li> <li>Track record of solving hard problems independently</li> <li>Ability to lead outside of the traditional reporting chain.</li> <li>Proven experience in managing complex technical budgets (e.g., mass, power) and enforcing design discipline.</li> <li>Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment, overcome obstacles with creative solutions, and clearly document/communicate tactical plans</li> </ul> <p><strong>Bonus:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Experience working through a complete GEO spacecraft development lifecycle.</li> <li>Familiarity with Smartsheet, Jira, and Confluence</li> <li>Deep technical experience across multiple domains</li> <li>Specific experience with GEO or high-power communication satellite systems.</li> </ul><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="description"><div><strong>What we offer: </strong></div> <div> </div> <div>All ou ... (truncated, view full listing at source)