Senior Electrical Design Engineer, Satellite Payload (Starlink)

Job Title

Senior Electrical Design Engineer, Satellite Payload (Starlink)

Role Summary

Responsible for end-to-end electrical hardware development for Starlink satellite payloads, including requirements capture, schematic and PCB design oversight, signal and power integrity analysis, hardware bring-up, qualification, and production support. The role works at the intersection of electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, and RF/antenna engineering to deliver mass-manufacturable, flight-qualified systems.

Experience Level

Senior — requires substantial prior experience; the posting requests 5+ years of relevant circuit or electronic product design and analysis experience.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include full life-cycle hardware development and cross-disciplinary integration.

• Design and deliver high-reliability satellite electronics from concept through production and on-orbit operation.
• Lead system trades, requirements capture, component selection, schematic capture, and PCB layout oversight.
• Perform signal and power integrity analysis, prototyping, hardware bring-up, debugging, and failure analysis.
• Define production test plans and support manufacturing and supply-chain engagement.
• Support satellite integration, flight qualification, and review on-orbit hardware performance; implement lessons learned into new designs.
• Collaborate closely with mechanical, thermal, software, test, supply chain, silicon, RF, and antenna teams to ensure tight electromechanical and thermal integration.
• Challenge assumptions, iterate quickly, and drive design improvements.

Requirements

Concise list of must-have and desirable qualifications and constraints.

• Must-have: 5+ years of experience in design or analysis of electronic circuits, products, or hardware.
• Must-have: Professional experience testing, troubleshooting, and debugging electronics.
• Must-have: Strong software skills for engineering tasks (Python, C/C++).
• Must-have: Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role and collaborate across disciplines.
• Must-have: Eligibility to work on U.S. export-controlled projects (U.S. person per ITAR) or ability to obtain necessary authorizations.
• Nice-to-have: Experience designing mixed-signal circuit boards and systems using processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, multi-GHz SerDes, DRAM interfaces (DDR4, LPDDR5), I2C, SPI, RF signal chains, ADCs/DACs, and power supply components.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with high-power mixed-signal ASICs, PAM4 SerDes, RF front ends, antenna elements, and space-grade hardware development.
• Additional: Willingness to work extended hours or weekends for mission-critical deadlines; occasional travel may be required.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or another STEM discipline is required. A Master’s degree in electrical or computer engineering (or similar) is preferred. No specific certifications were listed.

About the Company

Company: SpaceX

Headquarters: Hawthorne, California, United States

SpaceX is focused on developing space technologies to enable human exploration of Mars and beyond. The company is known for its advancements in rocketry and its Starlink satellite constellation, which delivers high-speed internet globally.