Spacecraft Avionics Systems Lead (Level 3)

Summary

As the Spacecraft Avionics Systems Lead, you will serve as a senior technical leader and hands-on contributor responsible for the avionics architecture, integration, and performance of Firefly's spacecraft (including lunar landers and orbital vehicles). You will own key system-level decisions for command & data handling, power, GNC interfaces, communications, and related avionics functions while remaining deeply involved in requirements, interface definition, trade studies, and verification.

You will provide technical direction across hardware, firmware, software, and harnessing teams, mentor engineers, and drive best practices for reliable spacecraft avionics. This role requires strong systems thinking, deep avionics knowledge, and the ability to balance technical excellence with schedule and risk in a fast-paced startup environment.

Responsibilities

• Systems Leadership & Architecture: Define and own the spacecraft avionics architecture. Lead technical trade studies, requirements flow-down, interface control documents, and system-level design decisions that ensure performance, reliability, and compatibility across subsystems.
• Technical Direction & Mentorship: Provide technical guidance to avionics hardware, firmware, software, and harnessing engineers. Mentor teammates on systems approaches, integration challenges, and best practices. Lead design reviews and help raise the technical capability of the team.
• Hands-on Systems Engineering: Contribute directly to requirements definition, interface development, failure modes analysis, verification planning, and anomaly resolution. Stay involved in the details rather than pure oversight.
• Integration & Coordination: Work closely with GNC, structures, thermal, propulsion, ground systems, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of avionics with the overall spacecraft. Drive alignment between hardware, firmware, and software teams.
• Process & Reliability: Help establish clear processes for requirements management, interface control, verification & validation, and configuration management specific to spacecraft avionics. Champion reliability and risk reduction practices appropriate for spaceflight.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 8+ years of experience in spacecraft or aerospace avionics systems engineering, architecture, or closely related technical roles.
• Demonstrated experience defining avionics architectures, requirements, and interfaces for spacecraft, satellites, or similar systems.
• Strong understanding of command & data handling, power systems, GNC interfaces, communications, and harnessing in a spacecraft context.
• Experience working across hardware, firmware, and software disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to technically lead and mentor other engineers (formal people management not required).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to drive technical consensus across teams.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment with evolving requirements and aggressive schedules.

Desired

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Experience with lunar landers, orbital vehicles, or deep-space missions.
• Familiarity with radiation effects, fault tolerance, redundancy, and high-reliability design practices for space.
• Experience with requirements management tools, interface control documents, and verification planning.
• Exposure to spacecraft power, thermal, or GNC systems beyond pure avionics.
• Prior experience at a commercial space company or in a startup environment.
• Familiarity with relevant standards (e.g., ECSS, NASA, or commercial space practices).

Additional information

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, relocation benefits, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.