The Company
Astra's mission is to improve life on Earth from space by creating a healthier and more connected planet. Astra delivered its first commercial payload into Earth orbit in 2021, making it the fastest company in history to reach this milestone, just five years after being founded in 2016. By achieving monthly, weekly, then daily launches, we'll create the infrastructure services our customers need in space to build a healthier and more connected planet. If you're excited by a sense of possibility, the chance to innovate, and make a difference here on Earth, we think you should work here too.
The Team
The Spacecraft team is chartered with designing, developing, validating, and flying Astra manufactured satellites, all from the ground up. This is a fast-paced, autonomous group able to define a new method of small sat development. We are looking for talented individuals able to question the industry status quo and make impactful contributions to the overall approach and system design. If you are a self-starter with spacecraft experience looking to have real responsibility and ownership of your work, we want to hear from you!
The Opportunity
In this role, you will work to define space segment architectures, develop complex, state-of-the-art systems for space-based applications enabling our commercial and government customers. You will be a member of a high-performance team interacting with product management, technical program management, design & analysis engineers, integration and test engineers and senior technologists.
You will be supporting the definition, design and modelling of our space segment. You will be responsible for orbital modelling, parametric design models, requirements development, payload architecture integration, and satellite system design. You will model orbit and pane determination, constellation geometry, OISL configurations, optimal launch strategy and on-orbit networking. Some of the areas you will contribute to include:

• Perform modelling of various constellation designs and satellite orbits using STK. Develop parametric design modelling tools for spacecraft, payload and constellation design studies.
• Evaluates product needs to define and coordinate system performance requirements, integrate technical parameters and assure compatibility of all physical, functional and program interfaces
• Work closely with systems and design engineers to rapidly assess conceptual designs, perform system trade studies, develop integrated design solutions, formulate system margin strategy and performance parameters
• Support system and sub-system level architecture development, requirements definition, analysis, multi-segment interface definition, functional decomposition, and CONOPS activities
• Document system-level architecture, system models, results of trade studies, functional flow block diagrams, and data flows

How You'll Fulfill Your Mission

• Partner: With our engineering and product teams to create and define the Space Segment of our Constellation System that will make a difference in how Astra operates and give your perspective on how the teams should best do their work
• Build: The system to meet the customers need and inform engineering trades in support of engineering requirements for the Constellation System
• Collaborate: Across the engineering, manufacturing, operations and product organizations to integrate and ensures the system and its elements integrate and meet the architectural intent
• Develop: Create and oversee processes that will enable Astra to stay disciplined in architecture definition

Why We Value You

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in an Engineering field or other related field
• Requires 5+ years related experience working in a technical capacity
• Experience in individual satellite and constellation systems design and modelling using Ansys Systems Tool Kit (STK), or equivalent
• Experience creating custom analysis tools in MATLAB, Python, or equivalent
• Experience in CONOPS development, trade studies, and requirements/interface definitions
• Experience in architectural design leveling development risk across various elements with simple easy verifiable interfaces
• Experience in modelling & defining systems

Desired Multipliers

• Master's Degree or higher in Engineering, preferably aerospace or mechanical
• 8+ years of experience in aerospace systems analysis or systems engineering
• Experience with large scale end-to-end satellite and constellation system architecture development
• Experience across the product life cycle (pre-conceptual design through field support)
• Working knowledge in the use of 3-D CAD tools and configuration and data management software (Siemens NX and Teamcenter preferred)
• Experience working with customers, subcontractors and vendors in various levels, technical and business relationship engagements

ITAR Requirements: This position requires compliance with U.S. Government space technology trade restrictions, specifically the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and additional regulations governing satellite, launch vehicle, missile, and other related technologies. All jobs restricted by these regulations will be contingent upon the applicant's status as a documented U.S. Person or their ability to receive a trade license from the cognizant government agency; in addition to any required company background checks and in compliance with applicable U.S. and California laws. Similarly, positions requiring the ability to work on government contracts or a security clearance are also contingent upon the applicants ability to receive the appropriate clearance and be allowed to work on U.S. government contracts.
You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Astra, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.
San Francisco Applicants: Astra will consider applicants with arrest and conviction records (criminal histories) in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.