Senior Avionics Engineer

Senior Avionics Engineer

Location: Playa Vista, California (in-person, five days per week)

Launch has changed the economics of space. Now it is time to return. 

Outpost is building the missing infrastructure between orbit and Earth: reusable vehicles that can bring payloads back from space and deliver them to a precise location within hours. We call it exologistics, space-to-Earth logistics at planetary scale. This is not a paper concept or a distant roadmap. Our system is in active development, with core technologies advancing toward flight readiness. 

The need is already here and the market has responded. We have validated demand through multiple defense and civil agreements, and a growing pipeline across government and commercial customers.  

Outpost is building the logistics layer that makes space economically useful in a new way: the ability to move material from orbit to Earth quickly, reliably, and affordably. Over time, that supports point-to-point logistics, 10 tons of cargo, anywhere on Earth in an hour. It also creates the foundation for a reusable reentry network and enables new categories of space activity, including in-space manufacturing, supporting AI data centers, advanced manufacturing and novel materials. 

We have a strong foundation, clear demand, and a technical path in front of us. Now the company is scaling rapidly. We are expanding the team, growing our operational footprint, and building the systems needed to execute at the next level. This is a chance to join a company with real traction, working on a problem that matters, at the point where execution and scale begin to define the outcome.

The Team

The Avionics team is responsible for the design, testing, and production of electronic systems for Outpost’s Earth return vehicles and ground support equipment. You'll collaborate closely with engineers across multiple domains to create efficient and sustainable solutions. This position offers the chance to engage in all aspects of spacecraft development and own avionics subsystems from end to end, from architecture and requirements definition through design, test, integration, and providing support during flight and re-entry.

Responsibilities

• Develop electrical architectures, design circuits, capture schematics, and lay out PCBAs.
• Design custom electrical harnesses and oversee harness builds.
• Make build vs. buy decisions to best satisfy design, schedule, and budget requirements.
• Develop and support electrical ground equipment and test hardware, including HITL and FlatSat setups.
• Drive root-cause analysis and troubleshooting of electronics-related issues in spacecraft and ground systems.
• Interface directly with external vendors to ensure that hardware is delivered on time and with expected quality.
• Contribute to defining avionics team best practices such as documentation, design reviews, and hardware-related development processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience designing and building electrical hardware for high-reliability applications such as aerospace, defense, or automotive.
• Experience with PCBs/PCBA, Wiring & Harnessing. 
• Working knowledge of aerospace materials and their behavior in extreme thermal environments. 
• Hands-on experience with electrical test equipment (e.g., multimeters, signal generators, oscilloscopes, electronic loads).

Preferred Experience

• Ability to write software scripts to automate hardware testing in Python or a similar language.
• Prior clean-sheet design projects in one or more of the following areas: embedded systems, power distribution, instrumentation and sensor selection, avionics, analog and mixed-signal circuits.
• Experience designing electronics which balance radiation tolerance with budgetary and schedule constraints.
• Experience with integrating a vehicle system and/or debugging system-level electrical issues.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive compensation: $175,000 – $185,000; (commensurate with experience).
• Additional Compensation:  Annual performance-based bonuses that reward your impact.
• Shared upside: Meaningful equity in Outpost so you share directly in the value you help create.
• Comprehensive healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage to keep you and your loved ones covered. We cover the base tier of medical insurance and all premiums of vision and dental. 
  
• Protection when it matters: Company-provided short- and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind, plus life insurance for even more security.
• PTO: Recharge on your own terms with paid time off, plus 9 days of paid holidays.
• Invest in your future: 401(k) with company match to help you build long-term wealth.
• Fueled for the mission: Daily DoorDash lunch stipend, plus unlimited snacks, coffee, and tea to keep you energized.
• Mission that matters: Work shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders from aerospace, new space, and deep-tech industries building the future of orbital infrastructure.
• Pet Friendly Office: Bring your furry friend into the office so that they can be a part of our mission too.
• Monthly Company Happy Hours and Events: Drinks at the local bar, hibachi nights, mini golfing and more! 

You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 , or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State