Systems Integration Engineer

Systems Integration Engineer 

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

Outpost is pioneering Earth return logistics for space. We're building vehicles that can return payloads from orbit safely and precisely—enabling faster space-based manufacturing, global delivery, and entirely new capabilities in the space economy. Our spacecraft is already backed by the U.S. government with multiple missions ahead. We’re a mission-focused team, building with urgency, grit, and care for the work we do and the people we do it with. 

The Team 

As the Systems Integration Engineer, you will own system-level integration of avionics, sensors, and test hardware used for Outpost’s airdrop and recovery tests. You will work closely with avionics, GNC, mechanical, and test engineering teams to ensure our integrated systems work reliably from bench checkout to full-scale drop tests. 

You’ll lead integration planning, hands-on assembly, end-to-end system validation, and support root-cause analysis when things don’t behave as expected. This role is highly cross-functional and requires both big-picture thinking and meticulous debugging skills. 

Qualifications:  

• 5+ years of experience in aerospace or aviation doing systems engineering, avionics integration, or flight hardware integration.
• Work on-site in Playa Vista, California
• Strong understanding of digital communication protocols common in aerospace systems (e.g., CAN, RS-422/485, UART, SPI, I2C).
• Familiarity with analog sensors, signal conditioning, grounding, and noise management.
• Comfortable using hand tools for harness assembly, hardware mounting, and benchtop test setups.
• Proven experience in avionics troubleshooting, fault isolation, and resolving hardware/software integration issues.
• Experience working hands-on at test ranges, flight tests, drop tests, or similar field environments.
• Ability to write clear integration documentation, procedures, and troubleshooting guides.
• Strong cross-functional communication and ability to translate between disciplines (avionics, mechanical, GNC, test ops).
• A willingness to be hands-on, adaptable, and operate with urgency in a fast-moving hardware environment. 

Responsibilities: 

• Lead system-level integration of avionics, sensors, power systems, and test hardware for airdrop and recovery tests.
• Develop system architecture diagrams, interface definitions, wiring schematics, and integration plans.
• Own bench-level assembly and checkout, using common hand tools and test equipment to bring subsystems online.
• Work with avionics and GNC engineers to ensure compatibility across digital and analog interfaces, including bus timing, bandwidth, and noise considerations.
• Configure, test, and troubleshoot communications using common aerospace protocols. 
• Implement sensor bring-up, calibration workflows, and data validation for analog and mixed-signal hardware.
• Support hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and end-to-end test setups, including scripting, data monitoring, and test execution.
• Perform avionics troubleshooting, including power-up failures, communication losses, sensor anomalies, grounding issues, and EMI-related problems.
• Lead integration activities during field tests and airdrop campaigns, working hands-on with recovery and test operations teams.
• Drive root-cause analysis and corrective actions for flight and ground anomalies.
• Document integration procedures, checkout steps, and system configurations to support reliability and repeatability. 

Additional Skills or Expertise 

• Experience with HIL systems, test scripting, or telemetry tools.
• Familiarity with parachute, paraglider, or airdrop systems.
• Experience working with environmental test labs or DO-160-style qualification.
• Harness design or rapid-prototyping experience. 

Compensation: 

• 130,000 – 160,000, Salary may vary with experience
• Incentive Equity
• Annual Performance-Based Bonus
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• PTO
• 401k with Company match
• Subsidized daily catered lunch, snacks and coffee 

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.