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Principal Electrical Design Engineer (CDH)

Irvine, CA

Join a team where your impact reaches beyond the stars! At Terran Orbital, you’re not just part of the system – you’re a vital force propelling our mission forward. As trailblazers in satellite manufacturing and aerospace innovation, we shatter boundaries daily to deliver groundbreaking solutions that power our nation’s defense and commercial missions. We are a unique, fast growing, and trusted team dedicated to swiftly and efficiently designing, building, launching, and operating state of the art satellites for advanced mission constellations. If you’re driven by purpose, inspired by challenges, and ready to leave your mark on the universe, you’ll find a home and endless opportunities for growth here. Together, let’s redefine what is possible in orbit and beyond!

Summary 

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Principal Electrical Design Engineer  to join our growing team. Reporting to the   Sr. Manager, IPT Lead – Command & Data Handling, the Principal Electrical Design Engineer will lead electrical design for command and data handling (CDH) subsystem modules. You will also interface with internal and external stakeholders, provide guidance to junior engineers, report progress and present at design reviews.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop CDH electrical designs that meet customer requirements
  • Schematic design for digital systems, distributed power regulation & control circuits, FPGA and microprocessors
  • Develop hardware requirements, specifications, verification, and validation plans
  • Perform circuit validation, prototyping and board bring-up
  • Prepare fabrication drawings, assembly drawings, BOMs, and documentation for design transfer to fabrication and assembly
  • Perform analysis, investigation, and resolution of engineering electrical systems problems
  • Collaborate with software, mechanical and system engineers to develop optimal solutions to complex problems
  • Support schematic and PCB layout peer review
  • Development of custom test interface hardware
  • Support system-level integration and testing activities
  • Support proposal development and new business opportunities

Qualifications and Skills

  • Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field
  • 12+ years of hardware development experience in full cycle development from concept to production, qualification, integration, and flight
  • Perform requirements capture, component selection, schematic design, PCB board and layout design, electronic system prototyping and validation, and design documentation
  • Working knowledge of common data bus peripherals (I2C, SPI, UART, RS-422, USB, Ethernet, DDR4, PCIe), multi-core processors, FPGAs, MPSoCs, opamps, switch-mode power converters, ADCs, DACs
  • Competency with standard test equipment: oscilloscope, power supply, multi-meter, logic analyzer
  • Familiarity with SCM-S-016, DO-160, and MIL-STD-461 Test Standards
  • Familiarity with Single Event Effects (SEE) and Radiation Testing
  • Ability to modify and rework circuit boards with surface mount technology
  • Methodical system debug skills
  • Schematic capture and PCB layout using Altium or Cadence/Allegro tools is preferred
  • Electrical circuit simulation using SPICE, signal and power integrity tools
  • Knowledge of PCB layout best practices
  • Meticulous design documentation and attention to detail
  • Proficient communication skills and ability to provide and receive constructive criticism
  • U.S. Person or lawful permanent resident to comply with U.S. government space technology export regulations.

Additional Differentiators:

  • Experience coding and debugging of embedded microcontrollers in C/C++
  • Experience in scripting test automation and data analysis in Python
  • Experience with FPGA hardware and HDL languages and Xilinx toolset
  • Experience in designing hardware for high reliability in space environment
  • RF system design and test experience

Your actual level and base salary will be determined case-by-case and may vary based on the job-related qualification, knowledge, skills, education, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer 100% covered medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) match, Flexible Time Off (FTO), covered life insurance, maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, employee referrals, and lots of swag! 

Salary Range

$170,000 - $210,000 USD

 Benefits

  • 100% Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
  • 401(k) Match
  • Flexible Time Off (FTO)
  • Education Reimbursement
  • Competitive Paid Parental Leave

About Terran Orbital 

Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of satellite products primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital provides end-to-end satellite solutions by combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and on-orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil, and commercial customers. Learn more at www.terranorbital.com

Physical Demands

An employee must meet the physical demands described to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. In performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely required to sit or stand for long durations of time, in addition to bending, reaching, and walking. This would require the ability to lift or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects up to 25 pounds. This position is generally sedentary, with substantial computer usage.

Work Environment

The job operates in a professional office environment but in a manufacturing company. This job routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and scanners.

Disclaimers

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, the applicant 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. In addition, please note that this position may require a current United States National Security clearance or eligibility for such a clearance.

Terran Orbital is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at hr@terranorbital.com.

Terran Orbital does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with Terran Orbital, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) must be executed and confirmed prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed MSA, Terran Orbital shall not be responsible to any individual or entity for any payment relating to any form of fee or compensation.

And, in the event that a resume or candidate is submitted by a recruiter, an employment agency, or a staffing firm without a fully executed MSA, Terran Orbital has the unrestricted right to pursue and hire any of those candidate(s) without any legal or financial responsibility to the recruiter, agency, and/or firm. 

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