Director of Avionics

Job description

Director of Avionics  Location: Playa Vista, California (in-person, five days per week) The return lane isn’t going to build itself. Come build it with us. Outpost is an orbital logistics company rewriting the rules of global logistics by building reusable Earth-return vehicles that unlock in-space manufacturing, on-orbit warehousing, and 60-minute global delivery through space. Our CarryAll vehicle family returns payloads ranging from 200 kilograms to 10 metric tons, lands within 10 meters of its target, and can then be refurbished and launched again. One vehicle, many missions: responsive logistics and precision delivery for national security; commercial cargo moved with real cadence; R&D payloads flown, tested, and refined across repeatable cycles; and critical aid delivered where roads and runways can’t reach. The demand is already here, validated through defense and civil agreements and supported by a growing pipeline of government and commercial customers. We have the customers, the team, and a clear technical path ahead of us. We’re building the return lane. Come build it with us. 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 - Capture vehicle avionics requirements. - Evaluate new EEE components, system architectures, and hardware designs. - Prototype new avionics hardware. - Own development of flight hardware, ground hardware, and test hardware. - Interface directly with external vendors. - Manage a small team including flight software, embedded software, and avionics design engineering. - Define avionics design, manufacturing, test, and conops procedures. - Interface with leadership for project management, budgeting, hiring, and scheduling. Qualifications - 4+ years of experience designing and building electrical hardware for high-reliability applications such as aerospace, defense, or automotive. - First principles knowledge of electrical engineering. - Experience with PCB/PCBA design, manufacturing, bring-up and test. - Experience with embedded software development. - Working knowledge of qualification and acceptance testing practices. - Working knowledge of component derating, fault tolerance, and reliability engineering. Preferred Experience - Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or related field. - Familiarity with C/C++, Python, and AI coding practices. - Schematic capture and PCB layout experience. - EEE component radiation testing experience. - Power electronics design experience. - RF hardware design experience. Compensation & Benefits - Competitive compensation: $250,000 – $300,000; (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 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2022-title22-vol1/CFR-2022-title22-vol1-sec120-15 , or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State