Avionics Engineer (Power Electronics)

Starpath is building the technology to enable human expansion into the Solar System. Starlight is our space solar product. Our goal is to build the lowest-cost, highest-performance space solar power system, capable of powering most new satellites around Earth and all Starpath equipment on the Moon and Mars. We are looking for a Power Electronics Avionics Engineer to own the design of Starlight's power electronics. Your immediate responsibility will be to develop a power converter from system architecture through qualification and production. This is a hands-on role that includes circuit design, simulation, hardware bring-up, testing, and failure investigation in close collaboration with systems, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineers.

Responsibilities

Own the design of a power converter for the Starlight solar array product from requirements through flight readiness; Translate system-level requirements into converter architecture and detailed electrical requirements; Select converter topologies and components based on efficiency, power density, reliability, mass, cost, and manufacturability; Design switching power stages, gate-drive circuits, magnetics, control loops, sensing, filtering, and protection circuitry; Perform circuit modeling, simulation, stability analysis, component derating, and worst-case analysis; Own schematic capture and power-electronics PCB layout, including high-current paths, switching nodes, grounding, isolation, thermal management, and EMI control; Build, bring up, characterize, and debug converter prototypes; Develop and execute tests for efficiency, regulation, transient response, stability, thermal performance, emissions, and fault behavior; Design for launch and space environments, including vibration, thermal vacuum, radiation, and electromagnetic compatibility; Define electrical interfaces between the solar array, converter, spacecraft power system, and avionics; Investigate failures, determine root causes, and implement design improvements; Partner with manufacturing and supply-chain teams to transition the design into reliable production; Maintain schematics, bills of materials, analyses, interface documentation, and test and qualification records

Requirements

3+ years of professional experience designing power electronics or power-conversion hardware; Experience taking a power converter from architecture through prototype, bring-up, and testing; Strong understanding of switch-mode power-converter topologies, control-loop design, magnetics, power semiconductors, and gate-drive design; Experience with current and voltage sensing, feedback networks, filtering, isolation, and hardware protection circuits; Strong understanding of grounding, parasitics, switching behavior, power integrity, and EMI/EMC fundamentals; Experience designing or directing the layout of multilayer power-electronics PCBs; Hands-on experience using oscilloscopes, electronic loads, power supplies, network analyzers, current probes, and differential probes; Experience with circuit simulation, tolerance analysis, hardware bring-up, and root-cause investigation; Degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent professional experience; A desire to make humans a multi-planet species; To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident, (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State

Nice to have

Experience designing power electronics for spacecraft, satellites, launch vehicles, aircraft, or other high-reliability systems; Experience with solar-array power electronics, maximum power point tracking, battery charging, or spacecraft electrical power systems; Experience designing high-efficiency, high-power-density DC-DC converters and custom magnetics; Experience with digital power control, embedded control firmware, or FPGA-based control; Knowledge of radiation effects, electrical component derating, and worst-case circuit analysis for space hardware; Experience designing for thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, and spaceflight EMC environments; Proficiency with Altium Designer, Cadence, LTspice, PSpice, PLECS, or similar tools; Experience supporting design-for-manufacturing, production testing, supplier qualification, or failure analysis

Benefits

Generous benefits including health, dental, vision, and retirement plans; Paid time off, holidays, and flexible policies to support balance; Professional growth opportunities through training and development; The chance to own high-impact work that directly shapes the future of robotics & space; A collaborative, mission-driven culture where craftsmanship and innovation are celebrated