Senior Rad-Hard Electronics Design Engineer

The challenge

A next-gen space payload needs to process 100+ Gbps of sensor data on orbit using rad-hard electronics. You will architect a processing pipeline that gets commercial performance from rad-hard devices.

Role overview

You design radiation-hardened electronics for space and national security systems. Component selection, radiation analysis, circuit board design, and testing to survive the space radiation environment for mission lifetimes exceeding 15 years. The gap between commercial and rad-hard performance is the engineering problem; closing it without compromising reliability is the job.

Specializations

Technical requirements

• BSEE or MSEE with focus on digital or mixed-signal electronics
• 8+ years in space electronics design, with 4+ years on classified programs
• Experience with rad-hard and rad-tolerant component selection and qualification (MIL-PRF-38535, QMLV/QMLY)
• Understanding of radiation effects on electronics: TID, SEE, displacement damage
• Proficiency in FPGA design for rad-hard devices (Microchip RTG4 or equivalent)
• Active Top Secret clearance required

Key responsibilities

• Design radiation-hardened digital and mixed-signal electronics for satellite payload applications
• Select and qualify radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant components for space missions
• Perform total ionizing dose and single-event effects analysis for electronic designs
• Architect digital processing pipelines using rad-hard FPGAs (Microchip RTG4) and rad-tolerant FPGAs (Xilinx XQRKU060)
• Specify circuit board designs for space applications including thermal management requirements, EMI shielding specifications, and conformal coating requirements
• Support radiation testing campaigns at proton and heavy-ion beam facilities

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary: $170,000 - $200,000
• Annual bonus 10-12%
• Clearance premium included in base
• 9/80 work schedule
• Retirement plan with 8% company contribution