Avionics Test Engineer Seen this week
About Cowboy Space
Cowboy Space is building infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. We operate Low Earth Orbit satellites that collect sunlight and enable new capabilities, from powering on-orbit compute to transmitting energy via infrared lasers. Founded in 2024 and backed by leading investors, we're solving complex technical challenges in space infrastructure.
The Role
The Avionics Team seeks an Avionics Test Engineer to lead validation, integration, and qualification of spacecraft electronics at board and system level. You will own development of test systems and methodologies to verify avionics hardware throughout the product lifecycle. You'll work closely with electrical design, PCB layout, firmware, and manufacturing teams to ensure boards meet performance, reliability, and mission requirements before deployment to space.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute board-level test plans for avionics, power electronics, communications hardware, and compute systems
- Design and build automated test equipment (ATE), hardware-in-the-loop (HITL), and custom test fixtures
- Perform bring-up, validation, and troubleshooting of complex PCB assemblies
- Develop test software, scripts, and automation frameworks to improve test coverage and manufacturing throughput
- Characterize electrical performance including power integrity, signal integrity, timing, and functional behavior
- Support root cause investigations, failure analysis, and corrective actions for hardware issues
- Collaborate with electrical and firmware engineers to debug hardware and system-level problems
- Support environmental qualification testing including thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC, and thermal cycling
- Analyze test results and generate detailed reports to support design reviews and flight readiness assessments
- Drive improvements in test infrastructure, manufacturing screening, and board-level reliability processes
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or related field
- 1-5+ years of experience testing and validating complex electronic hardware
- Experience with board bring-up, debugging, and failure analysis of PCB assemblies
- Experience using laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, power supplies, and electronic loads
- Experience developing automated test systems using Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, or similar tools
- Strong understanding of digital electronics, analog circuits, power systems, and embedded hardware
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience testing aerospace, satellite, defense, or other high-reliability electronic systems
- Experience with HITL testing, manufacturing test systems, and automated validation frameworks
- Familiarity with common digital interfaces such as Ethernet, PCIe, DDR, SPI, I2C, UART, and CAN
- Experience supporting FPGA, embedded, and mixed-signal hardware platforms
- Experience with environmental qualification testing including thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC, and thermal cycling
- Familiarity with IPC standards and electronics manufacturing processes
- Experience working in fast-paced startup environments
- Familiarity with radiation test campaigns for electronics
Compensation and Benefits
Salary: $110,000 - $150,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.
- Equity in Cowboy Space
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) retirement savings plan
- Paid time off and 10 paid holidays per calendar year
- Paid parental leave
- Relocation assistance if applicable
- Daily lunch in office and fully stocked kitchen
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.