About this opportunity
AdAstra Talent Advisors lists this Head of Electrical Engineering opportunity in washington, District of Columbia. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Our client is turning space into a factory floor. For decades, the semiconductor industry has faced a trade-off: the harder you push for performance, the more you sacrifice on yield and reliability. This early‑stage team is changing that. They are developing off‑Earth foundries that leverage the ultra‑high vacuum of space to produce materials with purity and defect performance that no terrestrial fab can match.
This is not a science project; this is entirely new industrial capability, with launches already on the manifest. That means real hardware, rapid iteration, and a willingness to challenge assumptions from first principles as they design, fly, and improve mission by mission.
About the Role
This role is pivotal to making off‑Earth manufacturing a reality. You will own the electrical systems that bring the manufacturing hardware to life, translating ambiguous mission and business requirements into flightworthy hardware and integration plans, and defining how the electrical team operates as they scale.
You will work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with exceptional engineers across disciplines, carrying hardware from first concept through flight and every iteration after. This is the kind of role where the right person shapes the engineering playbook, not just executes it.
Responsibilities
Lead electrical design and R&D for the reusable autonomous manufacturing vessels, including architecture, trade studies, detailed design, and integration across power electronics, avionics, RF, instrumentation, and test interfaces.
Directly own major ECAD assemblies and electrical product structure/BOM for critical systems, holding strong configuration discipline and high‑quality release packages.
Drive the full hardware lifecycle from blank‑sheet concept through schematic capture, PCB layout, prototype build, board bring‑up, verification, qualification, and integration.
Design and analyze circuits for high‑power electronics, power conversion and distribution, and mixed‑signal interfaces, using space‑rated and radiation‑tolerant components.
Lead hands‑on assembly, lab bring‑up, and integration, and develop the post‑launch checkout and test flows needed for repeated flight operations.
Build out HITL and bench test capabilities to validate subsystem behavior, close requirements, and accelerate debugging across development and integration.
Define the direction of the team's electrical engineering and set the technical standard, leading and mentoring engineers as the team grows.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a similar technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
8+ years of progressive electrical design engineering experience developing complex hardware from concept through build, integration, and test.
Strong proficiency in a modern ECAD platform (Altium, Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, Xpedition, or similar) with released documentation packages, revision control, and PDM/PLM workflows.
Strong electrical design fundamentals: analog and mixed‑signal design, power electronics, grounding and shielding, component selection, radiation protection, interface definition, and hardware verification.
Hands‑on build and assembly experience; comfortable in the lab, on the floor, or working directly with suppliers to debug interfaces and close issues.
Preferred Experience
Space robotics background, or electrical design for precisely controlled mechanisms and the control circuitry behind them.
Experience developing spacecraft, satellite, launch, or other hardware built for vacuum, thermal, vibration, shock, and radiation environments.
Track record designing, integrating, or qualifying high‑reliability electronics with space‑rated, radiation‑tolerant, or rad‑hard components.
Comfort developing HITL systems, automated test, or qualification setups, with scripting in Python, MATLAB, or similar.
Hands‑on time supporting environmental and qualification testing, including thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, and EMI/EMC.
Compensation
Annual base pay of $175,000–$225,000, plus meaningful early‑stage equity.
Logistical Requirements
Willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed around test campaigns, flight readiness, and major customer milestones.
Ability to travel for short and extended trips as needed.
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), (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.
About AdAstra
AdAstra Talent Advisors is a headhunting and talent advising firm focused on the Climate, Space, and Defense sectors of Hard Tech. We specialize in pairing highly technical and executive talent with some of the world’s leading Hard Tech startups.
At AdAstra, we catalyze the innovations that future generations depend on by placing the right people in the right seats. Our dedicated work enables inconceivable technology from Earth, to the stars. And it’s all because of trailblazing talent like you - those driven to do what’s never been done before.
We care about long term relationships with both candidates and companies. Even if the role we initially discuss isn’t a perfect fit, it’s likely we’ll have something relevant to share with you in the future.
Join us on our journey by following along via LinkedIn!
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Worksite address
washington, DC, 20022, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.