Senior Electrical Engineer, Xona Space Systems
Power Electronics
$140-190k
Satellite navigation system
Open for applications
Satellite navigation system
21-100 employees
Open for applications
$140-190k
21-100 employees
Company mission
To remove the boundaries from modern technologies by providing precise and protected navigation services anywhere on Earth.
Role
Who you are
- B.S. in Electrical Engineering or a related field
- Understanding of solar panel and battery technologies, especially for aerospace or high-reliability applications
- Experience with PCB design, including power electronics layout and high-current routing
- Familiarity with battery management systems, power conversion, and safety circuitry
- Basic knowledge of EMI/EMC considerations and applicable aerospace standards (e.g., MIL-STD-461)
- Hands-on experience with electrical testing tools (e.g., oscilloscopes, power analyzers, logic analyzers)
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail in design and documentation
- A collaborative, team-oriented mindset and the ability to communicate effectively
- Bonus: Experience with electronics design for space and spacecraft power systems
- Work onsite in Burlingame, CA. You’ll work closely with the satellite team in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
- To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)
What the job involves
- We are looking for a Sr. Electrical Engineer to take ownership of the spacecraft’s power systems, including solar panels, batteries, battery control modules, and the power distribution system
- In this role, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and testing the electrical systems that generate, store, and distribute power throughout the satellite
- You will also own the development and maintenance of the power budget, and ensure compliance with EMI/EMC design standards
- This is a hands-on, cross-disciplinary role where you will work closely with experienced engineers across electrical, systems, mechanical, and software teams. It is a unique opportunity to build a critical subsystem of a cutting-edge space technology platform
- Design and develop the end-to-end solution of the satellite’s power subsystem, including solar arrays, batteries, battery control modules, and power distribution hardware
- Develop and manage the spacecraft power budget across all mission phases
- Design and validate battery management systems, including protection, charging, and state-of-health monitoring
- Support integration of power systems with other spacecraft subsystems
- Ensure designs are compliant with EMI/EMC standards and spaceflight reliability requirements
- Conduct schematic capture, PCB layout reviews, and component selection for power electronics
- Participate in electrical testing and validation at the unit, subsystem, and system levels
- Support hardware bring-up, debugging, and performance tuning in lab and flight environments
Our take
Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) is crucial for autonomy, tying vehicles to their environment and making autonomous operation possible. Xona Space Systems is developing a network of small satellites to provide high-precision PNT services, essential for modern technologies like autonomous vehicles and robotics.
The company has set its sites on pushing the limits of modern technology, setting itself apart in its space with its PULSAR service, which offers superior accuracy, availability, and security compared to traditional GPS. This makes it crucial for the widespread adoption of autonomous systems in unstructured environments.
The company has already secured millions in Series A funding, which will accelerate the deployment of its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. Its partnerships with the US Space Force and industry leaders highlight the growing confidence in its innovative approach, while future plans include the commercialisation of PULSAR, which will enable autonomous systems to operate effectively anywhere.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Company
Funding (last 2 of 7 rounds)
May 2024
$19m
SERIES A
Aug 2023
$1.2m
GRANT
Total funding: $54.3m
Company HQ
Baywood Park, CA
Leadership
Brian Manning
(CEO)Previously worked as a Responsible Engineer on Thrust Structure for SpaceX, and an Engineering Manager for Power Solutions International.
Tyler Reid
(CTO)Was also a Lecturer at Stanford University and a Research Engineer in Controls and Automated Systems at Ford Motor Company.
Adrien Perkins
(VP of Engineering)Worked as a Research Assistant for Stanford University and was Lead Software Developer at Callsnapp.
Bryan Chan
(VP of Corporate Strategy)Also the Co-Founder, President and CEO at Night Crew Labs. Previously Co-founded and was Technical Director for Mothership Communications.
Jerami Martin
(Mechanical Lead)Also works as a Mechanical Design and Systems Engineer at Pumpkin. Prior to this, they were an Engineer at Crosstrac Engineering.
Kazuma Gunning
(Director of Navigation and Software)Previously worked as a GNSS Modeling and Simulation Engineer for Booz Allen Hamilton and was a Doctoral Student at Stanford University.
Paul Tarantino
(Director of Integration and Test)After studying at Stanford University, they went on to work as a Propulsion and Fluid Flight Systems Engineering Intern for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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