Cowboy Space is a startup building orbital data-center satellites and an in-house rocket program to launch them.
Avionics Engineer, Flight Computer Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth. Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure. The Role We're looking for a Flight Computer Avionics Engineer to own the design, development, integration, and qualification of our spacecraft flight computer. You'll be responsible for delivering reliable, radiation-tolerant avionics hardware that serves as the central computing platform for our spacecraft. This is a hands-on individual contributor role for someone who enjoys taking complex hardware from architecture through production and flight. You'll work closely with software, GNC, power, RF, thermal, and mechanical engineers to develop avionics capable of operating in the harsh environment of space. Responsibilities - Architect and design spacecraft flight computer hardware from concept through flight qualification. - Own schematic capture, component selection, board bring-up, debugging, and verification. - Design high-reliability digital electronics using modern processors, SoCs, FPGAs, memory, and high-speed interfaces. - Develop fault-tolerant architectures including redundancy, watchdogs, fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR). - Define interfaces between the flight computer and all spacecraft subsystems, including power, propulsion, GNC, payloads, communications, and telemetry. - Lead board-level validation, hardware characterization, environmental testing, and design verification. - Partner closely with embedded software and FPGA engineers to enable hardware/software integration. - Support manufacturing, DFM/DFT reviews, supplier engagement, and production test development. - Drive EMC/EMI compliance, signal integrity, power integrity, and reliability analysis. - Support spacecraft integration, environmental qualification, launch campaigns, and on-orbit anomaly resolution. - Contribute to system architecture and technical decision making across the avionics organization. Basic Qualifications - BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline. - 5+ years developing complex digital hardware. - Experience designing processor-based embedded systems. - Strong schematic capture and board-level debugging experience. - Experience with DDR memory, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, PCIe, SpaceWire, or similar interfaces. - Familiarity with FPGA-based systems and embedded processors. - Experience bringing hardware from prototype through production. - Proficiency using tools such as Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, or equivalent. - Strong lab debugging skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers, and related equipment. Preferred Qualifications - Experience designing spacecraft or launch vehicle avionics. - Experience with radiation-tolerant or radiation-hardened electronics. - Familiarity with ECSS, NASA, or MIL hardware design standards. - Experience with fault-tolerant computing architectures. - Knowledge of high-speed digital design, SI/PI analysis, and timing closure. - Experience with environmental qualification including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, and EMI/EMC testing. - Familiarity with embedded Linux, RTOS, or bare-metal software development. - Experience supporting hardware through launch and flight operations. Compensation and Benefits The salary range for this position is $120,000 - $175,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity. - Equity in Cowboy Space Corp. - Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance - 401(k) retirement savings plan - Paid time off - 10 paid holidays per calendar year - Paid parental leave - Relocation assistance if applicable - Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks ITAR Requirements - Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here. Disclaimer This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion. Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition