Space Systems Founding Engineer at Azora | San Francisco, US | Rezi

Space Systems Founding Engineer at Azora

Space Systems Founding Engineer

Azora · San Francisco, US

1 weeks ago

Space Systems Founding Engineer

Azora · San Francisco, US

9 days ago
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About the Role

Lead the development of Azora's space segment, including flight terminals and avionics, for optical communications technology. You will own the space system architecture, requirements, and verification program, and build and lead a multidisciplinary team from concept through launch and on-orbit commissioning.

Responsibilities

  • Own end-to-end space segment architecture: optical terminal, avionics, structures, thermal, power, and interfaces to host spacecraft or bus.
  • Lead requirements development and flow-down from mission and link-budget level to subsystem and component specifications.
  • Drive the design review cadence (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and the verification and validation program, including environmental qualification (vibration, shock, TVAC, EMC, radiation).
  • Manage technical interfaces with launch providers, bus manufacturers, and hosted payload partners, including ICD development and negotiation.
  • Build and lead the space systems team: systems engineers, AIT engineers, and technicians; establish processes proportionate to a startup (tailored ECSS/NASA standards, not bureaucracy).
  • Own risk management, parts and materials assurance strategy (EEE parts, radiation lot testing), and reliability analysis for the flight program.
  • Plan and lead assembly, integration, and test (AIT) campaigns and launch site operations; oversee on-orbit commissioning and anomaly resolution.
  • Support business development with technical input to proposals, customer engagements, and program schedules/costing.

Requirements

  • BS/MS in Aerospace, Electrical, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
  • 8+ years in spacecraft or space payload development, with at least one program taken through full qualification and launch.
  • Strong systems engineering foundation: requirements management, budgets (mass, power, link, pointing), V&V planning, and risk management.
  • Direct experience with environmental qualification and AIT of flight hardware.
  • Demonstrated technical leadership of multidisciplinary engineering teams.
  • Experience with optical payloads, laser communication terminals, or precision pointing systems in space.
  • Familiarity with smallsat/NewSpace development models and hosted payload integration.
  • Knowledge of radiation effects and mitigation for electronics and optics.
  • Experience interfacing with government customers and programs (NASA, ESA, DoD/SDA) and associated review processes.
  • Prior startup or small-team experience scaling engineering processes.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Skills

  • Systems engineering
  • Requirements management
  • Budget management (mass, power, link, pointing)
  • Verification and validation planning
  • Risk management
  • Environmental qualification
  • Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT)
  • Technical leadership
  • Optical payloads
  • Laser communication terminals
  • Precision pointing systems
  • Smallsat/NewSpace development models
  • Hosted payload integration
  • Radiation effects and mitigation
  • Government customer interfacing
  • Proposal technical input
  • Program scheduling and costing

Experience Level

  • 8+ years in spacecraft or space payload development

Education Level

  • BS/MS in Aerospace, Electrical, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field

Benefits

  • Generous equity
  • Competitive healthcare (including options for vision and dental)
  • 401(k)
  • Unlimited PTO

About the Company

  • Azora is building high-bandwidth communications infrastructure for environments where fiber can’t reach.
  • This work spans LEO spacecraft constellations, lunar exploration missions, GEO satcom, deployable optical ground for defense, and data centers both on- and off-world.
  • To enable rapid global proliferation Azora is developing compact and modular optical terminals small enough to deploy from a backpack, and space terminals that support high speed optical links from LEO out to the Moon.

Equal Opportunity

  • Azora is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
  • If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know by contacting info@azora.space