Senior Electrical Engineer - Spacecraft Power Systems & Bus Architecture
Portal Space Systems
We are seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer with deep expertise in hardware electrical design for spacecraft, particularly in power systems engineering and bus-level power management.
Responsibilities
- Architect and design spacecraft power systems including solar array interfaces, battery charge/discharge regulation, power distribution units (PDUs), and system-level grounding schemes.
- Lead development of the main spacecraft power bus: voltage regulation, load management, protection, and redundancy strategies.
- Perform trade studies and system sizing for battery capacity, solar array performance, and bus architecture optimization.
- Develop schematics, PCB layouts, and cable harnessing for power boards and interface hardware.
- Drive hardware bring-up, functional testing, and fault isolation on power boards and integrated systems.
- Collaborate with systems, mechanical, and thermal engineers to align EPS design with mission requirements and spacecraft constraints.
- Contribute to environmental testing for acceptance and qualification and EMI/EMC compliance for power hardware.
- Coordinate with Launch Providers on interfaces and concept of operations during payload integration, launch pad and waking up in space.
Basic Qualifications
- B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field.
- 5+ years of experience designing power systems for aerospace, spacecraft, or other high-reliability platforms.
- Strong understanding of power electronics design, including DC-DC converters, battery management systems, and overcurrent/undervoltage protection circuits.
- Proficiency with ECAD tools (e.g., Altium Designer) for board design and system schematics.
- Hands-on experience testing and debugging flight or flight-like power hardware in lab and system testbeds.
Preferred skills & Experience
- Experience with spacecraft power architectures including unregulated and regulated bus designs.
- Knowledge of space-grade components, derating guidelines, and radiation effects on power electronics.
- Familiarity with power system modeling and analysis tools (e.g., PLECS, SPICE).
- Experience with EPS integration and operations on actual flight programs.
- Familiarity with standards such as NASA-STD-4005, ECSS-E-ST-20-20, or NASA power interface specs.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Portal. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage. Portal is planning to establish future access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks. Employees typically have 2-3 weeks of paid vacation per year plus company holidays.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, the applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka 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.