Space Electronics Design Engineer at HEO in Sydney NSW

Space Electronics Design Engineer

HEO is the world's first commercial non-Earth imaging (NEI) and insights services company. NEI involves capturing resolved imagery of space objects using cameras mounted on other satellites, and deriving information and intelligence from the captured imagery. Our technology helps governments and commercial companies to visually monitor their spacecraft and other space objects they care about. Our vision is to image anything in the solar system on-demand. Read more about NEI here (https://www.heospace.com/white-papers/identification-and-characterisation-of-space-objects-through-non-earth-imaging).

We are building out a high performing interdisciplinary team capable of pushing the boundaries of space technology. We are growing fast and looking for talented, passionate people that value collaboration, growth and learning to join our team.

HEO is a post Series-A company backed by high profile venture funds including Airtree, Y Combinator and In-Q-Tel. We are headquartered in Sydney with offices in London, Tokyo, UK and Washington DC.

About the role:

HEO designs and builds high-performance optical payloads for space to support HEO's in-orbit imaging operations. As a Space Electronics Design Engineer, you'll be a key player in creating our next-generation systems. You'll tackle crucial electronics challenges, taking charge of interfacing boards, thermal control systems, and focal control designs for our upcoming payloads. In our fast-paced, agile setting, you'll collaborate with a diverse hardware team to engineer high-reliability electronics built to endure extreme environments.

Your key responsibilities:

• Contribute to the full electronics lifecycle, from initial design and prototyping through iteration and production.
• Design interface boards, thermal control systems, and focal control hardware for Next Gen optical payloads.
• Handle schematic capture and PCB layouts for high-speed signals (e.g. Ethernet).
• Integrate microcontrollers and interface directly with image sensors.
• Design custom wiring harnesses, cabling, and system electrical routing.
• Build automated test rigs and scripts to validate Printed Circuit Assemblies (PCAs).
• Implement control systems and design fault-tolerant circuits with protection against common electrical failures.
• Apply EMI mitigation techniques to ensure signal integrity and pass compliance.

We are looking for someone with:

• A degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Systems Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of hands-on experience designing electronics across the full hardware lifecycle.
• Background working in small teams or startups taking hardware to market.
• Practical PCB design experience with high-speed signal routing.
• Experience integrating microcontrollers and camera sensors.
• Experience building automated test setups for PCAs.
• Hands-on experience with control systems.
• Practical knowledge of circuit protection, fault isolation, and EMI best practices.
• Excellent organisational, project management and documentation skills.

Nice to have:

• Knowledge and experience with FPGAs.
• Experience designing electronics for space or harsh environments.

HEO's Company Values:

We value good space citizenship. We are passionate about responsible space custodianship, sustainability and trust. We believe that space should be easy and transparent. Our values help us to tackle some of the most complex issues in space for the benefit of all of humanity.

As a team, we are committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for employees from all backgrounds.

Perks, benefits & culture:

HEO is one of Australia's fastest-growing space technology companies. At HEO, we're committed to creating the best working environment where everyone thrives, values collaboration, encourages innovation and shares the common goal of making space transparent. Here's some of the ways we achieve that goal:

• Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP). Own a piece of HEO!
• Convenient location in Sydney's Tech Central with end of trip facilities (bicycle parking and showers)
• Flexible leave options so you can recharge and relax when best suits you - no forced leave during office shutdowns
• Paid parental leave for everyone
• A supportive environment that fosters cross-team collaboration. We learn by trial and celebrate our wins together
• Fireside chats every other Friday where we showcase what someone's working on or something new in our industry, with some snacks and maybe a game of ping-pong or two
• Quarterly team events to share achievements we're proud of (no matter how big or small) plus an annual event that brings together our team and customers

Our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion, as well as how you can enhance HEO and our culture. Research shows that women and underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single competency or experience. If you are excited about this role, but your past experience doesn't align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be just the right person for this role and HEO. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at time of application and throughout the interview process.

The successful candidate must be an Australian citizen and will be required to undergo a background check.

We kindly request no unsolicited resumes or approaches from recruitment agencies. HEO is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. The successful candidate will be required to submit to a background check. Please refer to our privacy policy regarding how your data will be handled: https://www.heospace.com/policy-html (https://www.heospace.com/policy-html)