Lead Electrical Engineer at ThinkOrbital in Boulder, CO

Job Title:

Lead Electrical Engineer

Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Employment Type:

Full-time

Salary Range:

From $160,000 to $180,000 depending on experience

About ThinkOrbital:

ThinkOrbital is developing breakthrough technologies to defend, service, and build in space. From pioneering autonomous welding in orbit to long-range X-ray imaging systems for space domain awareness and infrastructure inspection, we are redefining what’s possible in the final frontier. Our team is made up of driven engineers, scientists, and operators who thrive in a fast-paced, mission-focused environment.

Position Summary:

We’re looking for an Electrical Engineer to join our team to be the lead contributor for our electrical architecture, design, integration, and testing. This role spans system-level power and communications design through hands-on bring-up and environmental testing, working closely with a cross-disciplinary team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and development of satellite payload and drone electrical systems, including:
• Schematics and board layouts for avionics and flight electronics
• Ground support and test equipment
• Hands-on board bring-up, debugging, rework, and failure investigation
• Perform electrical load analysis, component derating, and worst-case circuit analysis
• Define and document system communication architectures (SPI, I2C, Ethernet, LVDS, etc.)
• Define and document power distribution systems ranging from low voltage (<36V) through high-voltage subsystems (20kV - 150kV)
• Lead and support electrical integration and checkout activities during AI&T
• Develop and execute electrical system test plans and support major environmental tests (TVAC, vibration, EMC/EMI, etc.)
• Interface closely with hardware, firmware, software, and program engineers to close design loops and resolve issues
• Support technical documentation, ICD development, and flight configuration control

Mandatory Qualifications:

• Must be a US Citizen
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in aerospace electrical design and implementation
• Proficiency in PCB design using Altium or equivalent tools
• Strong experience in system-level electrical design (power distribution, grounding, noise mitigation)
• Working knowledge of component derating and reliability practices
• Hands-on experience with board bring-up and debugging using lab equipment (oscilloscopes, DMMs, power supplies, etc.)
• Experience with soldering, rework, and documenting troubleshooting efforts
• Familiarity with microcontroller programming (C/C++)
• Strong understanding of space environment constraints (radiation, vacuum, vibration, thermal extremes)
• Excellent communication and technical documentation skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, hands-on, team-oriented environment
• Self-starter with strong ownership mentality — comfortable working independently and tackling ambiguous technical challenges

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with circuit modelling and simulation tools (LTspice, MATLAB, etc.)
• Experience with high-voltage systems (up to 150 kV)
• FPGA programming and tool familiarity (Microchip PolarFire SoC or similar)
• Real-time image or sensor processing experience
• Experience with drone avionics and electrical systems

What We Offer:

Competitive benefits and stock options

Health, Vision and Dental Insurance

Opportunity to shape next-generation space systems

A small, fast-moving team where your impact is tangible

Pay: $160,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance

Ability to Relocate:

• Boulder, CO 80303: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: In person