Junior Electrical Engineer - Satellite Systems (San Jose California)

About Astro Digital

Astro Digital designs, builds, and operates a diverse range of small satellite systems supporting space-based turnkey missions for several business applications, including earth observation, communications, in-orbit demonstrations, risk reduction, science, and exploration.

Astro Digital is headquartered in Littleton, Colorado with offices in San Jose, California, and Sydney, Australia, with roughly 85 employees and infrastructure around the globe.

About the Role

We're looking for an early-career electrical engineer who is eager to learn and grow as our Junior Electrical Engineer. This role is ideal for someone with a strong foundation in electronics who wants hands-on experience designing, building, debugging, and testing hardware for next-generation satellites. (Open to full-time junior engineers as well as engineering internship candidates.)

You'll work alongside experienced engineers on our hardware team, contributing to real spacecraft hardware while sharpening your skills in design, debug, and system integration. You'll spend meaningful time in the lab, learn from senior engineers through reviews and coaching, and help ensure our spacecraft hardware is reliable, testable, and space-ready.

What You'll Do

• Support the electrical engineering team across design, debug, and system integration under the guidance of senior engineers.
• Get hands-on in the lab - building, wiring, and testing hardware, and taking measurements with oscilloscopes, multimeters, and analyzers.
• Assist with board bring-up and checkout, capturing results and flagging anomalies.
• Help debug digital systems (logic-level circuits, microcontrollers, interfaces) and basic power systems (DC/DC converters, power distribution).
• Learn to validate serial protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, Ethernet) with support from the team.
• Read and mark up schematics, and contribute to design reviews, test procedures, and validation documentation.
• Collaborate with software, systems, and mechanical teammates to help deliver integrated, flight-ready hardware.

What We're Looking For

• Pursuing or recently completed a B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering (or a related field).
• 0-3 years of hands-on electronics experience - internships, coursework, and personal or club projects all count.
• Foundational understanding of analog and digital circuits, plus hands-on lab skills (soldering, bench instruments).
• Exposure to PCB design tools (Altium or similar) is a plus.
• Familiarity with at least one serial communication protocol (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, Ethernet).
• Eagerness to learn, strong problem-solving instincts, and clear communication.

Bonus

• Coursework or project experience with spacecraft, aerospace, or RF hardware.
• Exposure to environmental testing (thermal, vibration, EMI/EMC).
• Scripting for test and automation (Python, LabVIEW).
• Hands-on experience from a robotics team, CubeSat, FSAE, or similar hardware project.