Avionics Engineer

Mission

Aetherflux's mission is to deliver energy to planet Earth. Our work will make energy more accessible, establish American energy independence, power underdeveloped and disaster-stricken areas, and protect American warfighters.

Background

Aetherflux is taking a new approach to an old idea – space solar power. Our satellites will collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit and transmit that power through infrared lasers to portable ground receivers, providing energy access where traditional delivery is expensive, challenging, or dangerous.

Current energy systems rely on complex logistics and outdated infrastructure, making them vulnerable to natural disasters, extreme weather, and physical and cyber attacks. Aetherflux overcomes these challenges by enabling direct, on-demand, secure, and scalable 24-hour energy distribution from space. This can revolutionize energy generation and delivery, and enable new capabilities as we deliver power to remote regions, military bases, bespoke operations, and unmanned autonomous systems.

Baiju Bhatt founded Aetherflux in 2024. Inspired by his father’s career at NASA, Baiju earned his B.S. in Physics and M.S. in Mathematics at Stanford before co-founding Robinhood, now a public company that has helped over 20 million Americans access the financial system. Aetherflux raised $60 million from Index Ventures, Interlagos, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and others.

This is an ambitious mission that demands extraordinary talent. Aetherflux’s team has worked at places like SpaceX, NASA, Anduril, and the U.S. Navy, and is based in San Carlos, CA. If you're ready to solve complex technical challenges and help build the most important energy company in the world, we want to hear from you.

Overview

The Avionics Engineer is responsible for the design, development, and integration of electrical systems supporting advanced optical and laser satellite payloads. This role will require hands-on work with both electrical and optical components to ensure seamless integration of high-power laser systems and payloads for Aetherflux satellites. You will collaborate with optical, mechanical, software, and systems engineers to develop solutions that meet rigorous performance standards for space applications.

This is an in-person role at our San Carlos, CA HQ. You would join us on an aggressive timeline and see your work in space as we conduct our first space demonstration in the summer of 2026.

Responsibilities

• Design and test electrical hardware for laser and optical subsystems, focusing on power management, control systems, and signal processing.
• Develop and maintain schematics, PCB designs, and harness diagrams for laser systems and satellite subsystems.
• Conduct testing and validation of electrical systems, including integration with optical components such as detectors, sensors, and laser drivers.
• Perform testing and debugging of electrical hardware, ensuring robust operation under various environmental conditions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (optics, mechanical, and thermal engineers) to ensure seamless integration and system-level functionality.
• Maintain detailed technical documentation, including system requirements, design specifications, and test plans.
• Support environmental testing and validation, including thermal-vacuum, vibration, and electromagnetic interference tests to ensure space-qualification of electrical subsystems.
• Participate in customer and internal design reviews, providing technical insights and recommendations for system improvements.
• Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and industry trends, and continuously improve the design and development process in the electrical engineering lab.

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Benefits

Disclaimer

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Aetherflux’s discretion.

Aetherflux is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Aetherflux is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.

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