Lead Hardware Development Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: Torrance, California, United States. The role is subject to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR; candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, protected individuals, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations.

Salary: $100,000–$200,000 per year, plus equity.

Company

Space infrastructure company developing a global network of phased-array ground stations for reliable, real-time satellite communications.

What you will do

• Own the technical development of antenna systems or major subsystems from concept and architecture through production and deployment.
• Translate product, customer, and mission needs into system requirements, architectures, interfaces, performance budgets, and verification plans.
• Coordinate mechanical, electrical, RF, antenna, embedded software, thermal, manufacturing, testing, supply chain, and field operations work.
• Manage development schedules, milestones, critical-path dependencies, and risk-mitigation plans.
• Lead system-level trade studies, prototype builds, integration, test campaigns, root-cause investigations, and production-readiness reviews.
• Provide hands-on design, analysis, prototyping, testing, troubleshooting, and progress updates to engineering leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, RF Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 3–5+ years of experience developing complex hardware, antenna systems, RF products, aerospace systems, or similarly multidisciplinary technology.
• Deep individual-contributor expertise in at least one relevant discipline, such as mechanical design, electrical hardware, RF hardware, antenna engineering, embedded systems, or systems integration.
• Experience owning a complex hardware product or subsystem through design, prototyping, integration, testing, and delivery.
• Strong systems thinking, technical interface management, cross-functional leadership, organization, and communication skills.
• Must meet U.S. ITAR eligibility requirements or be eligible to obtain the required U.S. authorizations.

Nice to have

• Experience with phased-array antennas, ground station antennas, satellite communications, radar systems, or complex RF hardware.
• Experience with antenna structures, RF enclosures, electronics packaging, thermal management, environmental sealing, cable routing, or electromechanical integration.
• Familiarity with antenna elements, amplifiers, filters, frequency converters, beamforming electronics, calibration systems, and RF distribution networks.
• Experience with environmental testing, design for manufacturing, supplier management, production readiness, installation, and field operation.
• Experience resolving integration issues across mechanical, electrical, RF, embedded, and software boundaries.

Culture & Benefits

• Equity through company stock options and discretionary performance bonuses.
• Medical, vision, and dental coverage, including flexible spending accounts.
• Flexible time off and 10 or more paid holidays per year.
• Retirement savings plans and professional development opportunities.
• Reasonable accommodations are available during the application and interview process.