Key Responsibilities

• Define embedded hardware and software architectures for spacecraft controllers, payload electronics, and distributed processing systems.

• Select microcontrollers, processors, memory, communication interfaces, and supporting electronics based on performance, power, timing, and reliability requirements.

• Design custom embedded circuit boards, including processor interfaces, power supplies, signal conditioning, and peripheral electronics.

• Perform schematic capture, support PCB layout, oversee fabrication and assembly, and lead board bring-up and debugging.

• Develop embedded C/C++ firmware for microcontrollers and processors using bare-metal, RTOS, or embedded Linux environments.

• Develop device drivers, bootloaders, board-support software, and hardware communication interfaces.

• Collaborate with FPGA developers on processor-to-FPGA interfaces, register maps, timing, integration, and debugging.

• Integrate embedded systems with sensors, actuators, cameras, motor controllers, power electronics, laser systems, and other spacecraft hardware.

• Develop and debug communication interfaces, including SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, Ethernet, and related protocols.

• Implement startup sequencing, watchdogs, fault detection, recovery, and hardware/software protection mechanisms.

• Develop verification procedures, automated testing, and hardware-in-the-loop test capabilities.

• Support spacecraft integration, environmental testing, and mission readiness.

• Provide technical leadership through design reviews, documentation, troubleshooting, and guidance to other engineers.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 7+ years of experience developing embedded electronics and associated firmware or software.

• Strong experience with schematic design, component selection, custom PCB development, and board bring-up.

• Strong proficiency in embedded C/C++, including low-level firmware, direct hardware control, and bare-metal or real-time applications.

• Experience selecting and integrating processors, memory, peripherals, and communication interfaces.

• Strong understanding of digital electronics, interrupts, timers, DMA, memory-mapped peripherals, and processor interfaces.

• Experience developing device drivers, board-support software, and embedded communication protocols.

• Ability to independently bring up and debug custom boards using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, and other laboratory instrumentation.

• Understanding of FPGA-based architectures and processor-to-FPGA interfaces.

• Knowledge of power sequencing, digital timing, signal integrity, and embedded system reliability.

• Experience with schematic capture and PCB design tools such as Altium Designer or equivalent.

• Experience with version control, hardware/software verification, and engineering documentation.

• Demonstrated ability to take embedded systems from design through fabrication, firmware development, integration, and verification.

• Ability to work onsite in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing embedded electronics for spacecraft, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability applications.

• Experience with ARM, PowerPC, RISC-V, or similar processor architectures.

• Experience integrating and debugging FPGA-based systems in collaboration with FPGA developers.

• Experience with embedded Linux, FreeRTOS, VxWorks, RTEMS, Zephyr, or similar operating systems.

• Experience with high-speed digital interfaces, ADCs, DACs, LVDS, SERDES, or FPGA-based data acquisition.

• Experience integrating embedded electronics with motor control, pointing systems, optical sensors, high-power electronics, or lasers.

• Familiarity with radiation-tolerant components, redundancy, watchdogs, and fault-tolerant system design.

• Experience with environmental qualification, including thermal vacuum, vibration, EMI/EMC, or radiation testing.

• Experience with Python or other scripting languages for automated testing and development.

Candidate Attributes

• Hardware/Software Fluency: Comfortable designing embedded hardware and developing the firmware to operate it.

• Hands-On Execution: Able to design circuits, bring up boards, write C/C++ code, and debug complete embedded systems.

• Technical Judgment: Makes sound decisions involving processor selection, interfaces, timing, power, and reliability.

• Ownership: Takes responsibility from design through fabrication, programming, integration, and verification.

• Problem Solving and Collaboration: Diagnoses complex hardware/software issues and works effectively with FPGA developers and multidisciplinary engineering teams.

What We Offer

At Mantis Space, the opportunity goes far beyond joining another engineering team. You will help build foundational technology for the future of orbital operations, collaborate with accomplished technical leaders, and have a meaningful voice in how complex systems—and the organization behind them—take shape. We pair that mission with a competitive rewards and benefits experience designed to support you at work and beyond:

• Work on a bold mission — Help develop first-of-its-kind orbital energy infrastructure that could change how spacecraft operate and enable future space missions.

• Make a visible impact — Join a growing, highly collaborative team where technical expertise, initiative, and thoughtful engineering decisions can shape the product and our processes.

• Competitive total rewards — Competitive compensation and potential stock option participation, subject to eligibility, company plan terms, and Board approval.

• Health coverage that matters — Company-paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for eligible employees, with multiple plan options available.

• Invest in your future — 401(k) retirement plan with a company match of up to 6%, subject to plan terms.

• Time to recharge — Unlimited PTO as described in company recruiting materials, subject to the applicable time-off policy and role requirements, along with other available paid leave programs.

• Support for life beyond work — Access to eligible mental health and employee assistance resources, family-building support, wellness and fitness offerings, and care-navigation benefits.

• Everyday extras — Eligible cell phone and internet stipends, plus additional voluntary benefits and employee discount programs.