Instrumentation Engineer, Radiation Testing

The Company
Astra's mission is to Improve Life on Earth from Space® by creating a healthier and more connected planet. Today, Astra offers one of the lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch services of any operational launch provider in the world, and one of the industry's first flight-proven electric propulsion systems for satellites, Astra Spacecraft Engine™. Astra delivered its first commercial launch to low Earth orbit in 2021, making it the fastest company in history to reach this milestone, just five years after it was founded in 2016. Astra (NASDAQ: ASTR) was the first space launch company to be publicly traded on Nasdaq.
The Company
We are Astra. Our mission is to launch a new generation of services to improve life on Earth from space. We are a highly ambitious team with deep technical expertise who love to build things and relish the idea of a grand challenge. We strive to deliver routine access to Earth orbit for enterprises launching services powered by small satellites. Building on over a decade of technology development in rocket propulsion, structures, and avionics, we are applying an agile approach to space launch. Our headquarters in Alameda, between San Francisco and Oakland, is a sprawling campus supporting full-cycle rocket production (e.g. design, manufacturing, test) and mission control. Come thrive at Astra!
The Opportunity
As an Instrumentation & Control, Radiation Testing, your biggest impact will be ensuring the reliability of electrical sub-systems. To achieve this, you get to design, develop, and execute test strategies for our electrical hardware, as well as influence the overall design and system architecture. Your responsibilities will span PCBA testing and defect detection, developing test code, and environmental testing of electronics including radiation testing. Duties will include:
How You'll Fulfill Your Mission

• Designing test software for environmental and radiation testing of development boards, custom avionics hardware, and off-the-shelf aerospace components
• Developing test fixtures and setting up test boards, harnessing, power supplies, loads, and probes for environmental tests.
• Running environmental tests. Monitoring probes and data streams to log and identify deviations from normal operations. Testing will include radiation testing at third-party facilities (no experience required).
• Processing data logs, identifying trends and anomalies, presenting data and forming conclusions. Identifying issues and appropriate next steps.

Why We Value You

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in an engineering discpline or 2+ years' experience as an aerospace or test engineer
• Experience developing data acquisition and control software with Python, LabVIEW, or C++.
• Hands-on experience with complex electrical or electro-mechanical systems
• Knowledge of discrete electrical components and how they operate
• Can author technical reports and present data in a logical format from test campaigns
• Familiar with test equipment and measurement techniques used to verify and validate product requirements (extensive understanding of instrumentation, interfaces and sensors including DMMs, DAQ, power supplies, oscilloscopes, DIO, GPIB, USB, Serial 422, VISA, UDP, GigE, SPI, switch technologies and topologies, accelerometers, RTDs, thermocouples, and 4-20mA sensors.)

Desired Multipliers

• Master's degree in an engineering discipline
• Experience with PCBA design
• Hands-on experience with soldering
• Environmental testing experience
• Basic knowledge of radiation interactions with matter or radiation effects on electronics
• Experience performing radiation testing
• Willingness to travel to various testing sites

$119,000 - $155,000 a year
The stated compensation range reflects only the targeted base salary range in the San Francisco Bay Area and excludes additional earnings such as bonus and benefits. If your salary requirements fall outside of the range, we still encourage you to apply.
ITAR Requirements: This position requires compliance with U.S. Government space technology trade restrictions, specifically the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and additional regulations governing satellite, launch vehicle, missile, and other related technologies. All jobs restricted by these regulations will be contingent upon the applicant's status as a documented U.S. Person or their ability to receive a trade license from the cognizant government agency; in addition to any required company background checks and in compliance with applicable U.S. and California laws. Similarly, positions requiring the ability to work on government contracts or a security clearance are also contingent upon the applicants ability to receive the appropriate clearance and be allowed to work on U.S. government contracts.
You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Astra, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.
San Francisco Applicants: Astra will consider applicants with arrest and conviction records (criminal histories) in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.