Electronics (Digital) Engineer

Working for Open Cosmos

Aim high, go beyond! At Open Cosmos we are solving the world’s biggest challenges from space, providing businesses, governments and researchers access to more readily available information than ever before via our satellite platform - ready for the challenge? Then read on… 

About the Electronics Team

Our Electronics Team is responsible for the design, development, integration and maintenance of the electronics hardware & firmware for the entire satellite. The team utilises the concept of “Product Owners”; team members are assigned electronics products, of which they are primarily responsible for the development and will be the point of contact for information on that particular sub-system. This is a great opportunity to own and shape a sub-system design and development roadmap. Our team works collaboratively, discussing and challenging each other’s ideas as we tackle a wide array of technical challenges.

Open Cosmos owns the entire satellite platform lifecycle, from Bids to Mission Design through to Development, Build & In-Orbit Commissioning. As such, members of the Electronics Team are required to assist with practical fault finding, testing and debugging of satellite systems on-site, during integration and testing phases.

Your Role

Whilst your main responsibility will be technical lead for digital electronics, the day-to-day will involve communicating with other departments to advise and contribute to technical problems and work toward solutions. You will be collaborating with the Electronics Team to advise on digital electronics design best practice as we continue to develop our On Board Computer (OBC) and Payload Data Processing Unit (PDPU). From a design perspective, your focus will be on:

• Optimising high-speed data transfer throughout the system
• Ensuring compatibility with an array of communication protocols
• Microcontroller firmware programming across all electronics products
• Design for manufacture & testability

Your primary responsibility will be to drive the development of digital electronics (both hardware & software) whilst ensuring robust performance, reliability, and efficiency in the harsh space environment. This will involve incorporating best design practice and consideration for radiation tolerance and EMI mitigation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of digital electronics hardware, including microcontrollers and digital signal processors, leveraging your expertise in digital circuit design, high-speed digital interfaces, and low-power consumption techniques.
• You will work closely with the Software Team so knowledge of the following would be of benefit:
  • Embedded systems
  • Rust (programming language)
  • RTOS
• Contribute to compiling comprehensive and organised documentation to capture the electronics design & performance.
• Plan & conduct thorough testing, debugging, and verification of electronics systems.
• Write & follow the team & company procedures, identifying gaps & working toward continuous improvement of our working practices. 
• Stay updated on the latest advancements in digital electronics technology and incorporate innovative solutions to enhance satellite capabilities and performance.
• Critically review other team members’ electronics design
• Capture design requirements & define verification test plans accordingly

What You Need to Succeed:

• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment whilst managing multiple design topics & issues in parallel
• Agility to respond to urgent issues offering technical support & fault diagnosis both on-site & via video-calls.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to effectively diagnose and troubleshoot issues in digital electronics systems using design files, system knowledge, and hands-on testing.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to collaborate effectively with colleagues, stakeholders and governing bodies with varying degrees of technical experience.
• Deep understanding of quality principles and best practices in digital electronics design, including design for reliability, fault tolerance, and radiation tolerance.
• Proficiency in CAD (ideally Altium) for schematic capture, PCB layout, and design verification, with a keen eye for detail and accuracy.

This role offers a stimulating and rewarding environment where you can leverage your expertise in digital electronics to make a meaningful impact on satellite technology. If you're motivated to push the boundaries of what's possible in space, we want to hear from you!