---
title: 'Electrical Engineer, Early Career at GITAI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-early-career-gitai-los-angeles-california-y8ey855c9vdc'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Electrical Engineer, Early Career at GITAI

- **Company:** GITAI
- **Location:** Los Angeles California, United States
- **Compensation:** $100k–$125k
- **Posted:** 2026-08-25
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/gitai/jobs/5404365008

## Job description

## Who We Are

GITAI is a vertically integrated space and defense company building the next generation of hardware for low-Earth-orbit missions.

At our core is the space robotics technology that has defined GITAI from the beginning. A small, highly capable engineering team applies that foundation across satellite buses, in-orbit servicing robotics, and mission hardware for applications such as Earth observation. Today, a major focus of our work is supporting U.S. national security missions, particularly through proliferated LEO satellite constellations and other next-generation space systems.

We design, build, integrate, and test much of our hardware in-house. Electrical, mechanical, software, manufacturing, integration, and test teams work closely together, allowing a small team to own complete systems rather than isolated components. This vertical integration helps us move quickly, learn directly from hardware, and shorten the path from architecture to a working system.

We are still early. The systems, the company, and the market are all being built at the same time. Requirements change, technical problems are often ambiguous, and many answers do not yet exist. We are looking for exceptional engineers and operators who want broad ownership, can work across disciplines, and are willing to stay close to the hardware until the mission succeeds.

## Your Mission

As an Early Career Electrical Engineer at GITAI, you will design, build, and test board-level electrical hardware for spacecraft, robotic systems, and space defense programs. This is a hands-on PCB design and avionics hardware role. You will work across the full hardware lifecycle, including schematic capture, PCB layout, fabrication, assembly, board bring-up, debugging, and system integration. We do not expect you to already know how to build space hardware. No prior space, aerospace, or defense experience is required. Strong candidates may come from university engineering teams, research labs, internships, robotics, automotive, drones, medical devices, industrial equipment, consumer electronics, or other hardware environments. What matters is that you have already spent meaningful time designing real electronics and turning those designs into working hardware. You will work closely with experienced electrical, mechanical, firmware, software, manufacturing, and systems engineers. You will be given real ownership early. The problems will not always be well defined, and the design that looks right on paper will sometimes fail on the bench. You will be expected to learn quickly, debug methodically, and keep the hardware moving.

## What You’ll Drive

- Design schematics and PCB layouts for spacecraft and robotic systems.
- Take PCBAs from design release through fabrication, assembly, bring-up, and test.
- Debug board-level hardware and drive issues to root cause.
- Work with mechanical, firmware/software, and manufacturing engineers to integrate hardware into complete systems.
- Support hardware testing, failure investigation, and design iteration.

## What We’re Looking For

- 2+ years of hands-on PCB design experience using Altium or a similar ECAD tool.
- Experience taking at least one PCB from schematic and layout through fabrication, bring-up, and test.
- Hands-on PCBA debugging experience using standard lab equipment.
- Practical knowledge of PCB fabrication, assembly, and DFM.
- Strong fundamentals in board-level electrical design.
- No prior aerospace, space, or defense industry experience required.

Location & Employment Details

- Location: Torrance, CA (onsite). Travel to test sites (including Mojave and the greater Los Angeles area) is expected based on program needs.
- Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
- Compensation
- Base salary for this role is expexted to range from $100,000 to $125,000 per year.
- Final compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, interview performance, and role fit. This position is also eligible for equity.
- Typical Work Hours: Monday to Friday, approximately 9:00am – 6:00pm (onsite). Flexibility is expected based on mission schedules and program needs.

## Benefits

- Health Insurance – Platinum medical plan with 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 90% for dependents
- 401(k) Plan – Company match up to 3.5%, with traditional and Roth options
- Equity – Stock option eligibility depending on role
- Relocation Support – Available for qualifying positions
- Time Off – 12 paid holidays per year, 12 days of paid vacation per year, and paid sick leave (in accordance with applicable law)
- Office Perks – Free snacks and drinks, plus regular team events

GITAI does not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing or recruiting agencies. We work only with recruiting partners that have been specifically engaged by GITAI. No fees will be paid for resumes submitted without a prior agreement.

Compensation may include base salary or hourly pay and, depending on the position, equity. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skillset, and other job-related factors.

LA salary range $100,000—$125,000 USD

Important Notice

- Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
- To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), GITAI Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable.
- GITAI USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with GITAI USA is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

## About GITAI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: GITAI is a space robotics startup developing robotic systems to provide safe and affordable labor for satellite servicing, lunar base construction, and other in-space operations.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B – V; total funding $129M)
- **Headquarters**: Torrance, California, United States (moved from Tokyo in October 2023)
- **Founded**: July 2016
- **Founders**: Sho Nakanose (CEO), Yuto Nakanishi (CRO/Chief Robotics Officer), Toyotaka Kozuki (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Space robotics, defense and space manufacturing, lunar and orbital infrastructure
- **Target customers**: Government space agencies (NASA, JAXA, U.S. Space Force, Missile Defense Agency), commercial satellite operators, and lunar/mars development programs (B2G, B2B)
- **Mission**: To provide a safe and affordable means of labor in space, reducing operational costs by 100x and enabling humanity’s expansion beyond Earth

## Products & Services
- **S2 Dual Robotic Arm System**: A 1.5-meter-long autonomous robotic arm successfully demonstrated on the International Space Station (ISS) for both internal and external operations. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/vision/)
- **Inchworm Robot**: A versatile robot designed for locomotion and manipulation in space environments. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/)
- **Lunar Rover**: Robotic platform for lunar surface construction, mining, and habitat preparation. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/)
- **Satellite Components & Platforms**: 16U satellite bus and robotic subsystems for on-orbit servicing and assembly. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/gitai)
- **On-Orbit Services**: Robotic maintenance, refueling, and inspection for satellites and space stations. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue $2.5M (LinkedIn estimate); Total Funding $129.1M across 10 rounds
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Global Brain (lead Series B), SPARX Innovation for the Future, JIC Venture Growth Investments, Daiwa Corporate Investment, The Dai-ichi Life Insurance, EPSON X Investment, Skyland Ventures, Toyota Motor Corporation (joint R&D), JAXA, NASA (SBIR Phase I), DARPA (LunA-10), U.S. Space Force, Missile Defense Agency (SHIELD IDIQ)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Relocated HQ to a facility 4x larger in Torrance (June 2024)
  - Established GITAI Defense and Space LLC (April 2025) to expand U.S. government contracting
  - Achieved AS9100 certification (May 2024)
  - Selected for NASA SBIR Phase I (June 2024)
  - Won DARPA LunA-10 project for lunar robotics (March 2025)
  - Completed space demonstration of in-house 16U satellite (January 2025)
  - Headcount grew 1.7% YoY to 32 employees

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proven in-space technology**: Only a handful of companies have demonstrated autonomous robotic arms outside the ISS; GITAI’s S2 completed a fully successful demonstration.
- **Deep government relationships**: Contracts with NASA, JAXA, DARPA, U.S. Space Force, and Missile Defense Agency provide credibility and recurring revenue.
- **Founding team pedigree**: CEO Sho Nakanose previously founded SCHAFT (bipedal robot startup acquired by Google); CRO Yuto Nakanishi and CTO Toyotaka Kozuki hold PhDs from University of Tokyo’s JSK Lab.
- **Vertically integrated hardware**: Develops both robotic systems and satellite platforms, controlling the full stack.

## Strategic Focus
- **Government and defense contracting**: The new subsidiary (GITAI Defense and Space LLC) targets U.S. military and intelligence programs.
- **Lunar infrastructure**: Preparing flight models for lunar manipulator and rover under JAXA and NASA contracts.
- **Scaling manufacturing**: AS9100 certification and new larger HQ signal readiness for production.
- **International expansion**: Dual presence in the U.S. and Japan allows access to both markets.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Employees contribute directly to building the robotic workforce for lunar and Martian settlements.
- **Elite team**: Work alongside researchers from the University of Tokyo and former leaders from Google, NASA JPL, and successful startups.
- **Hands-on impact**: With only 32 employees, engineers have broad ownership from concept to flight hardware.
- **Diverse projects**: Work spans early concept development, lab prototypes, and operational robots on the ISS.
- **Office/hybrid policy**: Not explicitly stated; HQ in Torrance, CA with offices in Japan. Likely requires on-site for hardware development.
- **Employee ratings**: 3.1/5.0 on LinkedIn (9 reviews) – compensation rated highest (3.9), work-life balance lower (2.7).

## Sources
1. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/)
2. [gitai.tech/careers](https://gitai.tech/careers/)
3. [gitai.tech/vision](https://gitai.tech/vision/)
4. [linkedin.com/company/gitai](https://www.linkedin.com/company/gitai)
5. [cbinsights.com/company/gitai](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/gitai)

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