---
title: 'Electrical Engineer at Samara Aerospace'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-samara-aerospace-san-francisco-xgs4fscfe4ag'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-13'
---

# Electrical Engineer at Samara Aerospace

- **Company:** Samara Aerospace
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-04-21
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-13
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/samaraaerospace/jobs/5182646008

## Job description

About Us:

Samara Aerospace is revolutionizing satellite design by addressing the challenges of deploying and managing large satellite constellations. Our innovative Hummingbird spacecraft bus offers a modular and scalable platform that streamlines satellite production and deployment, significantly reducing launch costs. Hummingbird's compact architecture maximizes launch capacity, making it the most efficient and agile spacecraft in the industry. At the core of our technology is the patented Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control (MSAC) system. Unlike traditional wheel-based pointing control systems, MSAC utilizes actuators embedded in the hinges of deployable solar panels to provide 3-axis attitude control and active jitter cancellation. This design eliminates the need for spinning wheels, reducing mass and potential points of failure, while enhancing pointing precision.

Role:

The Electrical Engineering team at Samara is seeking an Electrical Engineer to lead the design, layout, and testing of printed circuit boards for spacecraft electronics at our headquarters in San Francisco. This is a startup environment where you will own designs end-to-end, from early concept through production. A strong problem-solving background, hands-on testing skills, and experience with high-density PCB design and electronics integration. You'll work closely with experienced electrical, mechanical, and embedded software engineers to ensure the Hummingbird satellite's electronics are robust, manufacturable, and ready for the space environment.

Responsibilities:

- Own PCB Design from circuit design, schematic capture, and PCB layout through bring up testing.
- Conduct trade studies that balance electrical performance, signal integrity, thermal management, manufacturability, cost, and schedule.
- Collaborate with embedded software engineers during board bring-up, debugging, and hardware-software integration.
- Support spacecraft and board-level integration, including hands-on assistance with electronics assembly, rework, and system testing.
- Plan, support, and analyze board-level acceptance and environmental testing including radiation, vibration, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) campaigns.
- Contribute to documentation, design reviews, and test reports.

Qualifications:

- BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- 1–3 years of professional experience with PCB design and layout using Altium Designer.
- Familiarity with PCB manufacturing processes, design-for-manufacturing (DFM) principles, and assembly techniques.
- Strong interest in hands-on hardware development and working in a fast-paced, iterative environment.
- Clear communication skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines.

Preferred:

- Experience with high-speed digital design, impedance-controlled routing, or mixed-signal layout techniques.
- Experience with RF circuit design, radio and communication subsystems, or antenna design and integration.
- Experience with environmental testing or qualifying hardware for harsh operating conditions.
- Experience interacting with test equipment with Python or other scripting language.
- Spacecraft, aerospace, or high-reliability hardware experience.

Salary and Benefits:

- Pay range: $130,000-160,000 annually to start
- Early and competitive equity in a rapidly growing startup
- Platinum-level healthcare, vision, dental, and life insurance covered 100% for you
- Partial dependent coverage available
- 401k matching at 4% (no vesting)
- Unlimited PTO and sick time
- Catered lunch 3x per week
- Education assistance up to $5,250 per year
- Relocation assistance is available
- 17 paid holidays (including a “winter break” Dec. 24-Jan. 1)

Work Authorization Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Samara Aerospace does not currently sponsor employment visas for this position. Employment eligibility will be verified upon hire in accordance with federal law.

## About Samara Aerospace

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Samara Aerospace builds high-performance satellite platforms using its patented MSAC attitude control technology, enabling superior pointing stability and agility for commercial, civil, and national security missions.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed VC)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Patrick Haddox (CEO, Co-founder) and Vedant (CTO, Co-founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Aerospace & Defense / Spacecraft Manufacturing
- **Target customers**: B2B (satellite operators, government agencies, defense contractors) – Enterprise and Government
- **Mission or purpose statement**: Reduce the cost and complexity of space missions by designing satellites that do more with less, using elegant engineering rather than brute-force complexity.

## Products & Services
- **[Hummingbird Spacecraft Bus]**: A modular, scalable satellite platform that integrates Samara’s patented MSAC (Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control) system. MSAC uses actuators embedded in deployable solar panel hinges to provide 3-axis attitude control, active jitter cancellation, and high agility – without traditional reaction wheels or bearings. The bus is designed for Earth observation, optical communications, and space superiority missions. (Product type: Hardware/Spacecraft)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding raised – **$10.12M** (Seed VC as of early 2024) [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/samara-aerospace)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: IllinoisVENTURES, Balerion Space Ventures, Access Venture Partners, MFV Partners, Mana Ventures, and 11 others [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/samara-aerospace)
- **Growth Signals**: Closed a $10M seed round ~7 months ago to accelerate spacecraft production; growing team with multiple open engineering roles; patented technology validated through university research and early CubeSat prototypes.

## Competitive Advantages
- **MSAC Technology**: The only attitude control system that actively cancels jitter and eliminates spinning wheels – reducing mass, wear, and failure points. Large solar panels provide more control authority, flipping the traditional trade-off between power and agility.
- **Milli-arcsecond pointing precision** enables optical communications and high-resolution imagery that competitors struggle to achieve with traditional reaction wheels.
- **Rapid deployment & low launch cost**: Compact, modular bus design maximizes launch capacity and simplifies production.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling production of the Hummingbird spacecraft bus to serve commercial and government customers.
- Expanding applications in Earth observation, space-based Internet (optical links), and space domain awareness/defense.
- Continued refinement of MSAC for higher agility and precision in contested environments.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Mission**: Join a small, mission-driven team (currently <50 people) that is redefining satellite design from the ground up. The founders emphasize “elegant engineering” and sustainability – reducing space debris by making satellites more efficient.
- **Work Environment**: Based in San Francisco (2565 3rd Street). Likely in-office with flexibility. Early-stage startup environment with direct impact on spacecraft design.
- **Engineering Focus**: Heavy emphasis on embedded software, firmware, mechanical, thermal, and avionics engineering. Team members include PhDs from UIUC and seasoned aerospace veterans. Open roles include Senior Embedded Software Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Senior Thermal Engineer, and others.
- **Notable Perks**: Not explicitly listed, but typical of Series-A startups – equity, hands-on ownership, and exposure across the full spacecraft lifecycle. The team includes directors of software, mechanical, avionics, and business development.

## Sources
1. [samaraaerospace.com](https://www.samaraaerospace.com/)
2. [samaraaerospace.com/careers](https://www.samaraaerospace.com/careers)
3. [samaraaerospace.com/about](https://www.samaraaerospace.com/about)
4. [greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/samaraaerospace)
5. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/samara-aerospace)

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