--- title: 'Sr. Avionics Engineer at Fortastra Corporation' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/sr-avionics-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-8xp84rd0ehqx' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-19' --- # Sr. Avionics Engineer at Fortastra Corporation - **Company:** Fortastra Corporation - **Location:** Torrance, CA - **Posted:** 2026-09-24 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-19 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/fortastracorporation/jobs/4420152009 ## Job description Company Overview You’ll join Fortastra’s Engineering Division, responsible for the design, development, and test of flight systems across our autonomous spacecraft portfolio. The avionics function owns the electrical and computing backbone of the vehicle - flight computers, sensor interfaces, power distribution, and communications that enable autonomous operations in complex orbital environments. We recently closed a $30M Series A to build the future of on-orbit security and we’re just getting started! ## The Role Fortastra is seeking a Sr. Avionics Engineer to design and deliver spacecraft avionics hardware and embedded systems through the full product lifecycle from concept and architecture, through PCB design and bring-up, to integration on flight hardware. This is a hands-on design engineering role for an Electrical Engineer who enjoys owning boards and systems end-to-end rather than specializing narrowly in analysis or test. You will architect avionics subsystems, design PCBs, select components, and bring up hardware in the lab. While spacecraft experience is ideal, we are also open to candidates from automotive EVs, robotics, and defense who have strong EE design backgrounds and have shipped mission-critical hardware. ## Key Responsibilities - Own the full lifecycle of avionics hardware: concept, architecture, schematic capture, PCB layout review, bring-up, integration, and support to flight. - Design flight computers and support boards, including processor, memory, power management, sensor/actuator interfaces, and communications interfaces. - Select and integrate electrical components (MCUs/SoCs, FPGAs, memories, sensors, transceivers, power devices) appropriate for reliable operation in demanding environments. - Define and implement board-level interfaces and data buses (e.g., CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet, SpaceWire) across the spacecraft avionics network. - Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for avionics connections to GNC, power, propulsion, and payload subsystems. - Bring up new boards in the lab: write simple test firmware, debug hardware issues, and validate functionality using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other instrumentation. - Collaborate with embedded software and flight software engineers to integrate low-level drivers, bootloaders, and health monitoring with the hardware you design. - Contribute to power architecture and distribution within avionics assemblies, including protections, filtering, and load management. - Apply design-for-test and design-for-reliability principles so boards can be efficiently validated, qualified, and flown. ## Qualifications and Skills - B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related discipline. - 5+ years of experience as a design engineer owning electrical/avionics hardware through its full lifecycle (spacecraft, automotive EVs, robotics, defense, or similar domains). - Strong EE design experience, including schematic capture and PCB design/review for complex digital and mixed-signal boards. - Hands-on experience bringing up boards: flashing firmware, exercising interfaces, and debugging hardware at the bench. - Proficiency with embedded systems and common serial buses (e.g., CAN, SPI, I2C, UART), and familiarity with data acquisition or telemetry systems. - Experience with C/C++ and Python in Linux-based environments for hardware bring-up, test automation, or tooling. - Familiarity with FPGA-based designs is a plus (RTL design, integration, or constraints), but not required. - Experience in at least one mission-critical domain (spacecraft, launch vehicles, automotive EVs, robotics, defense, or industrial control). - Comfort working across disciplines and collaborating closely with software, mechanical, and systems engineers. ## Requirements - 5 days on-site in Torrance, CA - U.S. Citizenship required ## Why Fortastra We are a small, high-impact team building the next generation of autonomous orbital control systems for national security space. At Fortastra, leaders own outcomes from first principles through flight and directly shape the future of resilient, mission-critical spacecraft autonomy. ## FORTASTRA TALENT & CULTURE PRINCIPLES Values Driven by First Principles We value engineers and operators who prioritize sound judgment, candor, technical rigor, bias for action, and intellectual honesty over corporate consensus. We care about the caliber of the system you build and the speed at which you solve problems. Talent Density Over Headcount A high-performing startup is built on dense talent, not organizational bloat. A single exceptional engineer designs, tests, and delivers faster than a bloated committee. We intentionally maintain a lean, elite engineering crew where every contributor directly moves the needle on the mission. High Autonomy, High Ownership We hire domain experts to execute, not to micromanage them. You own your systems end-to-end, from initial architecture and hardware design to testing and deployment. With absolute ownership comes the responsibility to deliver mission critical reliability. Mission Context Over Bureaucracy The best execution happens when teams are provided clear technical objectives, constraints, and operational context, rather than rigid top-down policies. We strip away red tape so builders can iterate, make decisions, and push hardware and flight software forward rapidly. Disciplined Speed & Flight Rigor We move fast because we test often and kill artificial bottlenecks, not because we cut corners. Rapid iteration on the test stand and in simulation is how we learn; an uncompromising flight-readiness bar is how we earn trust. Precision without friction, speed without recklessness. Direct Impact, Not Career Bureaucracy You don’t come to Fortastra to climb a corporate ladder or manage slide decks; you come to build complex, flight-ready systems from day one. Growth here is organic, driven by the magnitude of technical challenges you solve and the trust you build across the team. ## Benefits We take care of our employees so they can focus on what matters most: family, well-being, and life outside of work. Unlimited Paid Time Off so that you have the time you need to rest and recharge. Comprehensive Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, because peace of mind starts with feeling cared for. Equity: Share in Fortastra's success with equity in the company you're helping build. 401(k): A 401(k) plan to help you invest in your future and plan for what's ahead. Social Events: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities that make this a place people are glad to be part of. The pay range for this role is $130,000.00 - $190,000.00. Where an offer falls within that range depends on factors like your qualifications, experience, location, and interview performance, which we weigh against the market rate for the position. Recruiters & Agencies: Fortastra does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from recruiters, agencies, or third parties. Any candidate submitted without a signed agreement and prior written authorization from Fortastra will not be subject to any fee, and no relationship is implied. Please do not contact Fortastra employees, hiring managers, or recruiting team directly. ## About Fortastra Corporation ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Fortastra is building intelligent, maneuverable spacecraft designed to protect critical on-orbit infrastructure for government, allied, and commercial customers. - **Entity Type**: Private (Seed/Early Stage) - **Headquarters**: Torrance, California, USA - **Founded**: 2025 - **Founders**: Mike Smayda (CEO) ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Aerospace & Defense, Space Security - **Target customers**: U.S. Government (Space Force, DoD), allied and partner nations, commercial satellite operators - **Mission or purpose statement**: To build the systems that keep space safe by developing spacecraft that maneuver, assess, and take action to protect the space systems the world depends on. ## Products & Services - **Watchdog Satellite Line**: A planned family of maneuverable, autonomous satellites designed to act as "bodyguards" for high-value space assets. Long-term goal includes in-house satellite bus production. - **Stuntman Test Rig**: A ground-based robotic arm test system used to practice close-in maneuvering, refine software, and validate autonomy suites before orbital deployment. - **Satellite-as-a-Service (Saa S) Model**: Planned offering for allied and partner nations for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, similar to company-owned, company-operated ISR platforms in the air domain. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (early-stage private company) - **Key Metric**: 16 employees as of mid-2026; first two spacecraft scheduled for launch on SpaceX Transporter-18 rideshare in late 2026 - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not publicly disclosed; CEO Mike Smayda previously co-founded Hermeus (hypersonic aircraft startup) and spent five years at SpaceX - **Growth Signals**: Rapidly scaling from founding in 2025 to 16 employees and two spacecraft ready for launch within ~18 months; building out 4,000 sq. ft. workspace; actively hiring across engineering and operations ## Competitive Advantages - **First-mover in active space defense**: Unlike traditional satellites designed for observation or communication, Fortastra’s architecture is purpose-built for maneuver, threat assessment, and active protection. - **Founder pedigree**: CEO Mike Smayda brings deep experience from SpaceX (large-scale systems, rapid iteration) and Hermeus (government contracting, scaling nimble operations). - **Multi-orbit strategy**: Long-term vision to provide zone defense across multiple orbits, not just point defense, addressing a growing gap as space becomes congested and contested. - **Focus on autonomy**: Developing sophisticated software and GN&C systems to enable autonomous close-in maneuvering and threat response. ## Strategic Focus - **Near-term**: Execute first orbital test launch on SpaceX Transporter-18 (late 2026); burn down technical risk on Watchdog satellite platform. - **Mid-term**: Transition from sourced satellite buses to in-house production; expand satellite-as-a-service offerings for allied nations and commercial customers. - **Long-term**: Become the premier provider of on-orbit security for critical space infrastructure including future fuel depots, pharmaceutical manufacturing hubs, and military assets. ## Why Work Here - **Mission-driven work**: Directly contribute to protecting the space systems that global society depends on, at a company that values action, rigor, and solving hard problems. - **Early-stage equity**: Employees receive early-stage equity, sharing in the company’s growth from the ground up. - **Comprehensive benefits**: 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision for employees and their families; unlimited and flexible PTO. - **Performance-focused culture**: Described as a performance-focused, people-first culture that invests in well-being so employees can focus on building spacecraft that matter. - **Hands-on impact**: With only 16 people, employees have significant ownership and the chance to shape both the technology and the company’s trajectory. - **Location**: Based in Torrance, CA (Southern California), with a dedicated workshop and test facilities. - **ITAR requirements**: Many roles require U.S. citizenship or U.S. person status as defined by ITAR. ## Sources 1. [fortastra.com](https://www.fortastra.com/) 2. [fortastra.com/careers](https://www.fortastra.com/careers) 3. [Aviation Week](https://aviationweek.com/space/satellites/debrief-startup-preparing-spaces-neighborhood-watch-era) 4. [Greenhouse Jobs](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/fortastracorporation/jobs/4052867009) 5. [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/2628142D:US) ## Other roles at Fortastra Corporation - [Sr. Ground Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-ground-software-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-kbs4qgsyrmbq) — Torrance, CA - [Sr. Thermal & Propulsion Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-thermal-propulsion-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-423jeqmkwgjm) — Torrance, CA - [Sr. Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-mechanical-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-qqj6tz8kthj2) — Torrance, CA - [Senior RF Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-rf-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-r06rv15q5kv7) — Torrance, CA - [Mechanical Engineer II](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-ii-fortastra-corporation-torrance-dkskkds927a8) — Torrance, CA - [Technical Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-recruiter-fortastra-corporation-torrance-nc0618vn6sx9) — Torrance, CA - [Autonomy Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomy-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-c4ca9cgeycr8) — Torrance, CA - [Head of Flight Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-flight-software-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-sqb7wjw0pvgk) — Torrance, CA - [Perception Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/perception-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-bvsrn4rbf589) — Torrance, CA - [Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/guidance-navigation-and-control-gn-c-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-29wxs5nz4b4f) — Torrance, CA