Senior Electrical Engineer – Spacecraft Power Systems & Bus Architecture
- ITAR / US person
How this pay compares
This posting states $145k–$205k a year. Open electrical engineer jobs in Washington post a median of $162k a year, the middle half $140k–$187k, across 79 jobs that state their pay, so this one is within the middle half of what they post.
Electrical engineers in Washington: pay by town and employer
About the job
## About Portal Portal Space Systems is on a mission to expand humanity’s freedom of movement in space. We’re building the spacecraft that makes that mission possible. From our Bothell, WA headquarters, we design vehicles with the maneuverability, resilience, and adaptability needed for the next era of orbital operations.
Every system we build is in service of a simple idea: space should be more accessible, responsive, and capable. Joining Portal means stepping into a team that believes in bold engineering, fast iteration, and the power of small groups to change what’s possible.
If you want your work to directly shape the future of in-space mobility, join us. ## About the Role We are seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer with deep expertise in hardware electrical design for spacecraft, particularly in power systems engineering and bus-level power management. ## Responsibilities - Architect and design spacecraft power systems including solar array interfaces, battery charge/discharge regulation, power distribution units (PDUs), and system-level grounding schemes. - Lead development of the main spacecraft power bus: voltage regulation, load management, protection, and redundancy strategies. - Perform trade studies and system sizing for battery capacity, solar array performance, and bus architecture optimization. - Develop schematics, PCB layouts, and cable harnessing for power boards and interface hardware. - Drive hardware bring-up, functional testing, and fault isolation on power boards and integrated systems. - Collaborate with systems, mechanical, and thermal engineers to align EPS design with mission requirements and spacecraft constraints. - Contribute to environmental testing for acceptance and qualification and EMI/EMC compliance for power hardware. - Coordinate with Launch Providers on interfaces and concept of operations during payload integration, launch pad and waking up in space. ## Basic Qualifications - B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, related field or equivalent. - 5+ years of experience designing power systems for aerospace, spacecraft, or other high-reliability platforms. - Experience with power electronics design, including DC-DC converters, battery management systems, and overcurrent/undervoltage protection circuits. - Experience using ECAD tools (e.g., Altium Designer) for board design and system schematics. - Experience testing and debugging flight or flight-like power hardware in lab and system testbeds. ## Preferred Skills & Experience - Experience with spacecraft power architectures including unregulated and regulated bus designs. - Knowledge of space-grade components, derating guidelines, and radiation effects on power electronics. - Familiarity with power system modeling and analysis tools (e.g., PLECS, SPICE). - Experience with EPS integration and operations on actual flight programs. - Familiarity with standards such as NASA-STD-4005, ECSS-E-ST-20-20, or NASA power interface specs.
Pay Range: $145,000 - $205,000 ## Compensation and Benefits Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. At Portal, your base salary is just one part of your total rewards package.
You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company equity at an exciting time of company growth as well as potential bonuses.
You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage (premiums paid by Portal 100%), access to a 401(k)-retirement plan, paid parental leave, you may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 12 or more paid holidays per year as well as sick time. ## ITAR Statement This position may involve access to technical data and defense-related materials controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Eligibility to access ITAR-controlled items requires that candidates be U.S. persons, which includes U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and other protected individuals as defined by U.S. law.
Employment is contingent upon verification of ITAR eligibility and, where applicable, obtaining any required export authorization or license. ## Equal Opportunity Statement All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
From Portal Space Systems's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.
Selected agencies hiring now
Moseley Technical ServicesEngineering and technical staffing agency
Engineering and technical staffing firm in Huntsville, Alabama, placing engineers and A&P, sheet metal, CNC and quality technicians.
Places: Propulsion, Mechanical, Avionics, RF & Payloads
Contract Professionals Inc (CPI)Engineering and technical staffing agency
Aerospace and defense staffing firm in Waterford, Michigan, placing engineers, maintenance technicians, mechanics, welders and CNC machinists.
Places: Propulsion, Mechanical, Avionics, RF & Payloads
These agencies and apps pay SpaceJobs.Now a referral fee when someone we introduce is placed or signs up. It costs you nothing and never changes your pay. Employers' own jobs below keep their own order.
Sponsored jobs from job networks, which pay SpaceJobs.Now when you click one.
Free tools for this application: check your resume against this job, answer the application's questions or see every free tool.
New avionics and electrical engineering jobs in space in Washington, by email
One email a week with the newest ones, straight from the employers' own careers sites, with the pay each posting states. Free, stop anytime.
About Portal Space Systems
Supernova, a spacecraft that changes orbit on solar thermal propulsion.
Pay on its listings: 100% of its open jobs state an hourly rate
How it pays: Paid as an employee on Portal Space Systems's own payroll (salaried or hourly, as each posting states).
More open jobs at Portal Space Systems
- Senior Concentrator Build Engineer$130,000–$170,000/yr
- Staff Propulsion Engineer (Test)$165,000–$215,000/yr
- Senior Integration Build Engineer$120,000–$200,000/yr
- Senior Loads & Dynamics Engineer$140,000–$185,000/yr
- Propulsion Engineer II (Design)$100,000–$170,000/yr
- Staff/ Principal Avionics Engineer$165,000–$235,000/yr
More avionics and electrical engineering jobs in space
- Electrical Engineer (New Grad)$104,000–$121,000/yr
- Engineer I - Electromechanical Harness Design$64,926–$110,374/yr
- Specialist, Electrical Engineering
- Circuit Design Engineering Associate Manager, Avionics, Secret Clearance$135,700–$251,900/yr
- Senior Space Electronics Systems Engineer$130,000–$180,000/yr
- Space Electronics Systems Engineer II$90,000–$130,000/yr
An avionics or electrical engineer?
One profile for every employer here. Space companies and their recruiters ask us for people with a specific degree, clearance, specialty or location: add yours once, and when a job fits, we introduce you, only with your yes. Free.
Portal Space Systems openings, sent to you weekly
Each week we send the newest postings from Portal Space Systems's own careers site, along with similar openings at other space employers. It costs nothing and you can stop anytime.