Avionics System Engineer - Electrical Power System

Location

Munich, Germany

Employment Type

Full time

Department

Engineering Avionics Communication Power

Overview

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run.

Key Responsibilities

• System Architecture & Design

  • Define the Electrical Power System architecture in coordination with system engineering and mission requirements.

  • Size and specify solar arrays, batteries, and power conditioning/distribution units.

  • Ensure optimal power generation, storage, and distribution strategy across all mission phases and failure scenario and failure scenario

• Component Selection & Specification

  • Evaluate and select flight-qualified components: solar cells, battery design, power conversion and protection elements.

  • Support the design of power conditioning and distribution units

  • Generate technical specifications

• Analysis & Simulation

  • Conduct worst-case, reliability, and redundancy analyses in accordance with ECSS/NASA standards.

• Integration & Testing

  • Define and execute Electrical Power System verification and validation plans (unit, subsystem, and system levels).

  • Support integration of Electrical Power System with other subsystems of the spacecraft.

  • Participate in environmental testing: vibration, thermal vacuum, EMC.

• Project & Supplier Coordination

  • Interface with suppliers for COTS and internal teams for in-house designed power system components.

  • Support project development logic, planning, risk assessment, and technical reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR).

• Documentation & Standards Compliance

  • Produce detailed documentation for design, analysis, test procedures, and compliance reports.

  • Ensure compliance with space-grade standards (NASA-STD, ECSS)

  • Contribute actively to reviews with customers and certification authorities for the Electrical Power System.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in spacecraft Electrical Power System or avionics system development.

• Good level of understanding of the following domains:

  • Solar array systems

  • Space-qualified batteries

  • Power converters (DC/DC), MPPT, PCDU design

  • Power distribution architectures (bus, switched, redundant)

  • General electronics

• Proficiency with simulation and software development tools (e.g. Github, Python).

• Familiarity with ECSS/NASA standards and derating rules for space hardware.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical documentation skills.

• Fluent in English; ability to write clear technical specifications and reports.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with spacecraft platforms.

• Experience with Lithium-Ion Batteries

• Experience with battery management systems (BMS) and Battery failure modes.

• Experience with solar arrays design and test for space applications

Why you should join us!

What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:

• We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind

• We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them

• We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?

We\'d love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly. The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.