Engineer

Mission Statement

Michigan Engineers are world-class educators, researchers, students and staff who strive to build a people-first future. As part of a top national public research institution, Michigan Engineering's mission is to provide scientific and technological leadership to the people of the world, develop intellectually curious and socially conscious minds, create collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promote an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good.

Responsibilities

• Conceive, architect, and lead the development of advanced spaceflight systems, with primary responsibility for the technical integrity and end-to-end performance of the spacecraft.
• Design, integrate, and test advanced electro-optical and electromechanical subsystems, with particular emphasis on precision attitude determination and control, optical pointing, and spaceborne laser payloads.
• Oversee spacecraft avionics, sensors, actuators, flight software, power, structures, and thermal systems, ensuring robust interfaces and system-level coherence.
• Develop and maintain system requirements, interface control documents, and verification plans; perform design trades, analyses, and risk assessments; and lead hardware and software integration, test, and on-orbit readiness activities.
• Design, assemble, debug, and test flight and ground support hardware and software using modern CAD, circuit design, simulation, and test tools. Maintain and evolve mission testbeds, laboratories, and fabrication resources.
• Engage closely with faculty leadership, industry collaborators, and undergraduate and graduate student teams, providing technical mentorship while guiding the mission from concept through launch and on-orbit operations.

Required Qualifications

Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field, with 1 (one) year of relevant experience in spacecraft, space systems, or precision aerospace systems; equivalent industry or flight-program experience considered. Demonstrated experience designing, integrating, and testing complex spaceflight or high-reliability aerospace systems, with system-level responsibility across multiple subsystems.

Strong background in attitude determination and control systems (ADCS), including inertial sensors, star trackers, reaction wheels, magnetorquers, actuators, estimation and control algorithms, and precision pointing or formation-flying applications. Experience with optical or laser-based systems, such as laser communications, optical terminals, precision pointing mechanisms, optical sensors, or free-space optical testbeds. Experience with circuit board bring-up, debugging, and test; familiarity with mixed-signal electronics, power systems, and low-level hardware / software interfaces. Software experience across multiple environments (e.g., Python, C / C++, embedded systems, Linux), with proficiency in flight software, embedded control, simulation, or hardware-in-the-loop testing.

Experience with laboratory instrumentation, including sensor calibration, optical alignment, signal conditioning, data acquisition, and system-level diagnostics. Experience developing and maintaining engineering documentation, including requirements, interface control documents, test plans, and verification reports. Ability to work effectively in a collaborative academic research environment, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students while coordinating with faculty and external partners.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile / remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the