Lead Command and Data Handling (C&DH) Engineer

Job Summary

As a Command and Data Handling (C&DH) Engineer, you will be responsible for the selection and management of electrical hardware and avionics systems critical to the operation of Millennium’s space vehicles. This role involves overseeing electrical interfaces through netlist management, driving vehicle architecture design to meet system requirements, and performing C&DH related analyses (data budget, signal integrity, vehicle I/O allocation analyses). You thrive with a high degree of autonomy and responsibility and can communicate technical concepts clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

This position's internal job code is EE Sys Design Engineer. Our team is currently hiring for Levels 2-3.

Responsibilities

• Develop C&DH subsystem architectures for Millennium’s space vehicle, driving system level design decisions and maintaining alignment with mission objectives and constraints.
• Select avionics and onboard processing units that meet flight software (FSW) and data handling needs while balancing performance, power, mass, and cost.
• Perform requirements definition and flow down, develop interface requirements, and manage verification activities.
• Lead the identification and resolution of technical issues related to avionics and electrical hardware during design, integration, and testing phases.
• Create and maintain detailed netlists to define the vehicle’s electrical connectivity.
• Perform data budget analysis and guarantee positive margins for telemetry, command, and onboard processing streams throughout the mission lifecycle.
• Conduct signal integrity (SI) studies to inform transmission line designs.
• Validate C&DH architectures against program fault management requirements, incorporating redundancy, watchdogs, and error detection mechanisms.
• Select and analyze oscillators and clock distribution schemes to meet timing requirements; perform clock drift, jitter, and accuracy analyses.
• Analyze serial and analog interfaces for compatibility, signal levels, grounding, and EMI considerations.
• Own vendor selection and trade study activities; produce make/buy recommendations that balance cost, schedule, technical risk, and lifecycle support.
• Collaborate with Flight Software, Harness, Electrical Ground Support Equipment and other multidisciplinary subsystem teams providing C&DH expertise as needed
• Provide technical, cost, and schedule status updates to program leads and functional managers; present C&DH designs, trade‑offs, and risk mitigations at SRR, PDR, CDR, and other customer reviews.

Minimum Qualifications

• This position requires the ability to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance for which the U.S. Government requires U.S. Citizenship. An interim and/or final U.S. Security Clearance Post-Start is required.
• Degree in Electrical, Computer, Aerospace or other relevant engineering
• Detailed knowledge of electrical hardware systems
• Methodical design, testing, and troubleshooting capabilities
• Must be versatile and able to perform and manage multiple tasks concurrently
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance
• Familiarity with industry standards for avionics and electrical hardware in aerospace applications
• At least 2 years as an Responsible Engineering Authority, Project Lead, Control Account Manager, or equivalent
• Have familiarity with government and DoD cybersecurity standards and implementation

Summary Pay-Range
Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only of what is reasonably expected to be paid for the position. Salaries are based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

• Level 2: $85,850 - $126,250
• Level 3: $102,850 - $151,250