Staff Avionics Engineer (C&DH)
BlackSky
Listing collected from BlackSky's career site. NextChapter is independent of BlackSky.
Tukwila, WA · Posted October 28, 2026
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About the job
Staff Avionics Engineer (C&DH)
About Us:
BlackSky is a real-time intelligence company. We own and operate the world's most advanced space-based intelligence platform and provide customers satellite imagery, automated analytics and high-frequency monitoring of strategic locations, economic assets, and events from around the globe. BlackSky is trusted by the most demanding allied military and intelligence organizations and commercial companies to deliver foresight into critical matters that affect national security and the economy. BlackSky's data enables governments and businesses to see, understand and anticipate change as it happens, giving them the ultimate strategic advantage so they can act quickly. Our global team works with cutting-edge technology to make a difference around the world and prides itself on being people-first, customer-focused and fun.
Avionics Engineers at BlackSky are the glue that ensures that all the components, subsystems, parts, hardware, software come together to produce best-in-class spacecraft. BlackSky is seeking a proven systems engineer to provide a key role in the definition, verification, assembly, and delivery of our industry-defining spacecraft. You will be involved throughout the engineering lifecycle, from creating and understanding mission needs through design, integration, test, and ultimately the operation of spacecraft in orbit. Success in the role requires daily collaboration with a diverse set of team members – mechanical, electrical, software, and test engineers, operators, and program managers.
You will work in our Tukwila, WA office with a hybrid on-site schedule with significant flexibility for part-time remote work.
Responsibilities:
Organize, lead, and support development of Systems Engineering deliverables
Define and decompose mission CONOPS into Avionics subsystem and component requirements
Build and maintain tools to rapidly generate space‑vehicle technical budgets and analysis products
Develop system, subsystem, and component verification and test plans
Communicate technical information (analysis results, findings, trades) to peers, the Program Chief Engineer, program management, and customers
Work with software developers to facilitate understanding of the system and component cabilities
Participate in Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) as a subject matter expert in the compute systems
Provide technical oversight of component/unit suppliers and support supply chain activities
Build and refine automated tools for analyzing test, analysis, and other verification data at the component, subsystem, vehicle, and constellation levels.
Other job-related duties as assigned
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Computer Science, Aerospace, Systems, or Electrical preferred)
Minimum of 10 years of experience in the Aerospace or Defense Industry, with at least 2 years of experience developing hardware and software systems
Strong foundation for developing compute hardware and subsystem development lifecycle
Strong understanding of spacecraft, subsystem behaviors, and associated dependencies
Demonstrated ability to produce satellite budgets related to the compute system such as compute overhead, data throughput, data storage, etc
Proficient with requirements management practices
Experience developing systems engineering artifacts: Interface Control Documents, Internal block diagrams, activity diagrams, sequence diagrams, state machines, etc.
Experience coordinating with supply chain as a technical point of contact for hardware suppliers
Strong sense of ownership, innate sense of urgency, and bias toward eliminating waste and inefficiency
Preferred Qualifications:
Demonstrated technical depth in high speed digital communications and compute systems
Proficiency in developing and troubleshooting high speed hardware interfaces such 10G and 25G ethernet, PCIe, and various SerDes interfaces.
Experience with requirements tracking tools (e.g. Jama, DOORS)
Experience with Jira, Confluence, GitHub, or other similar tools
Strong understanding of spacecraft avionics, the space environment, basic astrodynamics, and related spacecraft design considerations
Experience working within a Scaled Agile or comparable Agile framework
Life at BlackSky for full-time benefits eligible employees includes :
Medical, dental, vision, disability, group term life and AD&D, voluntary life and AD&D insurance
BlackSky pays 100% of employee-only premiums for medical, dental and vision and contributes $100/month for out-of-pocket expenses!
15 days of PTO, 11 Company holidays, four Floating Holidays (pro-rated based on hire date), one day of paid volunteerism leave per year, parental leave and more
401(k) pre-tax and Roth deferral options with employer match
Flexible Spending Accounts
Employee Stock Purchase Program
Employee Assistance and Travel Assistance Programs
Employer matching donations
Professional development
Awesome swag
The anticipated salary range for candidates in the Great Seattle Area, WA is 165,000 -180,000 per year. The final compensation package offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on specific background and education. BlackSky is a multi-state employer, and this pay scale may not reflect salary ranges in other states or locations outside of the Great Seattle Area.
BlackSky is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer All Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
EEO/AAP/ Pay Transparency Statements:
https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf