Flight Termination System Engineer

Job description

**About Cowboy Space Corp:** **Mission** Cowboy Space Corporation is solving the global energy crisis by building the infrastructure for abundant, resilient space-based solar energy. We are tackling one of humanity’s most complex engineering challenges with a world-class team dedicated to delivering a revolutionary power platform. Cowboy Space Corporation is transforming how civilization powers, computes and connects - from orbit to Earth. **Background** Cowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our modular, scalable satellites collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit to enable multiple integrated applications: transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit high-performance computing clusters (GPU/TPU), and providing secure, high bandwidth optical data transport. Current energy and data systems rely on complex logistics and outdated infrastructure. Cowboy Space Corporation overcomes these challenges by enabling direct, on-demand, secure, and scalable energy distribution and data processing from space. This will revolutionize how we operate in orbit and on Earth, supporting the rapidly expanding space industrial base, ISAM (In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing) operations, remote regions, and military bases. Baiju Bhatt founded Cowboy Space Corporation in 2024. Inspired by his father’s work with NASA Langley Research Center, Baiju earned his B.S. in Physics and M.S. in Mathematics at Stanford before co-founding Robinhood, now a public company that has helped over 20 million Americans access the financial system. Cowboy Space Corporation has raised ~$365 million from Index Ventures, Interlagos, Construct Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and others. This is an ambitious mission that demands extraordinary talent. Cowboy Space Corporation ’s team has worked at places like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Astranis and NASA, and is based in San Carlos, CA. If you're ready to solve complex technical challenges and help build the most important energy company in the world, we want to hear from you. **About the Role**: Serve as the technical authority for the flight safety system that determines when and how our launch vehicle terminates flight. You'll own the Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS) end to end: the Range and FAA relationship, the flight safety analysis, the safety-critical avionics architecture, and the qualification and certification campaign. AFTS is one of the longest-lead, highest-consequence items on our path to first flight. You will work closely with the avionics team to define the safety-critical architecture including redundancy, navigation, power and telemetry. As a Staff-level individual contributor, you'll set the technical direction for Cowboy's flight safety discipline, establish engineering methodologies and standards, make the build-versus-integrate decisions, and own the range and regulatory interface directly. **Responsibilities** - Own the flight safety system as the discipline lead: architecture, analysis, qualification, and certification from concept through flight readiness. - Actively participate in board- and system-level hardware design reviews, lead safety-related discussions, and serve as the go-to person for safety-related hardware design decisions. - Lead the AFTS relationship with Space Launch Delta 45 (Eastern Range) and the FAA/AST, and own the flight safety system approach within Cowboy's Part 450 application and associated safety data deliverables. - Make the build-versus-integrate decision, including integration of CASS (Core Autonomous Safety Software), and define the safety-critical avionics architecture in partnership with the avionics team. - Define the flight abort rules, hazard and debris footprint analysis, and mission data load, and verify abort logic through Monte Carlo and statistical methods. - Specify redundant flight computers, independent GPS/INS navigation, independent power, and independent telemetry and ordnance interfaces to RCC 319 and autonomous flight safety requirements. - Own the environmental qualification campaign—vibration, shock, thermal, and EMI—for flight safety hardware, and the verification evidence supporting certification. - Deliver clear, timely safety requirements and interfaces to avionics, GNC, propulsion, and structures teams. - Investigate anomalies and reconstruct flight safety performance from telemetry to improve future analysis and rule sets. - Establish the methods, tools, and standards the flight safety discipline works to. - Mentor engineers and provide technical guidance across the avionics and GNC teams. **Basic Qualifications:** - Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, or related engineering field. - 8+ years of experience in flight safety systems, flight termination systems, avionics, or GNC for launch vehicles or flight hardware. - Direct, hands-on experience taking an autonomous flight termination or flight safety system through range certification on a launch vehicle. - Working knowledge of RCC 319, autonomous flight safety requirements, and FAA Part 450 flight safety system expectations. - Demonstrated ownership of flight safety analysis: flight abort rules, debris and hazard footprints, and statistical (Monte Carlo) verification. **Preferred Qualifications:** - Advanced degree in a relevant engineering field. - Hands-on experience integrating CASS/AFSS onto vehicle avionics. - Experience on the Eastern Range (Space Launch Delta 45) specifically. - Experience bringing a new launch vehicle—rather than an established program—through first flight. - Familiarity with safety-critical avionics: redundancy architectures, GPS/INS navigation, and independent power and telemetry chains. - Hands-on qualification test experience for flight electronics (vibration, shock, thermal, EMI). - Proficiency with scripting (Python/MATLAB) for safety analysis and load-set processing. - Track record of mentoring engineers and setting technical direction without formal authority. **Compensation and Benefits** The salary range for this position is **$157,000 – $206,000** annually. **The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.** - Equity in Cowboy Space Corp. - Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance - 401(k) retirement savings plan - Paid time off - 10 paid holidays per calendar year - Paid parental leave - Relocation assistance if applicable - Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks **ITAR Requirements** - *Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants 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. Learn more about ITAR* [*here*](https://deccs.pmddtc.state.gov/deccs)*.* **Disclaimer** *This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.* *Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.*