Lodestar
Software Engineer I: Payload Engineer
About this role
Join Lodestar as a Payload Engineer I to design, build, and integrate an autonomous sensing and effector payload for a Space Force program. You'll own the engineering model across optics, mechanics, avionics, and software, taking the system through design reviews and environmental qualification over 18 months with hands-on support from senior engineers.
What you'll do
- Own payload engineering model end-to-end: requirements, design, build, integration, test and documentation
- Develop payload, autonomy, effector, power, thermal and pointing requirements with ICDs between subsystems
- Prepare design review packages (SRR, PDR, CDR) and maintain verification matrix and risk register
- Integrate multimodal sensor suite (optical, LiDAR, radar), effector subsystem, and edge-compute avionics
- Perform optical alignment, hardware-in-the-loop testing in Void Lab, and environmental qualification support (TVAC, vibration, EMC/EMI)
- Produce customer-facing documentation including test reports, qualification dossier, and performance assessments
What they're looking for
- Python programming
- Aerospace or mechanical engineering fundamentals
- Hands-on hardware integration and test experience
- Optical alignment and photonics bench work
- Systems engineering and requirements development
- Embedded or real-time software
- Computer vision
- Closed-loop pointing and control systems
Benefits
- Meaningful equity options as part of employee pool
- Flexible PTO with generous paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave
- Comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage
- 401(k) retirement plan with company match
- Hands-on mentorship from founding and senior engineers
- Direct exposure to USSF and AFRL defense programs
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Lodestar
Lodestar develops MITHRIL, an AI-powered autonomy suite for autonomous spacecraft operations that combines state estimation, perception, and real-time decision-making capabilities. The company is hiring Software Engineers specializing in state estimation, perception algorithms, and on-board autonomy to build advanced systems for space target detection, trajectory prediction, and autonomous mission execution.
View all jobs at LodestarLikely interview questions
- Tell us about a hardware project you built from scratch to working state—what was your role and what challenges did you overcome?
- Walk us through your experience with optical systems or photonics work, if any, and what safety protocols you've followed.