Electronics Engineer

** Immediate Joiners Only **

 Astrogate Labs is a deep-tech startup based in Bengaluru, developing laser communication terminals for small satellites and mobile terrestrial platforms. Our hardware operates across space, maritime, and defence environments — placing strict demands on electronics design: high-speed mixed-signal boards handling optical signal chains alongside digital processing, power electronics constrained by mass and volume budgets, and actuator driver circuits operating within vibration and thermal envelopes. We have developed one of the industry’s smallest optical communication terminals for small satellite use, and are scaling toward on-orbit deployment. The Electronics Engineer will own the design of the boards that make these terminals work.

Why Join Astrogate Labs?

• Work on cutting-edge technology : Build laser communication systems that are 100x faster than traditional RF — deployed on satellites and defence platforms, and the only scalable path to high-capacity in-space and ground relay networks.

• Real impact : Your work will directly shape India’s space capabilities and national security applications.

• Ownership : In a lean and agile team, you will carry significant responsibility across the full product lifecycle — from schematic capture through board bring-up, field deployment, and flight qualification.

• Learning : Work alongside experienced aerospace engineers and advisors with deep domain expertise.

• Growth : Be part of a rapidly scaling startup backed by marquee investors, with clear pathways to technical leadership roles.

Our Culture

We’re a startup — expect fast iterations and the need to be resourceful.

We value:

• Technical excellence with a bias for action

• Collaborative problem-solving across disciplines

• Curiosity and continuous learning

• Pragmatism balanced with innovation

Duration: Full-time

Location: Sahakarnagar, Bengaluru

Qualification: BE/BTech/ME/MTech in Electronics & Communication or Electrical Engineering, or a related field with 3+ years of relevant experience. Academic qualification is secondary to demonstrated design output.

Job Responsibilities

• Design and develop analog, digital, and mixed-signal PCBs to industry standards — covering optical receiver front-ends (transimpedance amplifiers, APD bias circuits, laser driver electronics), FPGA-based processing boards, motor driver and actuator control electronics, and power conditioning boards for space and terrestrial applications.

• Own the full design cycle for each board: requirements capture, parts selection, schematic capture, PCB layout with constraint-driven routing for high-speed signals, and board bring-up through integrated system testing.

• Perform component selection, derating analysis, and FMECA for all designs — with awareness of the distinction between prototype, terrestrial deployment, and space-grade hardware requirements.

• Collaborate with systems, firmware, and mechanical engineers to define electrical interface requirements, partition functionality across boards, and optimise architecture within tight mass and volume constraints.

• Apply EMI/EMC mitigation techniques — including isolation strategies for coexistence between high-power laser driver circuits and sensitive analog detection front-ends on mixed-signal boards.

• Implement power and thermal management solutions appropriate to the operating environment, including vacuum-compatible thermal dissipation approaches where applicable.

• Simulate analog circuits using Tina-TI, LTSpice, or equivalent prior to fabrication as part of the design verification process.

• Coordinate with procurement and PCB fabrication vendors; maintain component inventory and manage lead-time constraints for prototype and pre-production builds.

• Develop and execute board bring-up and test plans, including scripted functional verification procedures and structured fault isolation.

Required Skills/Experience

• 3+ years of hands-on electronics design with demonstrable board-level output — schematics, layouts, and bring-up records covering the full design cycle.

• Solid grounding in analog and digital design: op-amp topologies, ADC/DAC interfacing, power supply design (LDO, switching regulators, charge pumps), and digital logic integration.

• Working knowledge of high-speed interfaces: LVDS, SERDES, and associated layout constraints including impedance control, differential pair routing, and via stitching.

• Familiarity with board-level communication protocols: I2C, SPI, UART, RS-422, RS-485, CAN.

• Hardware debug proficiency — oscilloscope, logic analyser, spectrum analyser, signal generator — with the ability to trace faults from observed symptoms to root cause.

• 3+ years of professional ECAD tool experience (KiCad, Altium, Cadence, or equivalent) covering schematic capture, constraint-driven layout, and DRC/DFM review.

• Experience designing high-speed multi-layer PCBs incorporating SoCs, FPGAs, DDR memory, and high-speed peripherals (Ethernet, USB, Flash, SD).

• Understanding of signal integrity and power integrity: transmission line effects, decoupling strategy, ground plane management.

Desired Skills/Experience

• Prior PCB design for aerospace or satellite applications, including awareness of space qualification standards (ECSS or equivalent).

• Experience with MIL-1553 and SpaceWire interfaces.

• Hands-on experience with Embedded C on ARM Cortex or Zynq SoC platforms — sufficient to support hardware-software co-bring-up.

• Experience designing high-speed mixed-signal boards where analog signal chains and digital switching circuitry must coexist without mutual interference.

• Knowledge of industry EMI/EMC standards (DO-160, MIL-STD-461, or equivalent) and their design implications.

• Proficiency in SMD rework and manual soldering for prototype debug and quick-turn board modification.

• Familiarity with PCB manufacturing processes and DFM constraints — sufficient to engage effectively with fabrication and assembly vendors.

Other Requirements

• Comfortable operating within a multidisciplinary team spanning optics, mechanical, firmware, and systems engineering.

• Self-directed in closing knowledge gaps; able to research and apply unfamiliar standards or design techniques without extensive guidance.

• Able to manage design decisions under schedule pressure without compromising functional reliability.

• Critical thinker with the confidence to challenge design choices, evaluate trade-offs, and document design decisions clearly.

• Relentless pursuit of precision and reliability in hardware output.

• Strong interpersonal and organisational skills for a dynamic, cross-functional team environment.

• Clear written and verbal communication, including the ability to produce readable design documentation and present board-level design reviews.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage

• Flexible working hours

• Opportunity to publish research at national and international conferences on behalf of Astrogate Labs

If you have hands-on electronics design experience and want to work on hardware deployed across space and defence platforms — with ownership from schematic to system test — this role is worth exploring.

Astrogate Labs is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.