Automation Engineer

Job details

Engineering

Phoenix , San Francisco Bay Area Full-time $130,000 USD - $200,000 USDRoleBuild the automation backbone that enables Azora's optical ground stations to operate independently: autonomous pass scheduling, calibration routines, health monitoring, and fault recovery. As a lead, you will define the automation architecture across a growing global network of ground sites.

Responsibilities Architect and implement end-to-end automation for ground station operations: target acquisition, pass execution, weather-driven decision-making, and safe-state recovery.

Develop hardware control software for telescopes, gimbals, weather sensors, and optical bench instrumentation (motion controllers, cameras, power systems).Build automated calibration, self-test, and built-in-test (BIT) routines that keep stations operational without on-site staff.

Design monitoring, alerting, and remote diagnostics infrastructure across multiple geographically distributed sites.

Define interfaces between site-level automation and the network-level scheduler/orchestration layer.

Establish software engineering practices for the automation stack: CI/CD, hardware-in-the-loop testing, simulation environments, and release management.

Build, lead and mentor a small team of automation and controls engineers as the ground network scales.

Required Qualifications BS/MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical/Mechatronics Engineering, or related field.
5+ years building automation or control software for physical systems (robotics, observatories, test automation, industrial control, or similar).Strong programming skills in Python and at least one systems language (C++, Rust, or Go).

Experience with hardware interfaces and protocols: serial, Ethernet/IP, Modbus, CAN, or similar.

Demonstrated experience taking automation systems from prototype to reliable 24/7 operation.

Preferred Experience automating telescopes, observatories, or optical ground stations (e.g., INDI/ASCOM ecosystems, custom mount control).Familiarity with orbital mechanics and satellite pass prediction (e.g., SGP4, Skyfield).

Experience with distributed systems, message buses (MQTT, ZeroMQ, gRPC), and time synchronization (NTP/PTP).Prior technical leadership or team lead experience in a startup environment.

Location This is an onsite/hybrid role based in Tempe, AZ or the Bay Area, CA – hardware work that’s hard to do remotely. Some travel expected for field deployment and vendor/manufacturing visits.

Benefits:

Generous equity

Competitive healthcare (including options for vision and dental)401(k)
Unlimited PTOEEO & Reasonable Accommodations Azora is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know by contacting infoce

Export Control To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (iii) protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or (iv) be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Salary ranges are based on the following criteria:

Level 1 (starting from $130,000 USD): 3-5 years of experience in relevant roles.

Level 2 (starting from $160,000 USD): 5-15 years of experience in relevant roles.

Final salary is based on geographic location, experience, skills, and qualifications.

About this Company Azora is building high-bandwidth communications infrastructure for environments where fiber can’t reach. This work spans LEO spacecraft constellations, lunar exploration missions, GEO satcom, deployable optical ground for defense, and data centers both on- and off-world. To enable rapid global proliferation Azora is developing compact and modular optical terminals small enough to deploy from a backpack, and space terminals that support high speed optical links from LEO out to the Moon.
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