Company Overview

We imagine a future where freedom is secured by the rapid production of the highest-performing materials on Earth. At Canopy, we’re building digital factories to manufacture complex ceramic components in days—accelerating American innovation on Earth and beyond. We’re enabling the most challenging missions in the galaxy, including space re-entry, interplanetary travel, and hypersonic flight. Canopy’s core focus is on thermal management components made from technical ceramics engineered to survive extreme heat, corrosion, and the harshest environments known to man.

Position overview

As a Hardware Systems Engineer at Canopy, you will have the opportunity to design and build systems for a variety of applications ranging from spacecraft re-entry, interplanetary travel, hypersonic platforms, and more. On a given day you could be designing electrical systems for Thermal Protection System (TPS) diagnostics, building and testing prototype hardware, programming data acquisition systems, and taking systems through flight qualification processes. While many companies today take years to develop and qualify new thermal protection systems, we are attempting to do it in months. Prior TPS or aerospace experience is not required for this position. We are focused on finding smart, autonomous, highly motivated individuals who are passionate about solving new problems. To be successful in this role, you should be self-motivated, thrive in ambiguity, and be able to lead your own projects to completion. We strive to create a culture that incentivizes high performers and disruptors rather than maintaining the status quo. 

Responsibilities

• Lead design of full-stack electronic systems for novel sensing modalities  
• Develop support software, firmware, and hardware within small, multidisciplinary teams
• Design and execute functional/qualification testing campaigns of system assemblies, sub-components, and other electronics hardware
• Integrate and operate a broad range of sensors and other diagnostic equipment to understand high-temperature behavior of TPS materials or sensing into the experiment  
• Perform data analysis and interpretation of results
• Participate in the research and development (R&D) process for new reentry systems and payloads
• Collaborate cross functionally with research, design, development, manufacturing, and test groups
  
  

Requirements

• Ability to rapidly change function/responsibilities and thrive in a fast-paced startup environment 
• Demonstrated ability to deliver on tight schedules using innovative and/or creative solutions 
• Understanding and embodiment of extreme ownership principles 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an aptitude for interdisciplinary technical communication  
• Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals in physics, materials science, and computer science
• Experience with circuit board design
• Experience with data acquisition systems (National Instruments etc.) and other sensor hardware
• Experience with RF materials and analysis 
• Experience designing and executing experimental test campaigns
• Proficiency in Python, C, C++, or other similar language
  
  

Nice to have’s

• Project management or project leadership experience   
• Generating proposals for projects or presenting pitch decks
• Experience with robotics and other mechatronics  
• Experience in large scale ground test facilities  
• Experience with qualification for spaceflight  
• Experience with CubeSats or other satellite technology 
• Experience with supersonic and hypersonic flow facilities 
  

Additional requirements

• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary
  

Compensation and Benefits

• Pay range: $100,000 – $180,000 
• Unlimited PTO  
• Paid holidays  
• FSA with company contribution   
• Retirement Savings Plan – 5% matching 401(k)  
• 100% Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage for employee and family  
• Company stock options  
• Professional Stipend  
• Health and Wellness Stipend 

Actual level and base salary determined on a case-by-case basis and could vary depending on education, job-related knowledge and skills, fit with the company, and experience.

Hiring Process

We strive to be transparent and equitable throughout our hiring process; we also will move quickly through the steps. Below is a description of our hiring process:

1. Candidate submission of resume and portfolio materials
2. 20-minute administrative screening call
3. Multiple 30-minute technical screens with Canopy engineers and/or the hiring managers
4. On-site, case-study interview
5. 1:1s with key team members
6. Final offer decision
   

Canopy Core Values

• Own Everything
• Cultivate Integrity
• Inquire Rigorously
• Practice Optimism
• Operate Decisively
  

Other Requirements

Travel required up to 10% of the time.

To conform with U.S. Export Regulations, candidates must be one of the following:

• U.S. Citizen or national
• U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder)
• Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157
• Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S"Canopy Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Canopy Aerospace is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
  

Other Notes

If you feel you’re qualified for the role, but don’t exactly meet the criteria - please apply! We value diversity and prioritize passion over perfectly polished skillsets.