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Current energy and data systems rely on complex logistics and outdated infrastructure.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

We are looking for a Head of Avionics to lead the design, development, and integration of avionics systems across our spacecraft platform. This role will own the architecture and execution of avionics systems, including flight computers and critical interfaces that enable control, communication, and power management on orbit.

You will define systems that operate in real-time, safety-critical environments under strict constraints around power, thermal, and radiation, working closely with hardware, integration, and operation teams to deliver reliable and scalable systems.

This is a critical leadership role with significant ownership over system architecture, team building, and execution.

Responsibilities

Define the technical vision and roadmap for avionics across spacecraft platforms

Own system architecture across avionics, hardware interfaces, and system integration

Lead the design and development of avionics systems, peripheral interfaces, EMI/EMC, embedded architecture, and rapid integrated testing infrastructure.

Build and lead a team of avionics engineers, setting technical direction and development standards

Ensure robust communication across subsystems and subsystem leads

Drive end-to-end development from concept through design, integration, validation, and flight readiness

Collaborate cross-functionally with other spacecraft teams to ensure seamless system integration

Establish testing, validation, and qualification strategies for avionics systems, including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and simulation environments

Ensure robust communication across subsystems and subsystem leads

Optimize systems for performance within constraints of power, thermal, and radiation environments

Guide component selection, vendor partnerships, and manufacturing processes for avionics hardware

Participate in system-level trade studies to balance performance, cost, mass, and power