Grounding and Bonding Engineer Principal

OVERVIEW

Axiom Space is a human space exploration company, building era-defining space infrastructure and delivering technology-driven solutions that will empower civilization to transcend Earth. Beginning with Axiom Station, successor to the International Space Station, the company is pioneering a next-generation orbital settlement that will foster groundbreaking innovation and research in microgravity and drive the global space economy of tomorrow. Today, guided by the vision of leading humanity's expansion off planet, Axiom Space is the principal provider of commercial human spaceflight services and developer of advanced spacesuits for the Moon and beyond. For more information about Axiom Space, visit www.axiomspace.com.

Axiom Space fosters a work environment inclusive of all perspectives. We are the pioneers of commercial space, leading the transformation of low-Earth orbit into a global space marketplace. Our mission-driven team is seeking a bold and dynamic Grounding and Bonding Engineer Principal who is fueled by high accountability, execution horsepower, and driven to understand our world, science/technology, and life itself, for the benefit of all on Earth and beyond.

POSITION SUMMARY

Since Axiom Space is a very complex work environment, we are looking for a resilient, high-energy Grounding and Bonding Engineer to own the electrical reference architecture of the station: where every power and signal domain is referenced, how isolation is maintained between domains, how every piece of conductive hardware is bonded to structure, and how all of it is verified on real articles rather than asserted in a drawing note.

The Axiom Space Station power architecture is a regulated high voltage dual bus system with multiple galvanically isolated domains, a distributed single point ground below the crossover frequency and a multipoint structure reference above it, secondary domains with different referencing treatments and therefore different fault behavior, orbital replaceable units whose bonds are remade on orbit by crew, and interfaces to the International Space Station and to visiting vehicles that have their own grounding conventions. The person in this seat owns the grounding and bonding plan, the requirements that come out of it, the flow into procurement specifications and supplier designs, and the verification evidence.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the grounding and bonding plan and the requirement set that derives from it: grounding philosophy, reference architecture, isolation criteria, bonding classes, cable and shield treatment, charging and electrostatic discharge control, and the verification approach for each requirement
• Define and maintain the reference architecture: domain boundaries created by isolating stages, the designated reference point of each domain, the reference network at each point, and the frequency at which the architecture hands over from single point reference to the structure as a distributed reference
• Own isolation requirements across the system: primary to chassis, primary to secondary, and return to return between circuits, with the test potential, the measurement configuration, and the pass criteria defined so that the result means something on integrated hardware
• Define the fault behavior that follows from each referencing choice, including which domains clear a first fault through a protective device and which limit it clears through the reference network, and coordinate the corresponding ground fault and isolation monitoring allocation with the power system and software teams
• Own bonding class definition and the associated criteria: current return, shock and fault protection, electromagnetic and radio frequency, and electrostatic discharge, including direct current resistance and bond path impedance limits, faying surface preparation, method selection, and galvanic corrosion control across dissimilar materials
• Drive bonding implementation into the design: bond identification and class callouts on engineering drawings, faying surface definition, bond strap justification where direct metal to metal contact is impractical, and demountable bond design for orbital replaceable units that crew will repair on orbit
• Own ground loop control, cable classification and separation, and shield termination practice, and resolve the recurring design arguments with physics rather than with the local habit
• Define grounding at external interfaces: module to module, the International Space Station interface, visiting vehicle interfaces, and ground processing earthing at the launch site
• Support spacecraft charging and electrostatic discharge control, including the bonding scheme for differential charging control, surface treatment requirements, and ground handling practice
• Flow requirements into procurement specifications, statements of work, and interface control documents, review supplier design and test data against them, and disposition deviations and waivers
• Own the verification matrices and the evidence behind them: design inspection, analysis, bond resistance measurement records traceable to drawing identification, isolation testing, and gate by gate closure of open verification
• Mentor junior engineers, review their analyses and documents, and raise the technical standard of the team rather than only your own output
• Communicate progress, status, risk, and options to stakeholders and leadership
• Perform additional job duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or equivalent. Advanced degree preferred
• Level 5: 12 or more years, including ownership of a grounding and bonding architecture carried through qualification
• Demonstrated command of grounding architecture in practice: single point, multipoint, and hybrid reference schemes, isolated domain definition, ground loop mechanisms, and the reasons each choice is made rather than the rule of thumb that usually replaces the reason
• Working knowledge of NASA-STD-4003A, SSP 30245, MSFC-STD-3790, MSFC-SPEC-521D, or equivalent bonding and grounding standards, including bond classification and the criteria attached to each class
• Understanding of bond impedance behavior with frequency, including why a measured direct current resistance is necessary but not sufficient, and what a bond strap does to a bond path
• Experience defining isolation and bond verification that survives contact with real hardware: test potential selection, measurement configuration on integrated articles, environmental sensitivity of insulation measurement, and identification of components that cannot withstand the test
• Demonstrated ability to author controlling documentation: plans, requirement specifications with rationale, verification matrices, and test procedures
• Experience flowing requirements to suppliers and reviewing supplier design and test data against them
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to defend a technical position in front of customers, partners, and safety authorities
• Track record of delivering outcomes in ambiguous, fast-moving environments, and of delivering high quality results under tight deadlines
• Uses good judgement to problem-solve proactively, positively impacting hard challenges
• Demonstrated organization skills to meet tight deadlines with high quality results

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of electromagnetic compatibility and interference practice, including MIL-STD-461 test methods, shielding and filtering, and the electromagnetic consequences of referencing decisions. This is a strong preference. The successful candidate is expected to work closely with the electromagnetic compatibility engineer, since the two disciplines share the same hardware and the same failures
• Human spaceflight experience, and familiarity with International Space Station electrical interface conventions and the associated safety and certification process
• Experience with high voltage direct current power systems, ground fault detection, and isolation monitoring
• Experience with spacecraft charging analysis, surface charging mitigation, and electrostatic discharge control in the flight environment
• Experience with orbital replaceable unit design and on orbit maintenance, including demountable electrical interfaces
• Experience with harness design, shield termination practice, and connector selection for controlled electromagnetic performance
• INCOSE certification, or an equivalent demonstrated systems engineering practice

Core Skills

• Passion for space and the mission
• Entrepreneurial, growth mindset
• High EQ and ability to collaborate within teams and cross-functionally
• Tech-solutioning in using systems and tools to move smarter and faster

Core Competencies:

Embody our core values of leadership, innovation, and teamwork. In addition, to perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Accountability
• Technical Rigor
• Execution Discipline
• Pride of Delivery

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Generally, an office environment, but can involve inside or outside work depending on the task.

Requirements 

• This position may require access to export controlled technical data or technology subject to NASA regulations, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). In accordance with U.S. export control laws, final candidates may be required to undergo additional export control screening to determine eligibility for access. Meeting these requirements is a condition of employment
• Management has the prerogative to select at any level for which the position is advertised
• Must be willing to work evenings and weekends as needed to meet critical project milestones

 Physical Requirements

• Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods (90% of the time)
• May require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. (5% of the time)
• Equipment and Machines
• Standard office equipment (PC, phone, printer, etc.)

Axiom Space is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  Axiom Space does not discriminate on the basis of race, regional color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.