Principal RF Engineer (Starshield)

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Drive program-level decisions on RF system designs
• Research novel solutions for unique large-scale satellite RF systems
• Work in close collaboration with hardware, FPGA, DSP, and software engineers to design and validate RF systems
• Responsible for development and full life cycle support of RF hardware spanning PCBA board testing and defect detection, full functional testing of an assembled unit, and resolving on-orbit vehicle anomalies
• Create electromagnetic simulation models of hardware (antennas, filters, PCB layout) to design and evaluate performance
• Modify electrical schematics and mechanical drawings for flight applications as they relate to reliability and manufacturability
• BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, or electrical engineering
• 8+ years of experience RF engineering
• Experience with modeling/analysis tools/software such as HFSS, CST, ADS, MATLAB, C/C++, and/or Python
• Experience with RF test equipment such as VNA, spectrum analyzer, etc.
• Experience creating and maintaining link budgets and analysis related to communications or remote sensing systems
• PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
• Master’s degree in electrical engineering with emphasis in microwave/RF engineering
• Experience modeling RF and channel impairments such as multipath, phase noise, group delay, fading and nonlinear distortion
• Experience designing RF systems including radio astronomy, SIGINT, ELINT, radar, or wireless communications
• Experience with basic principles of antenna theory
• Experience with software-defined radios and frameworks, such as GNU Radio
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret SCI clearance
• ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
• An active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions; if so, you will be subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing
• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed