Communications · Communications
RF Communications Engineer
Design satellite uplinks, downlinks and crosslinks across RF bands, including link budgets, modulation and interference analysis.
Role mandate
Build the capability for the era ahead.
This team member will combine subject-matter depth, sound judgment and disciplined execution to move the mission from architecture to measurable results.
Responsibilities
- Own the Communications workstream for RF Communications Engineer and deliver measurable technical or operating outcomes.
- Own requirements, interfaces, performance budgets and verification for flight and ground systems.
- Coordinate hardware, software, payload, bus, network and mission-operation dependencies.
- Drive design reviews, risk retirement, integration and readiness through the mission lifecycle.
Required qualifications
- Engineering experience with spacecraft, payloads, RF systems, avionics, antennas or ground systems.
- Working knowledge of requirements management, interface control and verification.
- Ability to perform disciplined analysis and communicate technical risk.
Preferred experience
- Experience taking flight hardware or mission systems through qualification and operations.
- Familiarity with constellation, optical-link or quantum-communications programs.
Scientific and technical requirements
Physics, mathematics and engineering foundations
- Electromagnetics, transmission lines, antenna theory, microwave circuits, propagation, modulation, coding and statistical detection.
- Fourier analysis, complex phasors, S-parameters, noise, information theory and interference statistics.
Mathematics and working equations
- Friis: Pr = PtGtGr(λ/4πR)²L; express EIRP, free-space loss, atmospheric loss, polarization loss and implementation margin in dB.
- Carrier-to-noise density C/N0 = received carrier power − system noise density; Eb/N0 = C/N0 − 10log10(Rb).
- Shannon C = B log2(1 + S/N); use the selected modulation/coding curve rather than capacity alone for required margin.
- Antenna gain G = η(πD/λ)²; phased-array factor and element pattern jointly determine beamwidth and sidelobes.
Hardware, flight and infrastructure components
- Transmitter/receiver, modem, up/downconverters, PA/LNA, filters, diplexers, waveguide/coax, frequency reference and RF switch network.
- Reflector, horn, patch or phased array; beamformer; radome; tracking mount; calibration couplers and spectrum-monitoring chain.
Software, laboratory and analysis tools
- HFSS/CST or equivalent EM solver, ADS/AWR, MATLAB/Python link analysis, STK coverage, spectrum-planning and interference tools.
- VNA, spectrum/signal analyzer, signal generator, power meter, noise-figure analyzer, antenna range and BER tester.
Verification and mission skills
- Measure S-parameters, gain, pattern, axial ratio, EIRP, G/T, spurious emissions, intermodulation, Doppler tolerance, acquisition and end-to-end BER.
Authoritative technical references
The hiring sequence will follow operating milestones and project requirements. The position may begin through advisory, consulting or project-based work before moving into a full-time role.
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