RF Systems Engineer III

About the role

The role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which is focused on addressing two of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space infrastructure and increasing mobility on-orbit. It is also part of the Blue National Security business unit.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Chief Communications Architect to develop end-to-end RF communications system architectures for spacecraft across civil, commercial, and National Security Space programs.
• Develop and maintain initial RF link budgets for space-to-ground and crosslink communications across a range of mission profiles and orbital regimes.
• Define and develop system-level RF specifications and flow them down to spacecraft development teams for further design, integration, and delivery.
• Design and support testing of spacecraft Telemetry, Tracking & Command (TT&C) systems and mission data systems.
• Perform RF systems analysis and trade studies, including modulation schemes, frequency band selection, antenna coverage, and link margin optimization.
• Conduct performance analysis for missions spanning Earth-centered orbits (LEO, MEO, GEO) as well as deep space environments including cislunar and Mars.
• Engage with internal spacecraft development teams and external partners to ensure RF system designs meet mission requirements.
• Contribute to technical reviews and provide subject matter expertise on RF communications topics.
• Support proposal development and new business capture activities across the business unit.
• Stay current with emerging technologies, standards, and best practices in spacecraft RF communications.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in RF systems engineering, including design, analysis, integration, and/or test of spacecraft communications systems.
• Demonstrated experience developing RF link budgets and performing end-to-end communications system analysis.
• Working knowledge of spacecraft TT&C subsystem architectures, including transmitters, receivers, transponders, and associated ground station equipment.
• Familiarity with RF communications standards and protocols relevant to space applications (e.g., CCSDS).
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to perform system-level trade studies and communicate results clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience contributing to technical documentation and design reviews.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in spacecraft RF communications systems engineering.
• Active Top Secret (TS) security clearance or the ability to obtain one.
• Experience with deep space communications systems, including cislunar and/or Mars mission architectures.
• Familiarity with NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) or commercial ground network interfaces and operational concepts.
• Experience with software-defined radio (SDR) platforms and digital signal processing techniques.
• Proficiency in RF analysis and simulation tools such as STK, MATLAB, or Python.
• Knowledge of EMI/EMC design principles and testing methodologies for spaceflight hardware.
• Experience with environmental qualification of RF hardware (thermal vacuum, vibration, EMI/EMC).
• Experience contributing to government or commercial proposal efforts, including technical writing, basis of estimate development, and RF architecture inputs for new business capture.
• Demonstrated ability to work across multi-disciplinary teams in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Skills

• Technical expertise in RF systems engineering.
• Collaborative spirit and passion for space.
• Ability to analyze and optimize RF communications systems.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to contribute to technical documentation and design reviews.
• Knowledge of spacecraft TT&C subsystem architectures.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Understanding of RF communications standards and protocols.
• Ability to perform system-level trade studies and communicate results.
• Experience with software-defined radio platforms and digital signal processing techniques.
• Knowledge of EMI/EMC design principles and testing methodologies.
• Experience with environmental qualification of RF hardware.
• Experience with deep space communications systems, including cislunar and/or Mars mission architectures.
• Experience with NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) or commercial ground network interfaces and operational concepts.
• Experience with RF analysis and simulation tools such as STK, MATLAB, or Python.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking, and command systems.
• Experience with spacecraft telemetry, tracking,