Space RF Payload Specialist

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical advisor and oversight authority for the development, build, verification, integration, and deployment of spaceborne RF payloads.
• Provide government leadership with technical assessments and recommendations regarding payload design, development progress, and risk mitigation efforts.
• Generate and refine system and payload requirements to support mission objectives.
• Conduct evaluations and compliance assessments of requirements implementation and requirements flow-down.
• Perform concept design reviews, trade studies, and analyses of alternatives.
• Assess Critical Technology Elements (CTEs), Technology Readiness Assessments (TRAs), and Manufacturing Readiness Assessments (MRAs).
• Support development and analysis of Concept of Operations (CONOPS) documentation.
• Provide technical oversight of payload integration and test activities onto candidate spacecraft platforms.
• Support transition-to-operations activities including operator training, payload initialization, checkout procedures, and on-orbit operations.
• Assess proposed payload design modifications and evaluate impacts to performance, spacecraft compatibility, and mission objectives.
• Review and assess risk reduction plans intended to improve payload design maturity and hardware readiness.
• Cook up with prime contractors, subcontractors, and government stakeholders to ensure technical progress, schedule adherence, and successful mission execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a technical discipline such as Physics, Mathematics, or Aerospace Engineering with 14+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree in a related technical field with 12+ years of relevant experience.
• Extensive experience with spaceborne RF payloads, digital signal processing, signal analysis, and mission data processing systems.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex technical issues and develop effective engineering solutions.
• Working knowledge of orbital mechanics and environmental effects impacting spaceborne RF payload performance.
• Experience applying Systems Engineering principles throughout payload development, integration, and spacecraft implementation efforts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively brief customer leadership and technical teams.
• Must possess an in-scope security background investigation (T5 or SSBI), adjudicated for SCI eligibility, and be enrolled in the Continuous Evaluation Program (as applicable).
• Must be willing to be nominated for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Special Access Program (SAP) access and consent to a Polygraph examination.

Preferred Qualifications

• 16+ years of experience supporting RF payload development programs.
• Experience with integration and testing of spaceborne RF payloads on spacecraft platforms.
• Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes and lifecycle management.
• Experience serving as a Project Manager, Technical Lead, or Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead on space payload programs.
• Ability to develop and analyze end-to-end link budgets for space-to-ground communications systems and RF payload architectures.

Pay

Compensation: $160,000 - $220,000+ based on experience, qualifications, and technical expertise

Benefits

Full Benefits Package including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), PTO, Paid Holidays, and additional company-sponsored benefits.