RF Test Engineer
Posted Updated
- We’re not here to incrementally improve GNSS
- We’re here to redefine it from the ground up
- We’re looking for a highly motivated and hands-on RF Test Engineer to join our growing team and take ownership of testing the RF systems that power our next generation service
- In this role, you’ll be instrumental in designing and executing test campaigns for everything from our mission-critical payload to the RF subsystems that tie together the satellite bus
- This is an in-person role that demands technical depth, creativity, and a strong desire to build and break hardware in service of a mission
- If you thrive in a fast-paced, startup environment, enjoy getting your hands on flight hardware, and take pride in designing test setups that are both clever and rock solid, we’d love to meet you
- Design, implement, and execute test plans for a wide range of RF systems, including payload transmit/receive chains, telemetry/command links, GNSS receivers, and interconnects across the satellite bus
- Build and maintain RF test setups using VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, and custom fixtures
- Develop automated test scripts and data capture tools to accelerate and standardize test workflows
- Perform detailed analysis of RF test data to validate system performance and characterize margins
- Troubleshoot RF anomalies at the board, subsystem, and system level
- Support environmental testing (e.g., thermal vacuum, vibration, EMI/EMC) with RF test instrumentation and monitoring
- Work closely with subsystem teams to ensure test coverage aligns with mission requirements
- Contribute to the definition of test requirements and verification matrices across the full satellite development lifecycle
- Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python for test automation and data analysis
- Comfort working in lab environments and around flight hardware
- Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines
- Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail
- Strong foundation in RF fundamentals, including link budgets, S-parameters, gain/loss calculations, and impedance matching
- 3+ years of hands-on experience in RF testing, preferably in aerospace, defense, or telecommunications
- Deep familiarity with RF test equipment (spectrum analyzers, VNAs, signal generators, etc.)
- B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
- Familiarity with configuration control and documentation practices in a hardware development environment
- Understanding of digital signal processing and RF impairments
- Experience with GNSS systems and signal acquisition
- Experience testing RF systems in space environments (TVAC, EMI/EMC, vibration, etc.)
- Familiarity with satellite communication protocols (e.g., CCSDS, DVB-S2, S-band, C-band, L-Band)