Senior User Terminal Antenna and RF Specialist

Telesat; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equal opportunity employer

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Telesat, headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, is seeking a candidate to provide technical leadership in evaluating and deploying user terminal antenna technologies. The role requires a Bachelor's degree in related fields and at least 5 years of experience in antenna systems and satellite communications.

The selected individual will be responsible for assessing existing and emerging antenna technologies, leading design reviews, and conducting validation testing. Strong analytical abilities and communication skills are essential for success in this position.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in satellite communications, including antenna systems.
• Experience in design, testing, and integration of antenna technologies.
• Strong foundation in electromagnetics and antenna theory.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain technical requirements for antenna systems.
• Evaluate and recommend antenna solutions based on performance.
• Lead design reviews and support qualification testing.

Skills

Antenna design

RF systems knowledge

Communication skills

Analytical capabilities

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Ph.D. with relevant research

Tools

Simulation software

Modeling tools

Job description

Telesat (Nasdaq and TSX: TSAT) is a leading global satellite operator, providing reliable and secure satellite-delivered communications solutions worldwide to broadcast, telecommunications, corporate and government customers for over 55 years. Backed by a legacy of engineering excellence, reliability and industry-leading customer service, Telesat has grown to be one of the largest and most successful global satellite operators.

Telesat Lightspeed, our revolutionary Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network, scheduled to begin service in 2027, will revolutionize global broadband connectivity for enterprise and Government users by delivering a combination of high capacity, security, resiliency and affordability with ultra-low latency and fiber-like speeds. Telesat is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and has offices and facilities around the world.

The company’s state-of-the-art Satellite fleet consists of 12 GEO satellites, the Canadian payload on ViaSat-1 and one LEO 3 demonstration satellite. For more information, follow Telesat on X and LinkedIn or visit www.telesat.com.

The successful candidate will provide technical leadership in the evaluation, design, validation, and deployment of satellite user terminal (UT) antenna technologies for the Telesat Lightspeed constellation. This role will be focused on fixed, mobility, maritime, aeronautical, and land-mobile user terminal applications.

The candidate will be responsible for the technical assessment of existing and emerging antenna technologies, including electronically steerable antennas (ESAs), phased-array systems, and tracking reflector solutions. They will provide technical recommendations to Product Line Management and Systems Engineering teams to support the development of Telesat’s user terminal portfolio.

In addition, the successful candidate will lead technical engagements with antenna manufacturers, technology providers, and development partners; conduct design reviews; support qualification and validation testing; and contribute to the definition of future antenna architectures and performance requirements. The role requires strong analytical capabilities to model antenna performance and assess operational suitability within the Telesat Lightspeed network.

Main Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain technical requirements for Telesat Lightspeed user terminal antenna systems.
• Support the definition, allocation, and verification of antenna performance requirements for fixed and mobile user terminals.
• Contribute to the development of terminal certification, qualification, and type-approval processes.
• Serve as the primary technical interface to antenna manufacturers, technology suppliers, and development partners.
• Evaluate vendor-proposed antenna solutions with respect to performance, reliability, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and regulatory compliance.
• Identify and recommend design improvements, technology enhancements, or new antenna concepts to achieve product objectives.
• Perform system-level analysis, modeling, and simulation of antenna performance within the Telesat Lightspeed network.
• Define and execute validation and characterization test plans for antenna prototypes and pre-production systems.
• Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams in the evaluation of antenna technologies and user terminal solutions.
• Participate in supplier design reviews, technical assessments, and technology road-mapping activities.
• Maintain awareness of industry developments in satellite communications, phased-array technology, RF systems, beamforming architectures, and 5G/6G antenna technologies.
• Support customer engagements and business development activities by providing technical expertise as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Telecommunications Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in satellite communications, antenna systems, user terminal development, or related wireless communication technologies.
• Experience in antenna design, testing, integration, or performance evaluation.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Ph.D. with research focused on phased-array antennas, electronically steerable antennas, electromagnetics, RF systems, or related technologies.
• Direct experience developing or deploying electronically steerable antennas (ESAs) for satellite communications.

Specialized Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience in the design, modeling, simulation, integration, and testing of electronically steerable antennas.
• Strong understanding of phased-array antenna architectures, beamforming techniques, and antenna control systems.
• Knowledge of satellite antenna technologies including flat-panel ESAs, tracking reflector antennas, and hybrid architectures operating in Ku- and Ka-band frequencies.
• Understanding of satellite communications systems, including user terminals, modems, gateways, and network architectures.
• Knowledge of RF subsystems including power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, up/down conversion chains, and antenna calibration techniques.
• Familiarity with satellite communication physical-layer concepts such as modulation, coding, link budgets, G/T, EIRP, and interference analysis.
• Understanding of global regulatory and licensing requirements affecting satellite communications equipment.
• Strong foundation in electromagnetics, antenna theory, and propagation.
• Experience with RFIC, beamforming IC, and phased-array technology selection and evaluation.
• Knowledge of design-for-manufacture (DFM), production processes, and cost optimization for antenna systems.
• Experience integrating antenna systems with modems, networking equipment, and user terminal hardware platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with suppliers, partners, and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Strong analytical, technical writing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent engineering judgment and ability to balance performance, reliability, cost, power consumption, manufacturability, and schedule considerations.
• Fluent in English, both written and verbal.

Soft Skills

• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly present technical concepts
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Detail-oriented with a focus on quality and reliability
• Proactive mindset with a passion for innovation and continuous learning

Leadership

• No direct reports.
• Provides technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Leads supplier interactions, technical reviews, and development activities involving external partners and contractors.
• May supervise supplier activities and technical work packages associated with antenna development and validation.
• Makes independent engineering decisions within the scope of assigned projects and responsibilities.
• Establishes technical priorities and guides project teams in achieving program objectives.

Working Conditions

• Resource is required to be in office four (4) days weekly.
• Approximately 90% of the time spent in a professional office or laboratory environment.
• Approximately 10% of the time spent in manufacturing, integration, testing, or outdoor field environments.
• Support of projects across multiple time zones may occasionally require schedule flexibility.
• Occasional domestic and international travel may be required.
• Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain all required travel documentation and authorizations.

For Ottawa based position: The successful candidate must be able to work in Canada and obtain clearance under the Canadian Controlled Goods program (CGP) and Canadian Reliability clearance.

At Telesat, we take pride in being an equal opportunity employer that values equality in the workplace. We are committed to providing the best candidate experience possible, including any required accommodations at every stage of our interview process. All qualified applicants that have been selected for an interview that require accommodations are advised to inform the Telesat Talent team accordingly. We will work with you to meet your needs. All accommodation information provided will be treated as confidential.