Antenna Design Engineer

Array Labs; Redwood City (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A cutting-edge technology company based in Redwood City is seeking an Antenna Design Engineer to develop antennas for advanced radar satellite systems. This role focuses on designing and validating high-performance antennas that influence satellite capabilities. The ideal candidate will hold a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and possess 3+ years of relevant experience, including proficiency with RF tools. Competitive compensation is available, with a salary range of $150,000 - $300,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of industry experience in antenna or RF systems engineering.
• Experience with antenna design tools and measurement equipment.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, iterative design environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, simulate, and optimize antennas including patch and phase arrays.
• Define antenna requirements and ensure integration feasibility.
• Perform EM simulations using HFSS, CST, and ADS.

Skills

Antenna design

RF system engineering

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Laboratory testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

HFSS

CST

ADS

MATLAB

Vector network analyzers (VNAs)

Job description

Array Labs builds advanced radar systems to help humanity understand and respond to changes across the physical world.

We’re launching a coordinated fleet of radar satellites to create a high-resolution 3D map of the Earth – updated in real time – enabling faster, smarter decision-making for government and commercial organizations supporting disaster response, infrastructure resilience, and mission‑critical geopolitical intelligence.

We design and build our satellites end‑to‑end, producing the world’s most advanced earth observation satellites. Our fleet will deliver unprecedented levels of accuracy, coverage, and responsiveness to power critical insights precisely where they’re needed most.

About the Job

As an Antenna Design Engineer, you will design, simulate, and validate the radiating structures and arrays used in Array’s spaceborne radar payloads. Your work will involve developing antennas with high power density, precise pattern control, and stable performance across the environmental and packaging constraints of small satellites. You will take designs from concept through EM analysis, prototyping, and qualification, working closely with RF, mechanical, thermal, and systems engineers. The antennas you develop will directly influence Array’s transmit power, imaging resolution, calibration stability, and overall radar system capability.

As part of our quickly growing engineering team, you will play a critical role in the design of the world’s most advanced radar satellite constellation—one that will significantly improve humanity’s ability to rapidly and comprehensively understand our changing planet.

Responsibilities

• Design, simulate, and optimize antennas including patch antennas, microstrip arrays, and phase arrays.
• Define antenna requirements and interface with spacecraft and payload subsystems to ensure integration feasibility.
• Perform full EM simulations using tools such as HFSS, CST, and ADS.
• Prototype and test antenna systems in lab and field environments, including range and anechoic chamber testing.
• Support bring‑up, integration, and verification of antennas in both development and flight environments.
• Collaborate with systems engineers to evaluate link budgets and overall system performance.
• Develop manufacturing and test procedures in collaboration with production teams.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 3+ years of industry or research experience in antenna or RF systems engineering.
• Experience with antenna design, simulation, and measurement tools (e.g., HFSS, CST, ADS, MATLAB).
• Knowledge of transmission line theory, impedance matching, and RF system design.
• Proficiency in laboratory test equipment: vector network analyzers (VNAs), spectrum analyzers, signal generators, etc.
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, iterative design environment.
• US citizen or permanent resident (green card).

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• Experience designing and deploying antennas for LEO satellites or aerospace applications.
• Hands‑on experience with phased array design and beamforming networks.
• Familiarity with integration challenges including mechanical packaging, thermal constraints, and EMC/EMI.
• Knowledge of RF materials and manufacturing constraints for space‑based systems.
• Experience with RF system calibration and over‑the‑air (OTA) testing.
• Exposure to software‑defined radios (SDRs) and digital beamforming techniques.

ITAR Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity Employer

• Array Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of merit, competence, and job qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by gender, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran status, disability status, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

$150,000 - $300,000 a year

Interview Process

We will conduct interviews via Google Meet; the typical process takes around 2-4 weeks to complete from start to finish.

Hiring and Compensation Strategy

Our hiring and compensation strategy is simple:

1) find uncommonly good people

2) pay them uncommonly well

You can anticipate competitive pay, with high flexibility between salary and equity‑based compensation.

Why Join Array Labs?

Array Labs is launching a constellation of satellites to create the first high‑resolution, real‑time, three‑dimensional model of Earth. Our next‑generation satellite technology will offer image quality 60x greater than traditional techniques, profoundly expanding humanity’s ability to understand and respond to events on a global scale.

In forging an affordable, accessible, accurate representation of Earth, our work has the potential to transform the face of dozens of fields, including autonomy, telecommunications, disaster relief, gaming, climate science, defense and construction.