Electrical Engineer, Optical Communications

Cowboy Space; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement savings plan

Paid time off

Paid parental leave

Daily lunch in the office

Job summary

Cowboy Space Corp. is seeking an Electrical Engineer, Optical Communications to design advanced communication systems focused on high-speed optical communications and software-defined radio architectures.

The ideal candidate will develop RF and hybrid RF/optical communication subsystems, ensuring functionality under real-world conditions. This role includes designing PCBAs, developing communication pipelines, and collaborating with teams to integrate systems into flight hardware.

We offer competitive compensation, benefits, and a dynamic work environment.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in RF systems, communications engineering, or related domain.
• Experience in designing PCBA’s for communication systems.
• Familiarity with link budgeting and system-level performance analysis.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate communication PCBAs for airborne or space-based platforms.
• Architect and implement SDR-based communication pipelines.
• Develop high-speed optical communication links including link budgeting and alignment strategies.

Skills

Communication theory

RF systems

Optical communication

Software-defined radio

Hands-on RF lab equipment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field

Tools

Spectrum analyzers

Signal generators

VNAs

Oscilloscopes

Job description

Electrical Engineer, Optical Communications

About Cowboy Space Corp.

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.

The Role

We are looking for an RF Engineer to design and deploy advanced communication systems with a strong emphasis on high-speed optical communications and software-defined radio architectures. This role sits at the boundary of networking, RF avionics, and embedded compute, requiring a systems-level approach to building robust, flight-capable communication pipelines.

You will own the development of RF and hybrid RF/optical communication subsystems capable of delivering high-throughput data links under real-world constraints including motion, atmospheric interference, thermal variation, and limited power budgets.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate communication PCBAs, modulators, and devices for airborne or space-based platforms
• Architect and implement SDR-based communication pipelines (modulation, encoding, synchronization, and signal processing)
• Develop high-speed optical communication links (free-space optics / laser comms), including link budgeting, pointing and tracking, and alignment strategies with intelligent failover and redundancy
• Perform system-level trade studies from high-speed optical links
• Design and validate end-to-end communication chains, from data streams, through communication PCBAs, and to optical front-ends
• Collaborate closely with avionics, firmware, and compute teams to integrate comms systems into flight hardware
• Develop test infrastructure for lab and field validation, including over-the-air testing and optical link validation setups
• Analyze performance under real-world conditions (noise, interference, Doppler, atmospheric turbulence, pointing loss) and iterate rapidly
• Own documentation, interface definitions, and system performance metrics for communication subsystems

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field
• 3+ years of experience in RF systems, communications engineering, or related domain
• Strong fundamentals in communication theory (modulation, coding, synchronization, signal propagation)
• Experience in designing PCBA’s for communication systems
• Experience with software-defined radio platforms
• Hands-on experience with RF lab equipment (spectrum analyzers, signal generators, VNAs, oscilloscopes)
• Familiarity with link budgeting and system-level performance analysis
• Experience working across hardware and software boundaries

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing or deploying high-speed optical communication systems (free-space optics, laser communications, coherent optical links, or photonics)
• Background in avionics, aerospace systems, or other mission-critical embedded environments
• Experience with real-time DSP implementation on embedded systems, FPGAs, or GPUs
• Familiarity with SDR frameworks and low-level radio hardware (e.g., USRPs or custom RF front-ends)
• Understanding of atmospheric effects on both RF and optical propagation (scattering, absorption, turbulence)
• Experience with pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) systems for optical links
• Knowledge of antenna systems, phased arrays, or optical beam steering technologies
• Experience with high-throughput data systems and low-latency communication architectures
• Experience working within SWaP (size, weight, and power) constraints for flight systems
• Strong debugging skills across the full stack: RF front-end, optical systems, firmware, and software

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $150,000 – $200,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid time off
• 10 paid holidays per calendar year
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance if applicable
• Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

ITAR Requirements

• Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants 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. Learn more about ITAR here.

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.

Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.