Entry Level DSP & SDR Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation; Chantilly (VA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework options

Relocation assistance

Professional growth and development

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation's Mission Payloads Division (MPD) seeks an Associate Member of Technical Staff to contribute to advanced remote sensing and RF systems development in Chantilly, VA. You will work on SDR hardware, signal processing, and lab instrumentation while collaborating with cross‑functional teams to enable mission success.

Ideal candidates have a strong grounding in electrical engineering or related fields, experience with MATLAB/Python/C, DSP concepts, and the ability to obtain a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical/computer engineering, physics or related technical discipline (pursuing or conferred within last 12 months).
• Experience with scientific programming using MATLAB, Python, or C.
• Laboratory environment exposure with common RF test equipment and basic DSP concepts.
• Ability to travel domestically up to 10% and to obtain TS/SSBI clearance (U.S. citizenship required).

Responsibilities

• Gain hands-on experience with laboratory infrastructure, SDR hardware platforms, CI/CD environments, HPC hardware, RF test equipment.
• Solve problems in communications, signals collection, data processing, and hardware prototyping.
• Document findings and present to a wide audience; collaborate with cross-organizational teams and customers.

Skills

Scientific programming

DSP fundamentals

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, physics or related technical discipline

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C

Oscilloscopes

Spectrum analyzers

RF test equipment

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space. At the Mission Payloads Division (MPD), we are pioneers in remote sensing systems that guide our country’s space enterprise. Our talented and dynamic people create and flourish in electronics, sensors, radar, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced data network domains. We boldly advance technology through our research and development and then forward to demonstration and integration. With innovative laboratories and prototyping, MPD delivers groundbreaking results. We guide our Department of Defense, intelligence community, and civil clients to enhance national productivity and security and tackle the most critical missions. Bring your intelligence and creative spirit and join us at MPD! The Digital Electronics and Electromagnetic Department, a core part of the Communication Systems and Agile Processing sub-division, excels in managing the full communications chain—from RF signals to digital bits.

What You’ll Be Doing

Gain hands‑on experience with the department's laboratory infrastructure, including advanced SDR hardware platforms, CI/CD development environments, high performance compute hardware, and RF test and measurement instrumentation Solve technically challenging problems in the areas of communications, signals collection, data processing, and hardware prototyping Use your technical abilities and insights to ensure ongoing development programs remain successful and identify areas of improvement for future missions Support technical studies/analysis/experiments/simulations and be able to document and present findings to a wide audience Work closely with other subject area experts in cross‑organizational teams; participating in interfaces with customers and/or Aerospace program offices. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned as needed

What You Need to be Successful

Associate Member of Technical Staff: Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university program in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, physics or related technical discipline (pursuing or conferred within last 12 months) 0-1 year of industry work experience Experience with scientific programming using languages such as MATLAB, Python, or C Exposure to a laboratory environment with common RF test equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, etc... Understanding of basic DSP principles such as modulation, filtering, and sampling with the ability to apply them toward custom algorithms Willing to travel domestically up to 10% of time. This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SSBI security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain this level of security clearance Transcripts

How You Can Stand Out

• Member of Technical Staff or Senior Member of Technical Staff: It would be impressive if you have one or more of these: Master's or Ph.D. degree from an accredited college/university program in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, physics or related technical discipline (pursuing or conferred within last 12 months)
• Active DoD security clearance
• Experience working with software defined radios or embedded electronics
• Exposure to RF communication system principles, design, and analysis
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on relevant high impact tasks
• Familiarity with programming and interfacing with linux-based systems including SDRs, FPGAs, laboratory equipment, and other embedded devices for custom applications with real world performance requirements
• Experience with utilizing machine learning workflows or HPC hardware for digital signal processing applications
• Understanding of computer networking principles and protocols

We offer a competitive compensation package

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. (Min - Max) $90,000.00 - $140,000.00 Pay Basis: Annual

Benefits

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
• Flexible spending accounts
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
• Relocation assistance
• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
• Education assistance programs
• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

Leadership Competencies

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change
• Engage with Impact
• Foster Innovation
• Deliver Results

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at [e-mail] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.

Right Place

The Aerospace Corporation has over 26 locations nationwide, which allows us to build a workforce that will nurture the best ideas, and generate the most novel innovations and solutions to our nation’s toughest space enterprise challenges.

Right Path

Right Path Aerospace covers all stages of the space lifecycle, from concept to operations. We believe our people are our most valuable resource and that’s why we propel our employees forward in their careers through ongoing education, training, and professional development.

Right Purpose

We can all serve a mission much greater than ourselves, and at Aerospace that is exactly what we do. By hiring the industry’s most preeminent scientists and engineers, Aerospace advances emerging technologies that protect some of the most critical missions on Earth and above it.

Aerospace employees working in organizations with technical responsibilities are required to obtain a Security Clearance. U.S. citizenship is required for those positions.