Ground Systems Software Defined Radio Engineer

Astro Digital; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Astro Digital's Ground Systems Engineer will architect and maintain the digital backbone linking satellites to mission control, collaborating with GSaaS providers, Satellite Operations, IT, and Ground Software teams.

The role emphasizes secure telemetry, tracking, and command, as well as automated data flows, ICD management, and signal processing pipelines using SDRs and commercial modems.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 4+ years of experience in system design, focusing on network engineering, ground software, or IT infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Provide primary technical contact for external ground station providers and manage API integrations.
• Design, implement, and maintain secure network topologies between ground stations, cloud, and mission control.
• Coordinate end-to-end data flow testing and packet routing with Satellite Operations.
• Compile and maintain ICDs and translate requirements into software configurations.
• Serve as the COMSEC and network security point of contact, ensuring secure data transit and key management.
• Work with SDRs and software modems to ensure compatible signal processing pipelines.

Skills

Linux proficiency

Python scripting

Networking fundamentals

RESTful APIs / gRPC

Ground station/GSaaS familiarity

Documentation

Team collaboration

Education

B.S. or M.S. in CS/CE/Aerospace

Tools

GNU Radio

Kratos

qRadio

Terraform

Ansible

Docker

AWS

GCP

Job description

Astro Digital designs, builds, and operates a diverse range of small satellite systems supporting space-based turnkey missions for several business applications, including earth observation, communications, in-orbit demonstrations, risk reduction, science, and exploration. Astro Digital is headquartered in Littleton, Colorado.

About the Role

As a Ground Systems Engineer focusing on networking and software, your primary role will be to architect, integrate, and maintain the digital backbone connecting our satellites to our mission control. You will work directly with external Ground Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS) providers, Satellite Operations, IT, and Ground Software teams. Your goal is to ensure seamless, secure, and automated telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) and payload data flows. The ability to gather information from teammates, hold a well-formed mental picture of complex network topologies and software architectures, and synthesize these inputs into a robust, scalable system is crucial.

Responsibilities

• Provider Integration: Serve as the primary technical point of contact for external ground station providers (e.g., Leaf Space, RBC Signals, KSAT Lite, AWS Ground Station), managing API integrations, software configurations, and operational nuances.
• Network Architecture: Design, implement, and maintain secure network topologies (VPNs, IPsec tunnels, cloud routing, firewall rules) between global ground station networks, cloud infrastructure, and mission control.
• Data Flow Management: Manage the software and network bring-up of new ground stations, coordinating end-to-end data flow testing, packet routing, and characterization with Satellite Operations.
• Systems Engineering: Compile and maintain ground segment Interface Control Documents (ICDs) from different providers; translate these requirements into actionable software configurations for the ground and operations teams.
• Troubleshooting: Provide the first line of defense for network, software, and data-flow issues during satellite passes (ranging from minor packet loss to complete operational halting).
• Security: Act as the communications security (COMSEC) and network security point of contact, ensuring secure data transit (encryption in transit/rest) and managing authentication/keys across providers.
• Modem & Radio Software Integration: Work with software-defined radios (SDRs) and commercially available software modems to ensure compatibility and reliable signal processing pipelines.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 4+ years of experience in system design, focusing on network engineering, ground software, or IT infrastructure.

Required Skills

• Strong proficiency in Linux-based operating systems and command-line environments.
• Proficiency in at least one scripting language (Python heavily preferred) for automation and API interaction.
• Solid understanding of network engineering fundamentals (TCP/IP, UDP, VPNs, routing, firewalls, and secure networking).
• Experience integrating and interacting with RESTful APIs or gRPC services.
• Familiarity with commercially available ground modems, SDRs, or signal processing frameworks (e.g., GNU Radio, Kratos, qRadio).
• Desire to define and solve problems independently, tempered with experience to know when to seek input.
• Ability to listen carefully, decipher meaning, avoid preconceptions, ignore ego, and work with a team towards the best design possible within given constraints.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a dedication to carefully documenting network topologies and software architectures.

Preferred Skills

• Direct experience integrating and operating with commercial GSaaS providers (KSAT, Leaf Space, RBC Signals, etc.).
• Familiarity with satellite communications protocols and space data standards (e.g., CCSDS).
• Experience with Cloud environments (AWS, GCP) and Infrastructure as Code (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, Docker).
• Ham radio operator, enthusiast, or a strong fundamental understanding of RF concepts as they relate to software and networking.

Pay range and compensation package

Salary Range (based on experience of the candidate): $145,000 - $165,000

Equal Opportunity Statement

This position requires access to export-controlled commodities, technical data, technology, software, and services. U.S. citizenship, U.S. legal permanent resident status, or protected person status under 22 CFR §120.15 and 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3) is required.