Principal Communications System Test Engineer - Verification and Validation

Woven; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

CesiumAstro is seeking a Principal Communication System Engineer II to lead test strategy for space communication systems, overseeing integration, verification, and validation from development to acceptance. You will manage hands-on lab bring-up, test execution, and performance characterization across RF hardware, antennas, FPGA firmware, and software while coordinating with multidisciplinary teams.

The role requires deep knowledge of RF concepts, satellite communication standards, and the

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering required.
• 11+ years of experience in space communications with hands-on system integration, testing, verification, and validation.
• Strong background in communication theory and ability to relate measured behavior to modulation and link performance.
• Hands-on experience with RF and digital test equipment and understanding measurement uncertainty.
• Experience with test plans, verification matrices, and technical reporting including requirements management.
• Proficiency in Python and C++ for test automation and data analysis.
• Experience with FPGA-based systems and modern vector processing engines.
• Familiarity with satellite communication standards (NR NTN, DVB-S2X, CCSDS).
• Experience with classified systems, red/black architectures, and optical communication systems.
• Ability to obtain security clearance and communicate effectively in writing and speech.
• Ability to define work direction, track milestones, and work well under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Lead system integration and test across RF subsystems and end-to-end links.
• Develop verification and validation plans with traceability from requirements to results.
• Own hands-on system bring-up, troubleshooting, and performance characterization.
• Develop automated test capabilities and data-analysis tools for repeatable testing.
• Characterize RF chain performance and validate against link budgets and system models.
• Verify phased-array performance with conducted and OTA tests.
• Validate modem and data-layer operation under nominal and degraded conditions.
• Create representative test environments including hardware-in-the-loop.
• Lead failure analysis and corrective action verification through targeted testing.
• Coordinate environmental qualification and test readiness reviews.
• Drive testability and program execution with design teams and vendors.

Skills

RF testing

Systems engineering

Test automation

Python

C++

FPGA debugging

Satellite communications

Security clearance

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Spectrum analyzers

Vector signal analyzers

Signal generators

Network analyzers

Power meters

Oscilloscopes

Job description

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are looking to add a Principal Communication System Engineer II to our team. If you enjoy working in a startup environment and are passionate about developing leading-edge phased arrays for satellites, spacecraft, and aerospace systems, we would like to hear from you.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in space communications, systems engineering, and hands-on RF and digital communication system testing. In this position, you will serve as the technical lead for system integration, test, verification, and validation, with responsibility for demonstrating that our communication systems meet performance requirements and support their intended mission operations.

You will own the test strategy from early development through qualification and acceptance, while remaining actively involved in laboratory bring-up, test execution, troubleshooting, and performance characterization. You will coordinate activities across multidisciplinary engineering teams, identify and resolve technical issues, and communicate test results, risks, and system readiness to program leadership and internal stakeholders.

The successful candidate will communicate effectively with team members and internal stakeholders, both verbally and through written content.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead communication system integration and test. Define and execute test strategies across components, subsystems, phased-array payloads, and end-to-end communication links, including interfaces with ground systems.

• Develop verification and validation plans. Translate system requirements and mission concepts of operations (CONOPS) into testable acceptance criteria, test cases, and operational scenarios. Maintain traceability between requirements, test procedures, results, and verification closure.

• Own hands-on system bring-up and troubleshooting. Integrate RF hardware, antennas, digital processing, FPGA firmware, software, modems, and data interfaces. Diagnose and resolve issues that affect system functionality, interoperability, and performance.

• Develop automated test capabilities. Create and maintain test scripts, software, procedures, and data-analysis tools to support repeatable characterization, regression testing, qualification, and acceptance testing.

• Characterize RF and communication-link performance. Measure and analyze transmit power, receiver sensitivity, gain, noise figure, linearity, modulation quality, spectral performance, and bit/packet error rates. Compare measured results with link budgets, gain lineups, cascade analyses, and system models.

• Verify phased-array performance. Develop and execute conducted and over-the-air tests to evaluate beam steering, beam-pointing accuracy, radiation patterns, sidelobes, polarization, and performance across frequency, scan angle, and operating conditions.

• Validate modem and data-layer operation. Test configurations, interoperability, synchronization, throughput, latency, and error recovery under nominal, degraded, and boundary conditions.

• Develop representative test environments. Define and configure laboratory test benches, hardware-in-the-loop setups, and channel-emulation capabilities to evaluate system behavior under mission-representative conditions, including attenuation, propagation delay, Doppler, and interference.

• Lead failure analysis and corrective-action verification. Investigate anomalies, isolate root causes across hardware and software interfaces, document findings, and verify corrective actions through targeted testing and regression coverage.

• Support environmental qualification and acceptance. Coordinate communication-system testing with environmental and electromagnetic compatibility teams, and assess functionality and performance before, during, and after testing, as applicable.

• Lead test readiness and results reviews. Establish entry and exit criteria, assess test coverage and data quality, document limitations and residual risks, and produce technical reports that support system acceptance and readiness decisions.

• Drive testability and program execution. Work with design teams, component developers, and vendors to improve observability, diagnostic capabilities, and interface test coverage. Define test scope, equipment, facilities, resources, schedules, and risks for proposals and program planning.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 11+ years of experience in space communications, including substantial hands-on experience in communication system integration, testing, verification, and validation
• Very strong background in communication theory, with the ability to connect measured system behavior to modulation, coding, synchronization, channel effects, and link performance.
• Deep understanding of RF concept, impairments, and their effects on communication performance, with demonstrated experience characterizing and troubleshooting RF signal chains.
• Hands-on experience with RF and digital test equipment, such as spectrum and vector signal analyzers, signal generators, network analyzers, power meters, oscilloscopes, and communication test sets. Understanding of calibration, measurement uncertainty, and test repeatability .
• Experience developing test plans, procedures, acceptance criteria, verification matrices, and technical reports, including requirements management, flow-down, and traceability.
• Experience with at least one scripting and one programming language (ideally Python & C++) f or test automation, equipment control, data collection, and analysis.
• Practical experience integrating, testing, and debugging FPGA-based systems and modern vector processing engines.
• Experience with satellite communication standards, including NR NTN, DVB-S2X, and CCSDS, and the ability to translate applicable requirements into test cases and verification evidence.
• Experience working with classified communication systems and red/black architectures, as well as experience with optical communication systems
• Ability to hold a security clearance.
• Excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Ability to define work direction, track milestones, and demonstrate progress on large open-ended projects.
• Sense of urgency, with the ability to work well under pressure.
• The ability to work well in teams, with peers and management.

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard torace, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.