Principal RF Test Engineer II

CesiumAstro; Westminster (MD); On-site; USD 158,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

CesiumAstro in Westminster, MD is seeking a Principal RF Test Engineer II to lead the design, analysis, and implementation of RF test systems for satellite and aerospace products. The role involves working closely with cross-functional teams to develop robust test solutions and ensure test coverage across development stages.

You will design and implement test plans, automate test architectures, and guide lab equipment decisions while communicating results to stakeholders.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering from an accredited university.
• Minimum of 11 years of industry or university research experience in RF test systems.
• High proficiency with RF measurements (Linearity, NSD, EVM, etc.).
• Test architecture design and development including scripting, test executives, hardware, and measurement abstraction layers.
• Proficient in performing conducted RF measurements including S-parameters, AM/PM, compression, noise figure, harmonics/spurious emission, phase noise, switching speed, bit error rate, adjacent channel power, and group delay.
• Hands‑on experience with lab instruments such as digital oscilloscopes, multimeters, electronic loads, source measurement units, RF signal generators, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, and vector signal analyzers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with design and test teams to develop test requirements and architectures.
• Map requirements to reusable test architectures and procedures.
• Implement test plans and procedures and log results for stakeholders.
• Manage lab and equipment and guide key equipment purchase decisions.
• Present engineering design review materials to customers and executive team.

Skills

RF measurements

Test architecture design

Python scripting

Lab instruments

Written and verbal communication

Team collaboration

Education

BS in Electrical or Computer Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Spectrum analyzers

Vector signal analyzers

Network analyzers

Source measurement units

Signal generators

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 RF Test Engineer II to our team. If you enjoy working in a startup environment, and are passionate about developing critical test systems for leading-edge satellite, spacecraft, and aerospace communication systems, we would like to hear from you.

In this position, you are responsible for the design, analysis, and implementation of engineering test plans and procedures. The ideal candidate possesses a strong combination of hardware and software knowledge with proficiencies in RF measurements, test equipment (VSAs, VSGs, VNAs, etc.), test architectures, and automation. The successful candidate will work closely with multi-disciplinary teams to address company-wide hardware test needs. Experience with phased array testing is preferred.

Core day-to-day responsibilities include collaborating with design and test engineering teams to develop test requirements, mapping requirements to reusable test architectures and procedures, implementing test plans and procedures, and logging and presenting results to key stakeholders. Additional responsibilities include lab and equipment management and guiding key equipment purchase decisions.

Principal-level test engineers are distinguished by an ability to architect RF test systems, to draw insightful conclusions from test results, and to participate in “design for test” planning and review from the early stages of RF product development. Test engineers are core members of the Cesium technical team.

The successful candidate will present engineering design review materials to our customers and executive team, as well as participate in proposal-writing efforts. As such, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor of Science (BS) or higher degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering from an accredited university or institution.
• Minimum of 11 years of industry or university research experience in design, analysis, and implementation of RF test systems.
• High proficiency with RF measurements (Linearity, NSD, EVM, etc.).
• Test architecture design and development including scripting, test executives, hardware, and measurement abstraction layers.
• Proficient in performing conducted RF measurements including S-parameters, AM/PM, compression, noise figure, harmonics/spurious emission, phase noise, switching speed, bit error rate, adjacent channel power, and group delay.
• Hands‑on experience with lab instruments such as digital oscilloscopes, multimeters, electronic loads, source measurement units, RF signal generators, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, and vector signal analyzers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Familiarity or hands‑on experience with phased array over the air range testing, including phase/amplitude calibration, EIRP, G/T, axial ratio, scan loss and pattern cuts.
• Programming or scripting experience (Python, MATLAB, C/C++, etc.)
• Understanding of RF and mixed‑signal hardware (e.g. amplifiers, filters, ADCs/DACs, antennas) and its effects on test design.

$158,000 - $200,000 a year

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.