RF Electrical Engineer

Xona Space Systems; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona Space Systems in Burlingame, CA seeks an RF Electrical Engineer to own the spacecraft S-Band TT&C radios from architecture to qualification. You will design schematics, lay out PCBs, select components and coordinate with antenna teams to ensure robust performance in harsh space environments.

You will develop link budgets, drive EMI/EMC compliance, and perform lab and flight-level testing and debugging to deliver a reliable radio subsystem for our satellites.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field; MS preferred.
• Hands-on RF/electrical engineering experience with PCB RF layout.
• Familiarity with EMI/EMC standards (MIL-STD-461) and space hardware constraints.
• Experience with UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet interfaces.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end S-Band radio design including schematic capture and PCB layout.
• Develop spaceflight link budgets across mission phases.
• Ensure EMI/EMC compliance and reliability for space environments.
• Perform RF/Electrical test and hardware bring-up in lab and flight settings.

Skills

RF Engineering

PCB RF Layout

HFSS/ADS/MATLAB

EMI/EMC Standards

Digital Interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, E

Lab Measurement Tools

Education

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

M.S. a plus

Tools

HFSS

ADS

MATLAB

Job description

Overview

We're looking for an RF Electrical Engineer to take ownership of our spacecraft's TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking & Command) radios - the S-Band link that keeps our satellites talking to the ground.

You'll own this subsystem end to end: architecture, link budgets, PCB design, and the antenna interface, built to survive the harshest environment there is. This is a hands-on, cross-disciplinary role working directly with electrical, systems, mechanical, and software engineers to ship a critical piece of hardware that flies.

What You'll Own

• End-to-end design of the satellite's S-Band radio - schematic capture, PCB layout, and component selection, in close coordination with antenna design engineers
• Spacecraft radio link budgets across all mission phases
• EMI/EMC compliance and spaceflight reliability across the design
• Electrical and RF test/validation at unit, subsystem, and system level
• Hardware bring-up, debugging, and performance tuning in lab and flight environments

What You Bring

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field (M.S. a plus)
• Hands-on experience with RF/electrical engineering, including PCB design with RF layout and routing
• Proficiency with RF/EM tools: HFSS, ADS, or MATLAB
• Working knowledge of EMI/EMC standards and practices (e.g., MIL-STD-461)
• Experience with digital interfaces relevant to radio integration (UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet)
• Hands-on lab experience: oscilloscopes, network analyzers, signal generators
• Strong documentation habits and cross-functional communication

Strongly Preferred

• Experience designing RF/electronics for space or spacecraft systems
• Exposure to radiation-tolerant component selection and thermal/vacuum design constraints

For U.S. Roles

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles

To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles

Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.