RF Systems Engineer - Spacecraft Communications

ZipRecruiter; Falls Church (VA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Satellite Communications Systems Engineer to design, test, and integrate advanced space-based communication systems. This role involves hands-on work in the lab and requires a collaborative mindset. Ideal candidates will have a degree in Electrical or RF Engineering and experience with radios and antennas.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with radios, antennas, and SDRs.
• Programming skills in Python, C++, C, MATLAB.

Responsibilities

• Help design and refine spacecraft communications systems.
• Build and test communications payloads both in the lab and in orbit.
• Run simulations, link budgets, and traffic analysis.

Skills

Collaboration

Problem Solving

Flexibility

Education

Degree in Electrical Engineering

Degree in RF Engineering

Tools

SDRs

Linux

RF lab tools

Job description

Job DescriptionJob Description

About the Role:
We’re looking for a passionate and hands-on engineer to help build the communications backbone of our satellite systems. As a Satellite Communications Systems Engineer, you'll work across radio frequencies, electronics, and software to design, test, and integrate advanced space-based communication systems.
This isn’t your typical engineering desk job—you’ll be deep in the lab testing antennas, tuning radios, running link budgets, and occasionally grabbing a soldering iron or configuring a spectrum analyzer. You’ll get to touch nearly every part of the spacecraft communications stack, from early design to launch readiness.

If you love solving unconventional problems, enjoy variety in your day-to-day work, and thrive in a fast-moving, collaborative environment—this role is for you.

What You’ll Do

• Help design and refine spacecraft communications systems, including inter-satellite links and direct-to-ground radios
  

• Select radios, antennas, and RF components that meet system needs
  

• Define and support operations concepts for both spacecraft and ground stations
  

• Evaluate ground station options and configure setups that align with mission goals
  

• Build and test communications payloads both in the lab and in orbit
  

• Work with systems engineers to feed real-world performance into broader network design
  

• Run simulations, link budgets, traffic analysis, and RF system dimensioning
  

• Plan antenna layout and placement on spacecraft hardware
  

• Support integration, testing, and launch handover for comms systems
  

• Maintain clear documentation throughout the development cycle
  

What You Bring

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, or a related field
  

• Hands-on experience with radios, antennas, and SDRs (software-defined radios)
  

• Familiarity with space hardware projects or satellite systems is a big plus
  

• Programming skills in one or more of: Python, C++, C, MATLAB
  

• Experience working in Linux environments
  

• Comfortable with networking and comms protocols (e.g., CCSDS, TCP/IP, Ethernet)
  

• Bonus: experience with microcontrollers, hardware debugging, and RF lab tools
  

• A collaborative mindset, flexibility to pivot when needed, and the initiative to own your work from concept to deployment