RF Systems Test Engineer

Elveo; Chantilly (VA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Elveo in Chantilly, VA is seeking an RF Systems Test Engineer to support testing of the company’s digital phased array antenna payload in the lab. You will work with RF hardware, test benches, and bench-level electronics.

This role centers on developing automated testing and verification for the payload, including high-speed mixed-signal boards, clock distribution, and full array calibration, collaborating with engineers and technicians.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of RF engineering experience focusing on system design or testing.
• Experience with RF lab equipment: oscilloscopes, spectrum and vector network analyzers, multimeters.
• Hands-on with RFFE PCBs, SBCs, microcontrollers, FPGAs, GPUs/CPUs/SoCs, SDRs, and antennas.
• Ability to read datasheets for integrated circuits and electronics.
• Programming in Rust, C++, C, Python, MATLAB; Linux-based systems.
• Strong communication and ability to work independently or in a team.

Responsibilities

• Integrate flight and lab RF hardware electronics; design test beds and fixtures for verification.
• Design, develop, and document test procedures for RF hardware, especially RF Front Ends and mixed-signal electronics.
• Develop and maintain hardware/software for EGSE used in satellite payload verification during testing.
• Bench-level debugging and troubleshooting during functional and environmental tests.
• Collaborate with engineers to optimize testing procedures for Production and R&D campaigns.
• Emphasize automation for testing and data collection to enable scalable production testing.

Skills

RF engineering

Electrical engineering

Python

C++

MATLAB

Linux

Teamwork / communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscope

Vector Network Analyzer

Spectrum Analyzer

Multimeter

FPGA tooling

Job description

About Elveo

Elveo is what happens when two pioneers in direct-to-device (D2D) communications join forces. Elveo brings together a combined 20 years of expertise to close the coverage gap for more than 50 mobile network operators (MNOs) and major distribution partners operating in 60+ countries worldwide.

That heritage and our technology powers what we call "elevated intelligence" - a new approach that processes and adapts on orbit, delivering voice and data services straight to mobile users, IoT devices and machines across enterprise, government and humanitarian sectors worldwide.

As a team, we’re on a mission to deliver powerful compute and connectivity directly to individuals and objects everywhere on Earth.

Join us, and become part of a globally inclusive company that is transforming satellite communications from a niche service to an essential global infrastructure, and democratizing connectivity for billions worldwide.

Ready to take the next step? Join us.

Job Summary

As a RF Systems Test Engineer at Elveo, you will wear many hats in the world of RF hardware/electronics and software/firmware. The immediate role of the RF Systems Test Engineer will be to support testing of the company’s digital phased array antenna payload hardware in the lab environment. While playing with all this hardware on a bench, you will probably need to pick up a soldering gun, assemble circuits on a breadboard, use an oscilloscope, vector network analyzer, and spectrum analyzer.

This role is critical to the success of our mission, as you will be at the center of developing and executing the automated testing and verification for every aspect of the digital phased array payload that makes our service possible. As an RF Systems Test Engineer, you will be expected to understand every detail of this complex system design and its expected function, including high speed mixed signal beamformer boards, clock distribution networks, RFFE boards, integrated radiating antenna elements, and full array calibration and verification procedures.

Core Responsibilities

• Integrate flight and lab RF hardware electronics, design test beds, fixtures, etc. for operational verification of RF hardware and software technologies.

• Design, develop, and document test and integration procedures for flight and lab RF hardware, particularly RF Front Ends, and Mixed-Signal Digital Electronics.

• Design, develop, specify, and maintain hardware and software for Electronic Ground Support Equipment aka EGSE to be used to support satellite RF digital phased array payload verification, particularly before, during, and after functional and environmental testing.

• Bench-level work with electronics to debug and troubleshoot issues that arise during testing, including functional and environmental testing.

• Working alongside engineers and technicians, Inform the design, development, and optimization of the company’s operational testing procedures and policies for our Production and research and development campaign for our space technology.

• Huge focus on automation for testing and data collection tools to ensure testing can be done reliably, repeatedly, and at scale in production.

Basic Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree or better in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or similar degrees.

• 5+ years of experience as an RF Engineer focused on system design and/or test.

• Experience with standard RF lab equipment is required: Oscilloscopes, Spectrum and Vector Network Analyzer, Multimeter, etc.

• Hands-on experience with RFFE printed circuit boards, single-board computers, microcontrollers, FPGAs, GPUs, CPUs, SoCs, software-defined radios, and/or antennas.

• Ability to read and understand datasheets for integrated circuits and electronics.

• Experience using Linux based systems and programming proficiency in one or more programming languages, such as Rust, C++, C, Python, MATLAB, etc.

• Must have good communication skills and be able to work independently as well as in a team environment.

Preferred Qualifications, Testing Experience in areas such as

• EMI testing RE 102, RS103.

• Vibration Testing, Experience with GEVs.

• Familiarity with ethernet, serial and or CAN communication protocols.

• Recent participation in projects developing space payload hardware and software, preferably communications systems.

• Experience working with and testing Digitally or electronically steered Phased Array Antenna systems

• Experience working with GSM/LTE/NR communications and cellular backhaul networks

ITAR Requirements

To comply with U.S. Government export control regulations (ITAR), applicants must be one of the following: (i) a U.S. citizen or national, (ii) a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) a refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) an asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158. Individuals who do not meet these criteria must be eligible to obtain the necessary authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. For more information, please refer to the ITAR guidelines.

Learn about ITAR here.

Job Location

Chantilly, VA