Satellite Communications Engineer - SDR & RF Expert

3M Consultancy; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

3M Consultancy in Chantilly, VA is seeking a Satellite Communications Systems Engineer to design, analyze, and optimize spacecraft communication systems, radios, antennas, SDRs, and ground stations. This hands-on role spans from initial design to lab testing and in-orbit validation, requiring strong RF and embedded systems expertise and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

You will work with C++, Python, MATLAB, and DVB-S2/ CCSDS standards in a Linux environment, contributing to

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, or a related field
• Strong hands-on experience with software-defined radios and RF signal processing
• Familiarity with integrating radios, antennas, and ground stations—preferably in space systems
• Proficiency in C++, C, Python, or MATLAB
• Comfortable working in Linux-based environments
• Experience with communication protocols and standards like DVB-S2, CCSDS, LoRa, TCP/IP, SNMP, etc.
• Prior experience with microcontrollers and embedded software is a plus
• Self-motivated and able to work both independently and in collaborative teams

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve communication systems for spacecraft, including direct-to-ground links and inter-satellite relays using SDRs
• Evaluate and select RF components such as radios and antennas
• Perform link budget analyses, capacity planning, and interference mitigation
• Collaborate with systems engineering on constellation/network design and performance
• Support integration and testing of communication subsystems in the lab and with spacecraft partners
• Set up and test payload configurations to validate communication performance
• Define operational concepts and support ground station integration
• Maintain technical documentation throughout development

Skills

RF Engineering

Embedded systems

Software-defined radios

C++

Python

Linux

Signal processing

Education

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

DVB-S2

CCSDS

TCP/IP

SNMP

Job description

3M Consultancy in Chantilly, VA is seeking a Satellite Communications Systems Engineer to design, analyze, and optimize spacecraft communication systems, radios, antennas, SDRs, and ground stations. This hands-on role spans from initial design to lab testing and in-orbit validation, requiring strong RF and embedded systems expertise and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

You will work with C++, Python, MATLAB, and DVB-S2/ CCSDS standards in a Linux environment, contributing to