Senior Communications Systems Engineer – Satellite & NTN

Espace; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

Continuous learning

Health benefits

Sustainability focus

Job summary

E-Space in Santa Clara seeks a System Modeling & RF Analysis engineer to lead link budget analyses, RF line-up modeling, and payload trade-offs for LEO satellite platforms.

You will partner with PHY/MAC, RF design, digital beamforming, firmware and mechanical teams to ensure end-to-end system performance, drive test plans, and document specifications for carrier-grade quality.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of wireless systems engineering experience (RF/PHY, signal processing, RAN).
• Strong knowledge of 3GPP LTE/5G NR and NTN specs (Release 17/18+).
• Deep understanding of OFDM, MIMO, beamforming and radio theory.
• Proficiency in MATLAB, Python or C/C++ for modeling and simulation.

Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive link budget analyses, RF line-up modeling and payload trade-offs for LEO satellite payloads.
• Model channel propagation, satellite antenna patterns, RF impairments and self-interference mitigation.
• Analyze end-to-end network performance and optimize KPIs under dynamic conditions.
• Collaborate with PHY/MAC, RF design, digital beamforming, firmware and mechanical teams.
• Define test plans, document specifications and communicate risks and trade-offs clearly.

Skills

RF/PHY

MIMO

OFDM

Beamforming

Satellite Systems

Education

Master's or PhD in Telecommunications

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C/C++

Job description

Ready to make connectivity from space universally accessible, secure and actionable? Then you’ve come to the right place!

E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of space-powered Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. We are fundamentally changing the design, economics, manufacturing, coverage limitations and service deliveryassociated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems.

By building a highly-advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) space system—with a unique antenna design, highly sustainable spacecraft system and low-cost, small portable end-user devices, we can extend global satellite coverage, capacity and connectivity beyond legacy space services to provide a new kind of IoT platform that lets users sense, track, connect and act on information gathered, anywhere.

We’re intentional, we’re unapologetically curious and we’re 100% committed to saving space, protecting our planet and turning connectivity into actionable intelligence.

System Modeling & RF Analysis

• Lead comprehensive link budget analyses, RF line-up modeling, and payload trade-offs across RF and IF configurations for LEO satellite payloads.
• Model channel propagation, satellite antenna patterns, RF impairments, co-existence, and self-interference mitigation strategies.
• Analyze end-to-end network performance, optimizing system efficiency, capacity, latency, and overall network KPIs under dynamic operational conditions.

Cross-Functional Integration & Architecture

• Partner across multidisciplinary engineering teams—including PHY/MAC algorithms, RF design, digital beamforming, modem, firmware, and mechanical engineering to ensure end-to-end system integration.
• Deep-dive into component- and subsystem-level designs to establish performance targets, evaluate test results, and resolve test failures.
• Interface between wireless communications protocols and application endpoints to ensure seamless system and network-level operations.

Validation, Quality & Execution

• Define test plans, review hardware/software designs, and drive root‑cause analysis for system‑level issues to ensure carrier‑grade product quality.
• Document technical specifications, expectations, and architecture updates for both internal engineering teams and external partners.
• Communicate project status, technical risks, and trade‑off decisions clearly across development teams and management.

• Education: Master’s or PhD in Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years of experience in wireless systems engineering, focusing on RF/PHY, signal processing, and RAN architecture.
• Standards & Protocols: Strong knowledge of 3GPP cellular standards (LTE, 5G NR, NB-IoT) and Non‑Terrestrial Network (NTN) specifications (Release 17/18+).
• Technical Mastery: Deep understanding of OFDM, MIMO systems, beamforming, and wireless communication theory across both baseband and RF domains.
• Simulation & Tooling: Advanced proficiency in numerical modeling and simulation using MATLAB, C/C++, or Python.
• Satellite Systems: Proven experience with LEO satellite constellation link budgets, payload architecture, and satellite channel modeling.
• Protocol Stack Familiarity: Solid background in higher‑layer RAN protocols, including RRC, RLC, PDCP, and NAS.

Why E-Space is right for you:

We want you to make the most of your journey at E‑Space. That’s why we support and invest in the physical, emotional and financial well‑being of our team members and their families. Some of what you can expect when working at E‑Space:

• An opportunity to really make a difference
• Sustainability at our core
• Fair and honest workplace
• Innovative thinking is encouraged
• Competitive salaries
• Continuous learning and development
• Health and wellness care options
• Financial solutions for the future