Senior Mission Systems & RF Payload Architect

Innovative Signal Analysis, Inc.; Richardson (TX); On-site; USD 175,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Innovative Signal Analysis, Inc. in Richardson, TX, is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead mission-level systems engineering for aerospace RF payloads.

You will translate mission needs into executable architectures and develop CONOPS to drive end-to-end system engineering across analysis, RF payload design, integration, verification, and operational readiness. You will guide system architecture baselines, perform mission analyses, lead technical reviews, and mentor junior engineers while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in systems engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field (master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in aerospace or space systems engineering.
• Demonstrated experience leading RF payload design for airborne or space-based platforms.
• Strong background in RF systems, link analysis, spectrum management, and antenna systems.
• Experience developing CONOPS for complex aerospace missions.
• Proven experience supporting major technical reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR/ORR).
• Ability to acquire and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance with SSBI and Polygraph.

Responsibilities

• Lead mission definition, requirements development, and architecture trades from concept through deployment.
• Translate stakeholder and customer mission needs into validated system-level requirements and technical baselines.
• Develop and maintain system architecture baselines and solutions.
• Conduct mission analysis including performance modeling, link budgets, coverage analysis, and operational scenarios.
• Lead technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, ORR) and ensure mission-level technical integrity.
• Lead system-level design of RF payloads including antennas, receivers, transmitters, frequency conversion chains, digital processing, and command/telemetry interfaces.
• Develop and validate RF link budgets, interference analysis, and spectrum compliance strategies.
• Define payload performance requirements (gain, noise figure, EIRP, G/T, bandwidth, dynamic range, etc.).
• Coordinate with hardware, firmware, software, mechanical, thermal, and power teams to ensure integrated payload performance.
• Support environmental qualification and verification activities for flight hardware (vibration, thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC, radiation).
• Develop detailed CONOPS aligned to mission objectives and user needs.
• Define operational modes, timelines, command sequences, and contingency operations.
• Perform operational trade studies to optimize performance, resiliency, and lifecycle cost.
• Support mission readiness assessments and operational validation exercises.
• Lead requirements decomposition, traceability, and verification planning.
• Develop verification and validation strategies for mission and payload performance.
• Support integration and test planning, including system-level functional and performance verification.
• Ensure technical compliance with customer and program requirements.
• Serve as technical authority for mission and payload architecture decisions.
• Mentor junior systems engineers and support cross-functional integration efforts.
• Identify and manage technical risks and mitigation strategies.
• Interface directly with customers, subcontractors, and program leadership.

Skills

Systems engineering

Aerospace engineering

RF payload design

Technical leadership

Requirements tracing

Verification planning

Customer interface

Education

Bachelor's degree in systems engineering

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s preferred

Job description

Innovative Signal Analysis, Inc. in Richardson, TX, is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead mission-level systems engineering for aerospace RF payloads.

You will translate mission needs into executable architectures and develop CONOPS to drive end-to-end system engineering across analysis, RF payload design, integration, verification, and operational readiness. You will guide system architecture baselines, perform mission analyses, lead technical reviews, and mentor junior engineers while