Senior RF/EE Engineer — Nanosatellite Payload

Elveo; Chantilly (VA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Elveo in Chantilly, VA, seeks a Senior RF/Electrical Engineer to own the nanosatellite payload design lifecycle—from RF analyses to hardware/software integration. You’ll work across bench-testing, antenna selection, and in-orbit considerations to evolve our future constellation network.

The role demands hands-on hardware and software skills, familiarity with SDRs, FPGAs, and Linux-based systems, plus strong collaboration with Systems Engineering on architecture and performance targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in RF/Electrical Engineering required.
• 7+ years of experience in design, integration, or test of space hardware.
• Hands-on experience with SDRs, antennas, FPGAs, GPUs, CPUs, SoCs, SBCs, microcontrollers.
• Programming in C++, C, Python, MATLAB or similar.
• Proficiency with Linux-based systems.
• Familiarity with VHDL or Verilog and Altera/Xilinx FPGAs.
• Proficiency with electrical design tools such as Altium.
• Strong knowledge of RF air interfaces and access schemes.
• Experience integrating hardware and software systems.
• Proficient with MS Office (Excel, Project, PowerPoint, Word).

Responsibilities

• Support design of spacecraft payload hardware and software.
• 8+ years of RF/EE experience.
• Support nanosatellite antenna design.
• Develop link budgets, simulations, traffic analysis, and RF system design.
• Support payload integration and delivery to launch partners.
• Design payload testing configurations on ground and in orbit.
• Interface with Systems Engineering for constellation architecture.
• Bench-level mechatronics work and prototyping.
• Some software-based Systems Engineering analysis.
• Maintain technical documentation.
• Work independently and in a team.

Skills

RF/EE engineering experience

Software-defined radios

FPGAs/GPUs/CPUs/SoCs

Single-board computers

Programming in C++, C, Python, MATLAB

Linux

Verilog/VHDL

Altium

RF air interfaces knowledge (TDMA/FDMA

Hardware-software integration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in RF or Electrical Engineering

7+ years of space hardware experience

Tools

Verilog/VHDL

Altera/Xilinx FPGAs

Altium

Job description

Elveo in Chantilly, VA, seeks a Senior RF/Electrical Engineer to own the nanosatellite payload design lifecycle—from RF analyses to hardware/software integration. You’ll work across bench-testing, antenna selection, and in-orbit considerations to evolve our future constellation network.

The role demands hands-on hardware and software skills, familiarity with SDRs, FPGAs, and Linux-based systems, plus strong collaboration with Systems Engineering on architecture and performance targets.