Senior RF Engineer

Samara Aerospace; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive equity

Premium healthcare

401k matching

Unlimited PTO

Relocation assistance

Catered lunch

Education assistance

Job summary

Samara Aerospace is seeking a Senior RF Engineer to own the full lifecycle of RF systems development—from requirements to qualification. You will collaborate with electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, and systems teams to develop high-performance RF solutions in a fast-paced environment.

In this role, you will lead R&D, model RF systems, perform link-budget analyses, and drive hardware development from bench prototype to design validation.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering or equivalent; MS/PhD preferred.
• 5+ years RF engineering with BS, or 3+ years with MS.
• Deep knowledge of RF concepts: circuit analysis, noise figure, linearity, gain.
• Hands-on RF hardware design, build, test at microwave/mmWave.
• Proficient in RF/EM tools: ADS, HFSS, Cadence, etc.
• Proficient schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout (Altium).

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural R&D for RF communications and subsystems.
• Develop RF models, run link budgets, assess interference.
• Drive hardware development from prototype to qualification.
• Define test plans and document results to meet requirements.
• Own end-to-end PCB implementation of RF designs.
• Design and characterize RF subsystems at microwave/mmWave.
• Plan and execute RF testing with analyzers and scopes.
• Support FCC licensing and frequency coordination.
• Mentor teammates and contribute to recruiting.

Skills

RF system design

Microwave/MmWave

ADS/HFSS/Cadence

Altium PCB layout

Antenna design / beamforming

Education

B.S. Electrical Engineering

M.S. or Ph.D. preferred

Tools

ADS

HFSS

Cadence

Altium

Job description

About Us

Samara Aerospace is revolutionizing satellite design by addressing the challenges of deploying and managing large satellite constellations. Our innovative Hummingbird spacecraft bus offers a modular and scalable platform that streamlines satellite production and deployment, significantly reducing launch costs. Hummingbird's compact architecture maximizes launch capacity, making it the most efficient and agile spacecraft in the industry. At the core of our technology is the patented Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control (MSAC) system. Unlike traditional wheel-based pointing control systems, MSAC utilizes actuators embedded in the hinges of deployable solar panels to provide 3-axis attitude control and active jitter cancellation. This design eliminates the need for spinning wheels, reducing mass and potential points of failure, while enhancing pointing precision.

Samara Aerospace is revolutionizing satellite design by addressing the challenges of deploying and managing large satellite constellations. Our innovative Hummingbird spacecraft bus offers a modular and scalable platform that streamlines satellite production and deployment, significantly reducing launch costs. Hummingbird's compact architecture maximizes launch capacity, making it the most efficient and agile spacecraft in the industry. At the core of our technology is the patented Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control (MSAC) system. Unlike traditional wheel-based pointing control systems, MSAC utilizes actuators embedded in the hinges of deployable solar panels to provide 3-axis attitude control and active jitter cancellation. This design eliminates the need for spinning wheels, reducing mass and potential points of failure, while enhancing pointing precision.

Role

Samara Aerospace is seeking a Senior RF Engineer to join our growing engineering team. In this role, you will own the full lifecycle of RF systems development—from requirements definition and architectural trade studies through design, fabrication, test, and qualification. You will collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineering teams to develop high-performance RF solutions in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural R&D efforts for new RF communications and payload subsystems by conducting trade studies and establishing requirements
• Develop and maintain RF system models and simulations, perform end-to-end link budget analysis, noise and linearity cascades, and interference/co-existence assessments to validate system performance margins across operating conditions.
• Drive the full hardware development cycle from bench prototype through design validation and qualification testing.
• Defining test plans, executing characterization campaigns, and documenting results to demonstrate compliance with system requirements.
• Own the end-to-end PCB implementation of RF designs, including schematic capture, multilayer board layout (RF/mixed-signal), stackup definition, design rule checks, and liaison with fabrication and assembly vendors to ensure manufacturable, high-performance hardware.
• Design, simulate, implement, and characterize active and passive RF subsystems at microwave frequencies, including SSPAs, LNAs, power amplifiers, up/down converters, mixers, oscillators, and filters.
• Plan, develop, and execute RF testing at both board level and integrated system level using spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, vector signal generators, and oscilloscopes.
• Support regulatory compliance efforts including FCC licensing and frequency coordination
• Contribute to recruiting, mentoring, and technical development of teammates.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or equivalent; M.S. or Ph.D. preferred.
• 5+ years of RF engineering experience with a B.S. degree, or 3+ years with an M.S.
• Deep knowledge of fundamental RF concepts: circuit analysis, noise figure, linearity, gain, radio architecture, and
• Hands-on experience designing, building, and testing RF hardware at microwave and/or millimeter-wave frequencies.
• Proficiency in RF/EM simulation tools (ADS, HFSS, Cadence, etc)
• Proficiency in schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout (Altium preferred).

Preferred

• Experience developing RF hardware for aerospace, space, or other mission-critical environments.
• Experience with antenna design and electromagnetics/propagation.
• Experience phased-array antenna systems (beamforming, null-steering).
• Familiarity with Software Defined Radios (SDRs) and associated digital signal processing.
• Proficiency in data analysis and scripting languages (Python) for test automation and signal processing.
• Familiarity with common bus protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN, UART) and Linux command-line environments
• Familiarity with satellite communications systems (ground segment and/or space segment), including DVB-S2

Salary And Benefits

• Pay range: $150,000-190,000 annually to start
• Early and competitive equity in a rapidly growing startup
• Platinum-level healthcare, vision, dental, and life insurance covered 100% for you
• Partial dependent coverage available
• 401k matching at 4% (no vesting)
• Unlimited PTO and sick time
• Catered lunch 3x per week
• Education assistance up to $5,250 per year
• Relocation assistance is available
• 17 paid holidays (including a “winter break” Dec. 24-Jan. 1

Work Authorization

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Samara Aerospace does not currently sponsor employment visas for this position. Employment eligibility will be verified upon hire in accordance with federal law.