Senior RF Engineer, Spacecraft Communications, Unlimited PTO

Fortastra Corporation; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Job summary

Fortastra Corporation in Torrance, CA is seeking a Senior RF Engineer to own end-to-end RF communications system design for spacecraft, including TT&C and crosslinks with antenna integration.

You will perform link analyses, select radios (COTS or custom), define architectures, and collaborate with mechanical and software teams to ensure flight-ready performance in orbit. 5+ years in high-reliability RF is expected, with EW or FPGA experience a plus.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of RF system design for spacecraft or comparable high-reliability RF systems.
• Experience in link budget analyses for space-to-ground and inter-satellite links.
• Familiarity with CCSDS and DVB-S2 space protocols.
• Experience selecting radios and integrating RF front-end hardware.
• Experience with RF design tools for link analysis and system trades.
• Antenna design or integration experience is a strong plus.
• Exposure to electronic warfare payloads or RF-related FPGA implementations is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Own the RF architecture for spacecraft TT&C and crosslink communications from concept to flight.
• Perform detailed link budget analyses for space-to-ground and inter-satellite links.
• Select, architect, and integrate radios, combining COTS hardware with custom designs.
• Define RF requirements, interfaces, and budgets for radios and antennas.
• Collaborate with mechanical, digital, and software teams to implement waveforms and EW algorithms.
• Lead RF test activities including bench char and over-the-air tests.
• Contribute to resilience in contested environments with EW capabilities when appropriate.

Skills

RF design

Link budget

RF hardware

Antenna design

FPGA processing

Space protocols

Education

B.S./M.S. in EE or RF

Tools

STK

SystemVue

MATLAB

Job description

Fortastra Corporation in Torrance, CA is seeking a Senior RF Engineer to own end-to-end RF communications system design for spacecraft, including TT&C and crosslinks with antenna integration.

You will perform link analyses, select radios (COTS or custom), define architectures, and collaborate with mechanical and software teams to ensure flight-ready performance in orbit. 5+ years in high-reliability RF is expected, with EW or FPGA experience a plus.