Senior RF Systems Engineer

Searchability Aerospace & Defense; Richardson (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Searchability Aerospace & Defense is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to translate mission needs into system architectures and guide multidisciplinary teams from concept through integration and verification. You will lead mission definition, CONOPS, and requirements, spanning RF payload design, link budgets, and spectrum management.

The role requires 10+ years in aerospace/space systems and the ability to acquire Top Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• At least 10 years of aerospace or space systems engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading RF payload design for airborne or space-based platforms.
• Strong knowledge of RF systems, link analysis, spectrum management, and antenna systems.
• Proven experience supporting SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and ORR technical reviews.
• Ability to acquire and maintain Top Secret security clearance with SSBI and polygraph.

Responsibilities

• Lead mission definition, requirements development, architecture trade studies, and CONOPS.
• Oversee RF payload design, link budgets, coverage analysis, interference assessment, and spectrum compliance.
• Coordinate with hardware, firmware, software, mechanical, thermal, and power teams to verify performance requirements and strategies.
• Support flight hardware qualification and lead technical reviews.
• Act as technical authority, mentor junior engineers, manage technical risks, and interact with customers and program leadership.

Skills

Systems Engineering

RF Payloads

Mission Systems

Aerospace Engineering

CONOPS

RF Link Budgets

Antenna Systems

Spectrum Management

Requirements Management

Verification & Validation

Payload Integration

Digital Beamforming

Phased Arrays

Top Secret

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field

Job description

• Opportunity: Lead mission architecture and RF payload engineering for aerospace and space-based systems.
• Security: Ability to acquire and maintain Top Secret clearance with SSBI and polygraph required.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

We are recruiting for a technology company developing advanced aerospace and space-based RF payload systems. The company is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to translate mission needs into system architectures and guide multidisciplinary teams from initial concept through integration, verification, and operational readiness.

THE SENIOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER ROLE

You’ll lead mission definition, requirements development, architecture trade studies, and Concepts of Operations (CONOPS). Your work will span RF payload design, link budgets, coverage analysis, interference assessment, and spectrum compliance. Collaborating with hardware, firmware, software, mechanical, thermal, and power teams, you’ll establish performance requirements and verification strategies, support flight hardware qualification, and lead technical reviews. You’ll also serve as a technical authority, mentor junior engineers, manage technical risks, and work directly with customers and program leadership.

SENIOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of aerospace or space systems engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading RF payload design for airborne or space-based platforms.
• Strong knowledge of RF systems, link analysis, spectrum management, and antenna systems.
• Proven experience supporting SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and ORR technical reviews.
• Ability to acquire and maintain Top Secret security clearance with SSBI and polygraph.

Preferred: Master’s degree; experience with LEO, MEO, or GEO missions; digital beamforming, phased arrays, or software-defined radios; existing Top Secret clearance with SSBI.

KEY SKILLS

Systems Engineering, RF Payloads, Mission Systems, Aerospace, Space Systems, CONOPS, RF Link Budgets, Antenna Systems, Spectrum Management, Requirements Management, Verification and Validation, Payload Integration, Digital Beamforming, Phased Arrays, Top Secret