Senior RF Test Engineer

Airbus Ventures; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Benefits package

Job summary

CesiumAstro in Austin, TX is seeking a Senior RF Test Engineer to design, analyze, and implement RF test plans for satellite and aerospace hardware. You will work with RF measurements, VSA/VSG/VNA test equipment, and automation to deliver reusable test architectures and reliable results.

The role requires strong hardware/software integration, hands‑on lab experience, and effective communication with multi‑disciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in Electrical/Computer Engineering or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years of RF test design/implementation experience.
• Experience with RF measurements such as Linearity, NSD, and EVM.
• Hands‑on with lab instruments: scopes, spectrum analyzers, RF generators, VNAs.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement RF test plans and procedures.
• Collaborate with design/test teams to map requirements to reusable test architectures.
• Execute RF measurements and document results; provide insights to stakeholders.
• Help manage lab equipment and contribute to test‑equipment purchase decisions.

Skills

RF measurements

Test architecture design

Scripting (Python, MATLAB, C/C++)

Lab equipment operation

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Tools

Vector Signal Analyzers (VSA)

Vector Signal Generators (VSG)

Vector Network Analyzers (VNA)

Job description

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross‑functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands‑on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward‑thinking individuals to join our team.

We are looking to add aSenior RF Test Engineerto our team. If you enjoy working in a startup environment and are passionate about developing critical test systems for leading‑edge satellite, spacecraft, and aerospace communication systems, we would like to hear from you.

In this position, you are responsible for the design, analysis, and implementation of engineering test plans and procedures. The ideal candidate possesses a strong combination of hardware and software knowledge with proficiencies in RF measurements, test equipment (VSAs, VSGs, VNAs, etc.), test architectures, and automation. The successful candidate will work closely with multi‑disciplinary teams to address company‑wide hardware test needs. Experience with phased array testing is preferred.

Core day‑to‑day responsibilities include collaborating with design and test engineering teams to develop test requirements, mapping requirements to reusable test architectures and procedures, implementing test plans and procedures, and logging and presenting results to key stakeholders. Additional responsibilities include lab and equipment management and guiding key equipment purchase decisions.

Senior‑level test engineers are distinguished by an ability to architect RF test systems, to draw insightful conclusions from test results, and to participate in design for test planning and review from the early stages of RF product development. Test engineers are core members of the Cesium technical team.

The successful candidate will present engineering design review materials to our customers and executive team, as well as participate in proposal‑writing efforts. As such, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor of Science (BS) or higher degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering from an accredited university or institution.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience with a bachelor’s degree or 4 years of experience with a master’s degree. Industry experience in design, analysis, and implementation of RF test systems required.
• High proficiency with RF measurements (Linearity, NSD, EVM, etc.).
• Test architecture design and development including scripting, test executives, hardware, and measurement abstraction layers.
• Proficiency with statistics and metrology as related to RF test design.
• Hands‑on experience with lab instruments such as digital oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, RF signal generators, and vector signal analyzers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Familiarity or hands‑on experience with phased array testing.
• Programming or scripting experience (Python, MATLAB, C/C++, etc.)
• Understanding of RF and mixed‑signal hardware (e.g. amplifiers, filters, ADCs/DACs, antennas) and its effects on test design.

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full‑time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard torace, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.