Senior RFSoC Hardware Engineer for Satellite Systems

Xona Space Systems, Inc.; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona Space Systems, Inc. in Burlingame, CA seeks a Senior Mixed-Signal Engineer to lead RFSoC hardware design for space-grade systems. You’ll own placement, layout, and high-speed routing of RFSoC boards, integrating RF, analog, digital, clocking, power, and data interfaces into a robust hardware platform.

You will collaborate with RF, electrical, FPGA and mechanical teams to move hardware from concept through prototyping, test, and production, ensuring space-environment requirements are met.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or related discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in mixed-signal, RF, high-speed digital, or advanced PCB design.
• Understanding of electromagnetic principles behind radio frequency communications.
• Ability to interpret PCBA schematics and layout drawings. Familiarity with PCB ECAD tools such as Altium for both schematic and layout.
• Demonstrated experience laying out complex RFSoC, FPGA, ADC/DAC, RF, or high-speed mixed-signal boards.
• Strong understanding of mixed-signal PCB design, including: Controlled impedance; Differential signaling; High-speed serial interfaces; Clock and synchronization design; Power distribution; Grounding and shielding; RF transmission lines; Signal and power integrity.
• Hands-on experience using electrical/RF test equipment, including multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, and spectrum analyzers.
• Knowledge of typical performance metrics for RF communications systems.
• Experience using or interpreting results from tools for signal-integrity, power-integrity, electromagnetic, or thermal analysis.
• Experience with RFSoC or comparable devices from AMD/Xilinx, including device pin planning, power requirements, clocking, transceiver interfaces, and high-speed data-converter connectivity.
• Familiarity with interfaces such as JESD204, DDR, PCIe, Ethernet, Aurora, high-speed ADC/DAC interfaces, and RF clocking systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead placement, layout, and high-speed routing of RFSoC-based boards.
• Integrate RF, analog, digital, clocking, power, and high-speed data interfaces into space-qualified hardware.
• Work with RF, electrical, FPGA, and mechanical teams to take RFSoC hardware from concept through design, prototyping, test, and production.
• Ensure RFSoC layout meets performance, manufacturability, thermal, mechanical, reliability, and space-environment requirements.

Skills

RF design experience

Mixed-signal PCB design

High-speed digital design

Signal integrity

Power integrity

Electromagnetic theory

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

Vivado

PetaLinux

RFSoC

Job description

Xona Space Systems, Inc. in Burlingame, CA seeks a Senior Mixed-Signal Engineer to lead RFSoC hardware design for space-grade systems. You’ll own placement, layout, and high-speed routing of RFSoC boards, integrating RF, analog, digital, clocking, power, and data interfaces into a robust hardware platform.

You will collaborate with RF, electrical, FPGA and mechanical teams to move hardware from concept through prototyping, test, and production, ensuring space-environment requirements are met.