Senior Space Radar RF Engineer II

Rocketlab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Subsidized EV charging

Onsite fitness centers

Discounted gym memberships

Complimentary snacks and beverages

50% merch store discount

Employee discounts

Job summary

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior RF Engineer II – Radar to lead space-based radar system development at our Long Beach HQ. You will architect radar solutions, drive RF integration, and perform hands-on testing for space platforms, with exposure to SAR concepts and orbital dynamics.

You will validate performance through link budgets, calibration strategies, and mission analyses, while collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams to ensure robust, space-ready radar payloads.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of relevant experience.
• Hands-on experience with space-based radar systems including system integration and mission operations.
• Strong understanding of orbital mechanics and spacecraft systems.
• Working knowledge of spacecraft subsystems including power, thermal, ADCS, and their impact on radar payload design.
• Strong radar system knowledge including waveform design, pulse compression, and Doppler processing.
• RF systems knowledge including link budgets, linearity, and noise analysis.
• Experience delivering radar/RF systems from requirements through testing for space applications.
• Proficiency with radar simulation tools and orbital analysis software.
• Experience with radar testing including range measurements and RF performance characterization.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical development of space-based radar systems including architecture design, prototyping, integration, test, and flight development.
• Define and maintain radar performance requirements and link budget specifications accounting for orbital parameters.
• Conduct radar payload design trades including antenna selection, waveform optimization, and processing architectures for space platforms.
• Drive key technical decisions for radar modes, timing, PRF selection, and RF chain design considering orbit dynamics.
• Complete radar analyses including range/Doppler resolution, SNR, ambiguity analysis, interference assessment, and orbital effects on performance.
• Analyze mission requirements including orbit selection, ground track patterns, and revisit characteristics.
• Develop and execute radar calibration strategies and image quality validation methods for spaceborne systems.
• Support the development of radar test plans, procedures, and automated test systems.
• Lead the design and development of radar GSE including calibration sources and test fixtures.
• Support spacecraft integration activities and interface with bus subsystem teams (power, thermal, ADCS, data handling).
• Support the development of product documentation including ICDs, test reports, and User Manuals.
• Design and analyze radar waveforms for various space-based imaging and detection applications.
• Perform radar system modeling and simulation using tools such as MATLAB, STK, or custom codes including orbital propagation.
• Assess and integrate COTS RF components for space-qualified radar transmit/receive chains.
• Support hands-on radar testing including EIRP measurements, receiver sensitivity, etc.
• Interface with multidisciplinary teams including RF, digital, mechanical, thermal, structural, and software engineers.
• Review proposals and requirements specifications for space-based radar payload opportunities.
• Scope and drive development activities for new radar capabilities.
• Support engineering reviews such as PDRs, CDRs and TRRs.
• Provide technical support to internal/external customers including radar performance troubleshooting.
• Maintain broad awareness of product development and production schedules.

Skills

Radar system knowledge

Waveform design

RF systems

Link budgets

Orbit dynamics

Radar testing

MATLAB

STK

Orbital analysis

COTS RF components

Spacecraft integration

RF chain design

PDR/CDR/TRR

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or aerospace engineering

Tools

MATLAB

STK

Job description

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior RF Engineer II – Radar to lead space-based radar system development at our Long Beach HQ. You will architect radar solutions, drive RF integration, and perform hands-on testing for space platforms, with exposure to SAR concepts and orbital dynamics.

You will validate performance through link budgets, calibration strategies, and mission analyses, while collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams to ensure robust, space-ready radar payloads.