Senior Staff RF Communication Systems Engineer

Lanteris Space LLC; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 143,000 - 238,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health insurance

401(k)

Incentive plan

Job summary

Lanteris Space Systems seeks a Senior Staff RF Communication Systems Engineer to lead integration, test, and verification of RF payloads. You will define system-level requirements and guide architecture while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to resolve complex design challenges.

The role requires extensive RF experience and the ability to work with stakeholders across programs, with travel up to 10% and off-shift readiness. A U.S.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Eight years RF related work experience; six years with MS degree; three years with a Ph.D.
• Willingness to travel up to ~10% and support off-shift work as needed.
• Advanced understanding of mathematics and physics as they relate to RF systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the responsible engineer for a subsystem or major portion of the RF payload, with emphasis on integration, test, and verification
• Develops system-level requirements and specifications that guide payload design and performance
• Participates in system architecture development, including requirements analysis and trade studies
• Leads RF payload testing and troubleshooting during spacecraft integration and verification phases
• Analyzes operational issues and drives corrective actions to closure
• Introduces innovative techniques, tools, or methodologies within the RF engineering domain
• Provides technical guidance to teams in identifying design issues and implementing effective solutions
• Works on complex problems evaluating cost, quality, reliability, manufacturability impact to schedule, and process improvement
• Collaborates with engineers from other disciplines and maintains accountability across management levels

Skills

System integration

RF engineering

Mathematics

Physics

Microsoft Office

Education

B.S. in EE/Aerospace/Math/Physics

M.S. in related field

Ph.D.

Tools

AWR Microwave Office

ADS

Ansys HFSS

C++

MATLAB

Python

Job description

Job Description Summary

Please review the job details below. Job Description Summary The Senior Staff RF Communication Systems Engineer (CSE) contributes to the design, integration, and operation of complex communications payload systems, often composed of multiple subsystems and advanced signal‑processing elements. This role supports the definition of system‑level requirements, architecture development, and the establishment of technical processes that ensure hardware and software compatibility across the payload. The engineer identifies, analyzes, and resolves system design challenges while helping shape alternative concepts and next‑generation solutions. As an experienced professional, the Senior Staff CSE applies solid engineering judgment to a wide range of technical issues, developing creative solutions and influencing the evolution of future products. The role involves documenting requirements, design approaches, algorithms, test procedures, and test results in accordance with engineering standards. The engineer frequently collaborates within multidisciplinary teams and engages with internal and external stakeholders to support successful program execution. This position operates with moderate autonomy, receiving limited day‑to‑day direction and general guidance on new assignments. It typically requires a minimum of eight years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree; six years with a master’s degree; or three years with a Ph.D; or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the responsible engineer for a subsystem or major portion of the RF payload, with emphasis on integration, test, and verification
• Develops system‑level requirements and specifications that guide payload design and performance
• Participates in system architecture development, including requirements analysis and trade studies
• Leads RF payload testing and troubleshooting during spacecraft integration and verification phases
• Analyzes operational issues and drives corrective actions to closure
• Introduces innovative techniques, tools, or methodologies within the RF engineering domain
• Provides technical guidance to teams in identifying design issues and implementing effective solutions
• Works on complex problems where analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of tangible and intangible variance factors such as cost, quality, reliability, manufacturability impact to schedule, and process improvement
• Collaborates with engineers from other disciplines and maintains high level of accountability, offering direct visibility from various levels of management both internal and external

Minimum Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• B.S. degree or the equivalent in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, mathematics, or physics. An additional four years of experience may be substituted for a degree
• Eight years of RF related work experience, six years with MS degree, and three years with a Ph.D
• Willingness and ability to travel up to ~10% and support off‑shift work as needed
• Advanced understanding of mathematics and physics as they relate to RF electrical systems and components
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a specialized engineering or scientific discipline
• Familiarity with ground station modems and complex modulation and coding schemes
• Experience with RF computer‑aided design tools such as AWR Microwave Office, ADS, or Ansys HFSS
• Experience with software‑defined radios or software‑defined modems
• Familiarity with FPGA‑based signal‑processing architectures
• Experience with C++, VBA, MATLAB, or Python is desirable

Salary & Benefits

In support of pay transparency at Lanteris Space Systems, we disclose salary ranges on all U.S. job postings. The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the salary range provided below and is determined based on job‑related factors, including, but not limited to, the experience, qualifications, knowledge, skills, geographic work location, and market conditions. Candidates with the minimum necessary experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skillsets for the position should not expect to receive the upper end of the pay range.

• The base pay for this position within California is: $143,000.00 - $238,000.00 annually.
• For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market‑driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, health and welfare insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees.
• In addition, this position is incentive eligible with a target based on contribution, company performance, and/or individual results achieved; the specific incentive plan and target amount will be determined based on the role and breadth of contributions.

Application Window

The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. The date of posting can be found on the Lanteris Space Systems Career page at the top of each job posting.

Equal Opportunity & Diversity Statement

Lanteris Space Systems values diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. We comply with disability laws and make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process.