Space Communications & Electromagnetic Systems Manager

General Atomics; Englewood (CO); On-site; USD 131,000 - 228,000; Full time

Job summary

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) in Englewood, CO, seeks a Space Communications & Electromagnetic Systems Manager to lead RF communications and EMI/EMC activities for spacecraft programs.

You'll direct a multidisciplinary team through concept to test, define architectures, and ensure mission requirements are met while coordinating with customers, government, and suppliers in a fast-paced defense environment.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a Bachelor's, Masters or PhD in engineering or a related technical field with 11+ years of engineering experience.
• RF communications system or subsystem development for spacecraft, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability applications.
• RF and EMI/EMC design and analysis including link budgets, frequency planning, modulation, coding, antennas, and interference performance.
• EMI/EMC design, analysis, verification, and testing including emissions and susceptibility, shielding, grounding, and bonding.
• Technical leadership of multidisciplinary teams through design, manufacturing, integration, verification, and test.
• Experience with requirements, technical reviews, configuration management, and nonconformance resolution.
• Experience overseeing RF, antenna, EMI/EMC, or flight-hardware testing with RF equipment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Space Communications and Electromagnetic Systems engineering team across all program phases.
• Direct multidisciplinary teams in RF communications and electromagnetic systems design and testing.
• Lead development and analysis of RF architectures including transmitters, receivers, and antennas.
• Perform RF analyses: link budgets, frequency planning, modulation, data rates, bandwidth, noise figure.
• Establish EMI/EMC requirements, environments, and test plans.
• Oversee EMI/EMC modeling, testing, and system verification.
• Coordinate interfaces across RF, electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineering.
• Ensure designs meet mission and environmental requirements.
• Lead technical reviews, requirements development, and nonconformance disposition.
• Represent GA-EMS in customer, government, supplier, and contract discussions.

Skills

RF communications

EMI/EMC design

Spacecraft systems

Technical leadership

System integration

Requirements management

Troubleshooting

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in engineering

Tools

Keysight ADS

AWR Microwave Office

HFSS

CST Studio Suite

FEKO

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

RF test equipment

Job description

Job Summary

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA-EMS’ expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions supports critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Space Communications & Electromagnetic Systems Manager to join our Space Electrical Engineering team in Englewood, CO. We are seeking an experienced engineering leader with expertise in radio-frequency (RF) communications, electromagnetic interference and compatibility (EMI/EMC), and space electronics to lead advanced research and development efforts in a fast-paced environment.

Reporting to the Senior Manager of Space Electrical Engineering, the successful candidate will lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for the architecture, design, development, analysis, integration, verification, and testing of spacecraft communications and electromagnetic systems. Work may support small satellites and spacecraft, space-based optical communications, advanced aerospace and electro-optic sensors, nuclear thermal propulsion, and other innovative space and defense technologies within GA-EMS’ expanding product portfolio.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the Space Communications and Electromagnetic Systems engineering team across all program phases, from concept through production, integration, test, and delivery.
• Direct multidisciplinary teams in the architecture, design, analysis, development, integration, verification, and testing of spacecraft RF communications and electromagnetic systems.
• Lead the development and analysis of RF communications architectures, including transmitters, receivers, transceivers, antennas, filters, amplifiers, frequency converters, switches, and related interfaces.
• Direct RF analyses, including link budgets, frequency planning, modulation, coding, data rates, bandwidth, sensitivity, gain and loss, noise figure, dynamic range, and interference performance.
• Establish and maintain EMI/EMC requirements, electromagnetic environments, design guidelines, verification methods, and test plans.
• Lead electromagnetic analyses involving emissions and susceptibility, shielding, filtering, grounding and bonding, cable coupling, antenna interactions, and co-site interference.
• Coordinate RF, electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, structural, and systems engineering interfaces.
• Ensure designs meet mission, reliability, environmental, and applicable space-system requirements.
• Oversee RF and EMI/EMC modeling, simulation, component selection, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and system-level verification.
• Lead technical reviews, requirements development, engineering documentation, anomaly resolution, root‑cause investigations, corrective actions, and nonconformance disposition.
• Serve as a primary technical contact for assigned programs and represent the company in customer, government, supplier, and contract‑related technical discussions.
• Establish engineering processes, standards, and best practices while supporting proposals, budgets, business development, workforce planning, recruiting, mentoring, and professional development.
• Communicate technical results and recommendations to engineering teams, program management, customers, government representatives, suppliers, and senior leadership.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Qualifications

Required Experience

• Typically requires a Bachelors, Masters or PhD in engineering or a related technical field as well as eleven or more years of progressively complex engineering experience. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
• RF communications system or subsystem development for spacecraft, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability applications.
• RF and electromagnetic design and analysis, including communications architectures, link budgets, frequency planning, modulation, coding, antennas, transmitters, receivers, amplifiers, filters, and interference performance.
• EMI/EMC design, analysis, requirements, verification, and testing, including emissions and susceptibility, shielding, filtering, grounding, bonding, cable coupling, and antenna interactions.
• Technical leadership of multidisciplinary teams through design, manufacturing, integration, verification, and test.
• Experience with requirements, technical reviews, configuration management, engineering documentation, troubleshooting, root‑cause analysis, corrective actions, and nonconformance resolution.
• Experience overseeing RF, antenna, EMI/EMC, electromagnetic‑effects, environmental, or flight‑hardware testing, including use of applicable RF and electromagnetic test equipment.
• Desirable Experience
• Spacecraft communications systems, constellations, hosted payloads, multi‑satellite missions, or S-, X-, Ku-, or Ka‑band systems.
• Space communications standards and interfaces, including CCSDS, SpaceWire, Ethernet, and serial interfaces.
• Spacecraft antenna systems, software‑defined radios, digital communications, software‑defined waveforms, or FPGA‑based signal processing.
• Spacecraft environmental effects and qualification testing, including thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC, radiation, electrostatic discharge, and plasma effects.
• NASA, DoD, commercial space, or industry standards and customer or government technical reviews.
• Must be customer focused and able to work on a self‑initiated basis or in a team environment and able to work extended hours and travel as required.
• Active DoD Secret Clearance is required.

Desired Skills

• RF, electromagnetic, and antenna modeling tools, such as Keysight ADS, AWR Microwave Office, HFSS, CST Studio Suite, FEKO, or similar.
• MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or similar tools for modeling, analysis, data processing, and test automation.
• RF and EMI/EMC test methods and equipment, including network and spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, and noise‑figure systems.
• RF circuit, printed circuit board, harness, cable, waveguide, connector, filter, shielding, grounding, and bonding design for high‑reliability or space applications.
• Strong technical leadership, communication, planning, organizational, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to represent the organization as a technical contact and work effectively with customers, government representatives, suppliers, and senior leadership.

Job Type: Full‑Time Salary

Salary range: 130,500 - 228,375