Posted 1 day ago

RF Systems EngineerVast · Long Beach

RF Systems Engineer

Long BeachOn-site$121k–$210k

AI Summary

Owns spacecraft RF system requirements, link budgets, and verification for space stations and satellites, managing RF components from development through testing, integration, and mission operations.

About this role

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and capital-efficient approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station to support a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and supporting a growing space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to design, build, and operate its own spacecraft in orbit. Next, Haven-1 is targeted to become the world’s first commercial space station, with launch anticipated in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced two new offerings leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo: Vast Satellite, a high-power satellite product line; and Vast Lunar Systems, power, communications, and habitats for the Moon.

Headquartered in Long Beach, California, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities capable of manufacturing America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for Mars, dedicated modules for government partners, and other crewed systems designed to unlock the expanding long-term space economy.

Vast is looking for a RF Systems Engineer, reporting to the Director, RF Engineering, to execute the development of the RF Systems for spacecraft including space stations and satellites.

As an RF Systems Engineer, you will manage communication system requirements and verification for space stations and satellites. Your responsibilities will include RF system design, link budgets, satellite coverage analysis, and definition of system concepts-of-operation (CONOPs). You will be expected to own one or more RF components and to collaborate with your mechanical, thermal, test, integration, and mission assurance engineering counterparts to guide those components through testing, integration, and operation during the mission.

This will be a full-time, exempt position in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities:

Own and manage spacecraft RF system requirements and verification plan
Specify link parameters including modulation, error correction coding, symbol rate, and channel filter
Calculate link budgets, considering data throughput requirements, link conditions, and ground station characteristics
Estimate the expected data throughput and bit error rate based on your link budgets
Maintain link budgets with consideration to on-vehicle antenna patterns, cable losses, radio specifications, and channel conditions for the expected orbit
Support regulatory license applications by providing required analyses such as power flux density and antenna contours
Use standard tools such as Ansys STK to estimate coverage and link variability during real mission orbit scenarios
Document and review your work output with peers through trade studies and design reviews
Own one or more RF products from development testing through mission operation
Be a center of subject matter expertise over your RF components in the context of the overall RF system
Plan the design, manufacturing, testing, integration, and delivery to the vehicle and coordinate the schedule with interfacing teams and project management
Manage relationships with cross-functional teams including mechanical engineers, test engineers, manufacturing engineers, thermal engineers, and avionics engineers
Manage vendors and clearly communicate requirements, deliverables, and schedule
Define test plans and procedures for acceptance and qualification testing
Define and document checkout tests to validate proper operation during and after integration at the vehicle level
Support mission operations as a subject matter expert on the spacecraft RF system

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in ECE, EE, Physics, or related STEM discipline
Familiarity with digital RF communication theory, components, and fundamentals

Satellite Link budgets
Satellite link figures of merit including

G/T ratio
Signal-to-noise figures of merit including C/No, Eb/No, etc
Error vector magnitude (EVM)
Noise figure
Bit error rate

Modulation schemes
Interference
IQ modulators
Channel impairments
EIRP
Free space path loss (FSPL)
Doppler shift

Familiarity with antennas and propagation

Antenna gain/directivity
Antenna polarization

Experience with RF measurements and concepts

Spectrum analyzers
Noise bandwidth

Experience with RF fundamentals

S-parameters

Experience in programming

Data analysis tools

Experience with product management

Vendor management
Design reviews
Requirements and verification

Preferred Skills & Experience:

MS or PhD in ECE, EE, Physics, or related stem discipline
Work experience

Startup experience
Aerospace experience
Design for space

Testing for space environments

EMI/EMC testing
Environmental testing
SMC-S-016 test requirements for launch vehicles

RF measurements

Spectral mask
Spur measurements

Experience with analysis software

STK
Python
Matlab

RF for satellite communications

Orbital mechanics
P1dB
Transmission line loss
Spectral regrowth
Harmonic distortion
RF passive components

Satellite communications standards

CCSDS
DVB-S2

DSP for RF communications

Receiver synchronization
Shannon theory
Nyquist sampling theorem
Forward error correction

Antenna/propagation effects

Multipath
Axial ratio
Cross-polarization

Pay Range: California

$120,540—$209,520 USD

We calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Skills

Ansys STKBit Error RateCCSDSDVB-S2EIRPEMI/EMC TestingEnvironmental TestingForward Error CorrectionG/T RatioLink BudgetsMatlabModulation SchemesPythonRF System DesignSatellite Coverage AnalysisSpectral MaskSpectrum AnalyzersVendor Management

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