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Principal RF Engineer (Starshield)

SpaceX· Starshield Satellite Engineering
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Hawthorne, CA$210k - $300k + bonusfull-timePosted 5mo ago

About the role

RF engineer role on SpaceX Starshield team focused on developing and sustaining RF capabilities for proliferated communications and remote sensing in low earth orbit, with rapid iteration in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

  • Drive program-level decisions on RF system designs
  • Research novel solutions for unique large-scale satellite RF systems
  • Work in close collaboration with hardware, FPGA, DSP, and software engineers to design and validate RF systems
  • Responsible for development and full life cycle support of RF hardware spanning PCBA board testing and defect detection, full functional testing of an assembled unit, and resolving on-orbit vehicle anomalies
  • Create electromagnetic simulation models of hardware (antennas, filters, PCB layout) to design and evaluate performance
  • Modify electrical schematics and mechanical drawings for flight applications as they relate to reliability and manufacturability

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, or electrical engineering
  • 8+ years of experience RF engineering
  • Experience with modeling/analysis tools/software such as HFSS, CST, ADS, MATLAB, C/C++, and/or Python
  • Experience with RF test equipment such as VNA, spectrum analyzer, etc.
  • Experience creating and maintaining link budgets and analysis related to communications or remote sensing systems

Skills

Required:RF engineeringEM/antenna modelingSchematic/PCB modification for flightLink budgets and RF/system analysisProgramming for engineering tools

Benefits

  • comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
  • access to a 401(k) retirement plan
  • short and long-term disability insurance
  • life insurance
  • paid parental leave
  • 3 weeks of paid vacation and 10+ paid holidays per year
  • paid sick leave per company policy
  • stock options and/or long-term incentives
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • various discounts and perks
Last updated Jul 8, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About SpaceX

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