RF Test Engineer
Xona· Engineering
Burlingame, California$130k - $150kFull-timePosted 1w ago
About the role
Xona is building the next generation of satellite navigation with a focus on RF systems testing for a mission-critical payload and satellite bus. This in-person role demands hands-on hardware work, test design, and cross-functional collaboration to develop and validate RF systems for real-time, centimeter-level global positioning services.
Responsibilities
- Design, implement, and execute test plans for a wide range of RF systems, including payload transmit/receive chains, telemetry/command links, GNSS receivers, and interconnects across the satellite bus
- Build and maintain RF test setups using VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, and custom fixtures
- Develop automated test scripts and data capture tools to accelerate and standardize test workflows
- Perform detailed analysis of RF test data to validate system performance and characterize margins
- Troubleshoot RF anomalies at the board, subsystem, and system level
- Support environmental testing (e.g., thermal vacuum, vibration, EMI/EMC) with RF test instrumentation and monitoring
- Work closely with subsystem teams to ensure test coverage aligns with mission requirements
- Contribute to the definition of test requirements and verification matrices across the full satellite development lifecycle
Qualifications
- B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
- 3+ years of hands-on experience in RF testing, preferably in aerospace, defense, or telecommunications
- Deep familiarity with RF test equipment (spectrum analyzers, VNAs, signal generators, etc.)
- Strong foundation in RF fundamentals, including link budgets, S-parameters, gain/loss calculations, and impedance matching
- Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python for test automation and data analysis
- Comfort working in lab environments and around flight hardware
- Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail
- Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines
Skills
Required:RF testingPythonRF fundamentalsLab hardware troubleshooting
Last updated Oct 14, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
About Xona
Next Era Navigational Intelligence | Xona
Xona is the navigation infrastructure company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.
Location servicesPulsarGNSSNavigationPNTsatellites
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