Senior GNSS Receiver Engineer

Location

Burlingame, CA

Full time

On-site

Engineering

• $120K – $180K

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

We're seeking a GNSS Receiver Engineer to join our Navigation Software team, where you'll work at the intersection of signal design and receiver implementation. You'll be instrumental in developing and validating the receiver architectures that process our novel LEO PNT signals from acquisition and tracking through measurement generation.

This role sits at the heart of our system: you'll help shape how our signal-in-space design translates into real receiver performance, working directly with our Interface Control Documents (ICD) to ensure our modulation schemes, navigation message formats, and signal structures are implementable and optimized for precision.

• Develop and optimize acquisition and tracking algorithms for our LEO PNT signals
• Implement and test receiver signal processing chains using our GNSS-SDR-based verification platform
• Analyze signal designs and data modulation schemes, evaluating tradeoffs between receiver complexity and performance
• Generate and validate pseudorange and carrier phase measurements from signals in space
• Contribute to ICD development, ensuring signal specifications are grounded in practical receiver implementation
• Characterize receiver performance through simulation and live signal testing with software-defined radio (SDR) hardware

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• 3+ years of experience with GNSS receiver development or signal processing
• Strong C++ programming skills with experience in real-time or embedded signal processing
• Hands‑on experience with software‑defined radio platforms (GNSS‑SDR, GNU Radio, or similar)
• Deep understanding of GNSS signal structures: spreading codes, modulation schemes, correlation, and tracking loops
• Experience with carrier and code tracking loop design (DLL, PLL, FLL)
• Familiarity with measurement generation—pseudorange, carrier phase, Doppler

• Experience with LEO satellite signals or high‑Doppler tracking scenarios
• Familiarity with navigation message decoding and frame synchronization
• Exposure to signal authentication or advanced modulation schemes (BOC, CSK, etc.)
• Experience translating ICDs into receiver implementations

For U.S. Roles:
To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles:
To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles:
Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

$120K - $180K