Principal RF Engineer

AST Space Mobile and our global partners are building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network to be accessible by standard smartphones. Called Space Mobile, this ultra-powerful network is being designed to provide connectivity at 4G/5G speeds everywhere on the planet – on land, at sea and in flight.

We are seeking a Principal RF Engineer to support the design, analysis, and optimization of advanced satellite-based communications systems. This role is responsible for developing RF performance models, link budgets, and coverage analyses to evaluate end-to-end network performance across space and ground segments. The Principal RF Engineer will work closely with cross-functional engineering teams to assess system performance, optimize network availability, and support the development of reliable, high-capacity communications solutions.

• Develop, maintain, and analyze uplink and downlink link budgets, including EIRP, G/T, path loss, atmospheric effects, antenna performance, fade margins, and system availability.
• Create RF performance models to evaluate end-to-end communications performance under various operational and environmental conditions.
• Analyze phased array antenna performance, including beamforming, scan loss, sidelobe behavior, coverage patterns, and beam isolation.
• Evaluate the effects of Doppler shifts, propagation delays, latency, and user device constraints on network performance and capacity.
• Collaborate with network, systems, and radio engineering teams to assess modulation, coding schemes, throughput, and overall service performance.
• Develop and maintain feeder link analyses using industry-standard propagation models to evaluate weather impacts and network availability.
• Assess and optimize fade mitigation techniques such as adaptive coding and modulation (ACM), power control strategies, and diversity solutions.
• Perform system availability, sensitivity, and trade-off analyses to support infrastructure planning and performance optimization.
• Analyze RF hardware impairments, including interference, phase noise, amplifier non-linearity, and other factors affecting system performance.
• Develop simulations, analytical tools, dashboards, and reports to support engineering studies and operational assessments.
• Establish performance requirements, validate design assumptions, and support verification activities throughout the development lifecycle.
• Support troubleshooting efforts by developing performance baselines and assisting in root cause investigations.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance on RF system analysis, architecture trade studies, and engineering best practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
• Master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline preferred.
• Relevant industry certifications or specialized training in RF engineering, wireless communications, or satellite communications are a plus.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in RF systems engineering, satellite communications, wireless communications, or communications link analysis.
• Experience developing and maintaining communication system link budgets and RF performance models.
• Experience working with complex RF systems and multi-segment communications architectures.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical analyses, trade studies, and cross-functional engineering initiatives.
• Experience supporting communications infrastructure deployment, optimization, or operational performance assessments.

• Experience with satellite communications, non-terrestrial networks (NTN), or advanced wireless communication systems.
• Familiar…