Communications and RF Payload Systems Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators.

Join us and take your place in space. The Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, technology development, warfighter capability enablers, systems integration, defense industrial base, and threat reduction to help shape existing and future space missions across the national security space (NSS) enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command, Air Force Material Command, and senior leadership at the Pentagon, but also provides a broad range of technical support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with customers’ portfolios as well as horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation.

Additionally, DSG provides deep technical expertise to the Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) in the conception, design, acquisition, launch and operations of satellite, launch vehicle, ground control, and range systems. We are looking for a Communications and RF Payload Systems Engineer to join us in DSG to serve as the primary Aerospace point of contact advising the customer on the acquisition of communications and RF payloads across the branch’s full portfolio of space-based space domain awareness systems.

Working within Space Systems Command's Space-Based Surveillance & Reconnaissance Branch, you will lead technical teams across the entire program life-cycle, from requirements and acquisition strategy through on-orbit operations and anomaly resolution. The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in El Segundo, CA.

• Serve as the primary Aerospace Point of Contact advising the customer, including government leadership, on the acquisition of communications and RF payloads across the branch's full portfolio of space-based space domain awareness systems
• Lead technical teams, including Engineering and Technology Group subject matter experts, across the entire program life-cycle — from requirements and acquisition strategy through on-orbit operations and anomaly resolution
• Evaluate and verify payload and system requirements and technical specifications, assisting in the execution of program office systems engineering and acquisition processes
• Quickly assess risk, schedule, and cost mission assurance trades, identifying mitigation options to enable responsive, cost-effective delivery of space capabilities
• Collaborate with the program office Architecture and Integration team to develop and evaluate communication architectures for the branch
• Provide subject matter expertise in communications systems and components — including receive/transmit subsystems, signal processing (converters, amplifiers, filters), and antenna subsystems
• Solve technically challenging problems in communications and signals collection using modeling, simulation, prototyping, and experimental measurement techniques, while establishing and maintaining the trust and confidence of the government customer

• Minimum Requirements for the Project Engineer
  - Communications Systems Engineering and Payload…