SATCOM Systems Engineer

Working within an Integrated Product Team (IPT) under the direction of the Director of Systems Engineering and assigned Program Managers, you will serve as the technical authority for link budgets, RF chain trade studies, compliance matrices, and terminal-level risk management across GEO, MEO, and LEO programs.

• Architecture & Systems Analysis:
• Define system- and subsystem-level architectures for SATCOM antenna platforms, with primary responsibility for sizing and integrating the end-to-end RF chain.
• Perform comprehensive link budget, RF cascade, and adjacent-satellite interference analyses; benchmark Thin Kom platforms against competing terminal architectures.
• Conduct engineering trade studies to guide architectural decisions, component selection, and terminal performance optimizations.
• Identify, assess, and track technical risks and implement structured mitigation plans throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Requirements Flowdown & Customer Compliance:
• Author, maintain, and baseline system and subsystem specifications; flow requirements down to hardware, software, and mechanical teams with full traceability through verification.
• Interface directly with commercial customers, military end-users, and satellite network operators to interpret technical specifications, resolve interface ambiguities, and demonstrate formal compliance.
• Develop and maintain customer compliance matrices, tracking adherence to commercial and military satellite terminal standards (e.g., MIL-STD-188 series, ARINC, ITU/FCC regulations).
• Design Execution, Verification & Supplier
  
  Collaboration:
• Partner with multidisciplinary engineering teams to transition system concepts into production designs, resolving multi-domain technical issues as they arise.
• Collaborate with key RF and electronic component vendors to evaluate Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) equipment, establish source specifications, and resolve technical queries.
• Formulate system-level test, verification, and certification plans in support of formal terminal qualification and operator network approvals.
• Prepare and present technical design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) and trade-study findings to internal leadership, partners, and external customers.
• Support multiple concurrent flight, ground, or mobile terminal programs while adhering to company design procedures and configuration management policies.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor's, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline (Master’s in Systems Engineering or Communication Systems preferred).
• Experience:
  
  Minimum of 3 years of direct systems engineering experience in satellite communications.
• Link Budget Expertise:
  Proven track record closing satellite link budgets and sizing apertures using satellite EIRP and G/T on operational GEO, MEO, or LEO satellite programs (
  
  Note:
  
  terrestrial wireless link analysis alone does not meet this requirement).
• RF Chain Proficiency:
  In-depth working knowledge of SATCOM RF architectures, including High Power Amplifiers (SSPA/BUC), up/down converters, LNBs, modems, and reference distribution schemes; demonstrated competence with cascaded gain, noise figure, linearity (IP3/P1dB), VSWR, and phase noise analysis.
• Requirements Management:
  Experience generating system requirements, establishing compliance matrices against customer/operator criteria, and flowing requirements down to multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Tools & Environment:
  Strong analytical modeling skills using Python, MATLAB, and Excel; comfort working within Linux environments alongside standard office productivity suites.
• Communication:
  Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to lead technical…