Senior RF Engineer

Overview

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station.

Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven‑1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. Our team is all‑in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time.

If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Senior RF Engineer
, reporting to the Director of RF Engineering
, in a full-time, exempt position located in Long Beach
.

• Comprehensive ownership of one or more Vast‑designed or COTS radio products from production to mission
• Attain technical proficiency with your component(s) and function as the technical authority on its operation
• Manage the product development timeline in the context of the project schedule
• Maintain relationships with vendors and hold them accountable for product requirements, deliveries, and schedule
• Define test plans and procedures for acceptance and qualification testing
• Define checkout tests to validate proper operation during and after integration onto the space station
• Define how the components will be used during the mission
• Identify technical issues during development and drive them to resolution
• Guide your component through manufacture, acceptance testing, and qualification testing

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or another relevant engineering or science discipline

• Strong understanding of the theory and usage of standard radio test equipment
• Strong background in radio and electronics test and debug
• Strong understanding of digital modulation formats such as BPSK, QPSK, QAM
• Proficiency writing and maintaining RF link budgets
• Understanding of forward error correction (FEC) codes
• Familiarity with key receiver specifications including noise figure, sensitivity, and bit error rate
• Experience with aerospace acceptance and qualification test practices
• RF system and circuit design software such as MATLAB and Keysight ADS
• Familiarity with RF block lineup design and cascaded noise/linearity analysis
• Familiarity with RF power amplifiers and standard figures of merit such as P_sat, P_1dB, OIP3, ACLR, and PAE
• Strong understanding of S‑parameters
• Understanding of Smith Charts and impedance matching networks

• Electromagnetic simulation software such as HFSS
• Understanding of the OSI networking model

$120,540 - $209,520 USD (California)

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is one component of a comprehensive comp package. Full‑time employees receive company equity and access to benefits including medical, dental, vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off, up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days for non‑exempt staff (with option to cash‑out unused vacation), paid parental leave, short‑ and long‑term disability insurance, life insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, Class Pass credits, personalized mental healthcare via Spring Health, and other perks.

Food perks include snacks, drip coffee with onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals free of charge; lunch is subsidized.

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls and must either be a 'U.S. person' as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.