Senior Communications Payload Architect

Salary: $170,000–$280,000 per year, plus potential equity

An ambitious space technology company is developing advanced satellite communications systems and expanding its in-house payload engineering capabilities.

The business is seeking an experienced Senior Communications Payload Architect to take technical ownership of communications payload architecture, system-level engineering decisions and integration across RF and digital subsystems.

This is an opportunity to influence the design and development of complex space-based communications systems in a technically demanding, delivery-focused environment.

• Lead payload architecture: Translate system-level requirements into end-to-end satellite communications payload architectures, from concept and trade studies through detailed design and verification.
• Drive RF and digital architecture: Assess RF chains, analogue and digital interfaces, subsystem integration and system-level performance trade-offs.
• Own system analysis: Develop and review link budgets, power budgets and related analyses to validate architecture decisions and establish performance margins.
• Coordinate subsystem engineering: Work across engineering disciplines and external suppliers to ensure payload components and interfaces meet system requirements.
• Lead integration and verification: Define test strategies, troubleshoot complex technical issues and support payload validation through integration and flight-readiness activities.
• Improve engineering methods: Apply modelling, simulation and tools such as Python to strengthen analysis, automate workflows and inform technical decisions.

• 10+ years of relevant experience in satellite communications, spacecraft payload engineering, RF systems engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrable responsibility for architecting or designing satellite communications payloads, ideally across multiple programmes.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end communications payload architecture, including RF and digital subsystems, interfaces and system-level constraints.
• Practical experience with link budgets, RF performance, power budgets and architecture trade studies.
• Experience supporting payload integration, verification and testing, preferably involving flight hardware.
• Ability to make sound engineering decisions across performance, power, complexity, cost and implementation constraints.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Communications Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related technical field.
• Python-based engineering analysis, modelling or automation.
• Experience progressing payload designs from early architecture through hardware integration and qualification.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary spacecraft or satellite communications engineering teams.

• Significant technical ownership of communications payload architecture.
• The opportunity to influence system design and engineering direction.
• A technically challenging environment focused on developing and delivering advanced space technology.
• Competitive base compensation of $170,000–$280,000 per year, with potential equity participation where applicable.

This is a full-time, on-site position in Long Beach, California.

Candidates must be able to satisfy the applicable export-control, project-access and work-authorisation requirements for the role.

If you have substantial experience designing satellite communications payloads and can demonstrate ownership of architecture decisions from system requirements through integration and testing, we'd welcome your application.