Electrical Engineer, Optics and RF

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.

Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure.

About The Role The Avionics Team is looking for an RF Engineer to design, develop, and validate the RF hardware that enables communication, telemetry, command and control, and high-bandwidth data transport across our spacecraft platforms. This role is heavily focused on board-level RF design and integration, working closely with electrical, PCB layout, firmware, and test engineers to deliver high-performance RF subsystems capable of operating reliably in the space environment.

You will own RF circuitry from architecture through flight qualification, helping build the communications backbone of the orbital economy.

Responsibilities The Avionics Team is looking for an RF Engineer to design, develop, and validate the RF hardware that enables communication, telemetry, command and control, and high-bandwidth data transport across our spacecraft platforms. This role is heavily focused on board-level RF design and integration, working closely with electrical, PCB layout, firmware, and test engineers to deliver high-performance RF subsystems capable of operating reliably in the space environment.

You will own RF circuitry from architecture through flight qualification, helping build the communications backbone of the orbital economy.

• Design RF driver and receiver circuitry for optical communication links supporting data rates upto 50 Gbps
• Develop end-to-end RF signal chain architecture for laser diode drivers, modulators, and photodetector front-ends
• Design and lay out high-speed RF/analog PCBs, including specialized stack-ups tailored for RF signal integrity and impedance control
• Perform signal integrity analysis, including impedance matching, crosstalk mitigation, and eye-diagram/jitter optimization for high-speed links
• Collaborate with optics and photonics engineers to co-design electrical-to-optical and optical-to-electrical interfaces
• Support the design, integration, and testing of free-space optical communication terminals, including transmitter and receiver electronics
• Conduct RF circuit simulation (S-parameter analysis, transmission line modeling) and validate designs through lab measurement and characterization
• Debug and troubleshoot high-speed RF/optical link performance issues in lab and field test environments
• Work closely with mechanical, thermal, and systems engineering teams to integrate RF/optical subsystems into complete communication terminals
• Document design decisions, test results, and contribute to design reviews and technical roadmaps
• Stay current with advances in optical communication technology, RF driver ICs, and opto-electronic component development

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, Photonics, or related field
• 5+ years of professional experience designing RF circuitry for high-speed communication systems
• Hands-on experience designing RF circuits to drive optical communication links (laser drivers, TIAs, modulator drivers)
• Direct experience with free-space/open-space laser communication systems
• Proven experience working with high-speed RF communication links in the 1 Gbps to 50 Gbps range
• Strong PCB design and layout experience for RF circuitry, including familiarity with specialized RF PCB stack-ups (e.g., mixed dielectric, controlled impedance, RF-grade laminates)
• Solid understanding of RF transmission line theory, impedance matching, and…