Senior Radio Frequency Engineer

San Francisco, CA | $150k–$185k + Significant Equity

We’re hiring a Senior RF Engineer for a fast-growing aerospace startup developing next-generation satellite technology.

This is a highly hands‑on role for an engineer who wants to take end‑to‑end technical ownership of advanced RF sensing hardware — from system architecture and component selection through detailed design, PCB implementation, prototype bring‑up, test, integration and qualification.

You’ll work on high‑sensitivity RF payloads designed to detect and characterize signals from orbit, with responsibility spanning the antenna/receiver interface, RF front end, mixed‑signal electronics and overall system performance.

• RF architecture and hardware development for advanced receiver and sensing systems
• RF front‑end design including LNAs, mixers, filters, oscillators, synthesizers and down‑conversion chains
• Phased-array / electronically steered antenna systems, beamforming and array integration
• Receiver performance including noise figure, sensitivity, dynamic range, linearity, gain cascades and interference
• RF and mixed‑signal PCB design from schematic through layout, bring‑up and debug
• Integration of RF hardware with ADCs, FPGAs and/or SDR‑based architectures
• System‑level RF test, characterization and performance validation
• Technical leadership across RF hardware as the team and product scale

• 5+ years of hands‑on RF, microwave, antenna, radar or related hardware experience
• Proven ownership of RF hardware from architecture/design through build and test
• Strong understanding of receiver and RF front‑end design
• Experience with phased arrays, beamforming, electronically steered antennas, radar, EW or passive RF sensing
• Hands‑on experience with RF/EM tools such as ADS, HFSS, CST, AWR, Cadence or similar
• Schematic capture and multilayer PCB design/layout experience
• Strong laboratory experience with VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes and related RF test equipment
• Ability to work across disciplines and provide hands‑on technical leadership

Experience in radar, electronic warfare, SIGINT/ELINT, SDR, UAVs, aerospace, satellite systems or other SWaP‑constrained hardware is highly relevant. Previous space experience is not required.

$150,000–$185,000 base + significant equity, strong benefits, 401(k) match and relocation support.

This position is on‑site in San Francisco. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.; visa sponsorship is not currently available.