V

VAST

Develops artificial gravity space stations

RF Systems Engineer

Telecommunications EngineeringPosted on Nov 10
Full-timeLong Beach, CA, USAIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

  • A bachelor's degree in ECE, EE, Physics, or a related STEM discipline is required.
  • Familiarity with digital RF communication theory, components, fundamentals, satellite link budgets, satellite link figures of merit including G/T ratio, signal-to-noise figures of merit including C/No and Eb/No, error vector magnitude, noise figure, bit error rate, modulation schemes, interference, IQ modulators, channel impairments, EIRP, free space path loss, and Doppler shift.
  • Familiarity with antennas and propagation, including antenna gain/directivity and antenna polarization.
  • Experience with RF measurements and concepts, including spectrum analyzers and noise bandwidth.
  • Experience with RF fundamentals, including S-parameters.
  • Experience in programming and data analysis tools.
  • Experience with product management, vendor management, design reviews, requirements, and verification.

Responsibilities

  • Own and manage spacecraft RF system requirements and the verification plan.
  • Specify link parameters, including modulation, error correction coding, symbol rate, and channel filter.
  • Calculate link budgets, considering data throughput requirements, link conditions, and ground station characteristics.
  • Estimate expected data throughput and bit error rate based on link budgets.
  • Maintain link budgets with consideration to on-vehicle antenna patterns, cable losses, radio specifications, channel conditions, and the expected orbit.
  • Support regulatory license applications by providing required analyses, such as power flux density and antenna contours.
  • Use standard tools such as Ansys STK to estimate coverage and link variability during real mission orbit scenarios.
  • Document and review work output with peers through trade studies and design reviews.
  • Own one or more RF products from development testing through mission operation.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert for RF components in the context of the overall RF system.
  • Plan the design, manufacturing, testing, integration, and delivery of RF products to the vehicle, and coordinate the schedule with interfacing teams and project management.
  • Manage relationships with cross-functional teams, including mechanical, test, manufacturing, thermal, and avionics engineers.
  • Manage vendors and clearly communicate requirements, deliverables, and schedule.
  • Define test plans and procedures for acceptance and qualification testing.
  • Define and document checkout tests to validate proper operation during and after vehicle-level integration.
  • Support mission operations as a subject matter expert on the spacecraft RF system.

Desired Qualifications

  • An MS or PhD in ECE, EE, Physics, or a related STEM discipline.
  • Startup experience, aerospace experience, or experience designing for space.
  • Experience with testing for space environments, including EMI/EMC testing, environmental testing, and SMC-S-016 test requirements for launch vehicles.
  • RF measurement experience, including spectral mask and spur measurements.
  • Experience with analysis software, including STK, Python, and Matlab.
  • Experience with RF for satellite communications, including orbital mechanics, P1dB, transmission line loss, spectral regrowth, harmonic distortion, and RF passive components.
  • Knowledge of satellite communications standards, including CCSDS and DVB-S2.
  • Knowledge of DSP for RF communications, including receiver synchronization, Shannon theory, the Nyquist sampling theorem, and forward error correction.
  • Knowledge of antenna and propagation effects, including multipath, axial ratio, and cross-polarization.

About the Company

VAST

Develops artificial gravity space stations

Vast Space builds artificial gravity space stations to enable long-term human life in space. Its approach uses large rotating habitats that generate centrifugal force to mimic Earth's gravity, helping astronauts stay healthy during extended missions. The company designs, tests, demonstrates, services, and manufactures space infrastructure and customizable habitat modules for government space agencies, private aerospace companies, and research institutions that operate in lunar, Martian, or deep-space missions. Unlike others, Vast Space focuses on end-to-end artificial gravity solutions and ongoing support, not just concepts, and targets contracts that provide sustainable space habitats for science, exploration, and colonization efforts. The overall goal is to expand humanity’s reach across the solar system by creating scalable, gravity-enabled habitats that enable safe, long-term presence in space while protecting Earth's ecosystem.

Company size
501-1,000
Company stage
Series A
Total funding
$500M
Headquarters
Long Beach, CA
Founded
2021

Recently Posted Jobs

Explore more opportunities at VAST

See more jobs