Full-Time

Principal Communication Systems Engineer 1

Networking

Posted on 9/24/2025

CesiumAstro

CesiumAstro

201-500 employees

Designs satellite communications hardware and software

Compensation Overview

$148.5k - $199k/yr

+ Equity (Stock Options)

No H1B Sponsorship

El Segundo, CA, USA

In Person

US Citizenship Required

Category
Electrical Engineering (1)
Required Skills
Computer Networking
Requirements
  • 10+ years of systems engineering experience, at least 4 years in space and/or ground-based network architecture.
Responsibilities
  • Collaborate with customers and internal stakeholders to define networking architectures and operational concepts for space-based communication systems.
  • Develop hardware and software requirements for network elements such as routers and switches.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience using heterogeneous network modeling and emulation tools such as CORE, EMANE.
  • Experience with Software Defined Networks (SDNs).
  • Proficiency with algorithms, and ability to review and apply algorithms literature on graphs, network flow optimization, task and resource scheduling, dynamic topology.
  • Familiarity with hardware/firmware design issues, including clocks, configurable logic, storage elements, power/reset sequencing, data correction.
  • Experience with cyber architecture for space and ground applications, including NIST RMF controls, RoT, ZTA, KMI/COMSEC/TRANSEC, red-black boundary management.
  • Familiarity with antenna subsystems and parameters.

CesiumAstro develops end-to-end space and airborne communications systems, including active phased array antennas, software-defined radios, and complete payloads. Its technology enables electronically steered beams for inter-satellite links, high-rate downlinks, lunar and deep-space communication, and 5G/NTN networks. It ships plug‑and‑play, commercially manufactured hardware and SDR software as a full-stack solution, reducing development time and cost. The company targets both government programs (NASA, DoD) and commercial space ventures, aiming to make space-based connectivity more accessible and adaptable.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$678.2M

Headquarters

Austin, Texas

Founded

2017

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Eight SpaceX rideshare launches (February 2026) accelerate Element LEO satellite validation and de-risk production scale-up.
  • GMD Weapon System contract (April 2026) expands addressable market into ground-based missile defense with multi-year potential.
  • $200M EXIM financing (February 2026) signals strong government backing and largest space manufacturing commitment to date.

What critics are saying

  • SpaceX Starlink's vertically integrated constellation captures 70% LEO market, starving third-party payload suppliers within 12–24 months.
  • Chinese GalaxySpace deploys 1,000+ Ka-band satellites by 2027 at 40% lower cost, eroding DoD contracts.
  • Vidrovr AI integration failures cause 20–30% performance degradation, triggering Missile Defense Agency penalties and contract loss.

What makes CesiumAstro unique

  • Vertically integrated manufacturing with AS9100D certification enables rapid customization and production scaling versus external suppliers.
  • Embedded AI from Vidrovr acquisition (late 2025) enables autonomous RF optimization and edge compute on satellites.
  • Software-defined, modular architecture allows mission flexibility across satellites, UAVs, and ground platforms without redesign.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

401(k) Retirement Plan

Stock Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-2%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
TXF
Mar 9th, 2026
CesiumAstro expands Texas headquarters with $500m investment

CesiumAstro expands Texas headquarters with $500m investment. CesiumAstro announced an expansion of its global headquarters in Bee Cave, Texas, with the acquisition of nearly 270,000 square feet of advanced manufacturing space, expanding capacity for continued growth tomorrow.The expansion represents a $500 million capital investment over the next five... Not yet a subscriber? Join TXF today to continue accessing content without any restrictions Or to request access to TXF Intelligence contact TXF

Business Wire
Feb 26th, 2026
CesiumAstro Announces Acquisition of Vidrovr to Enhance Space Communications Systems and Build Planetary Intelligence Layer

CesiumAstro announces acquisition of Vidrovr to enhance space communications systems and build planetary intelligence layer. CesiumAstro announced its acquisition of Vidrovr to advance the integration of AI-driven analytics and real-time signal intelligence across its space communications systems, payloads, and satellite platforms. AUSTIN, Texas-(BUSINESS WIRE)-CesiumAstro Inc., a global provider of space and defense communications systems and satellites, today announced the acquisition of Vidrovr, an artificial intelligence (AI) company specializing in real-time multimodal signal analysis. The acquisition accelerates CesiumAstro's strategy to embed AI directly into space telecommunications and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) infrastructure, enabling intelligent radio frequency (RF) optimization, autonomous operations of payloads and satellites, and reconfigurable AI-enabled edge compute across its product lines. From mission-critical hardware to software, firmware, and waveforms, this acquisition positions CesiumAstro to further elevate its best-in-class digital processors and active phased array technologies. By embedding analytics and autonomy directly into our communications payloads and Element family of satellites, CesiumAstro is establishing a real-time planetary intelligence layer. Share "Our systems must operate in an increasingly congested and contested environment," said Trey Pappas, Chief Revenue Officer at CesiumAstro. "By embedding AI directly into our telecommunications payloads, we enable adaptive RF optimization, autonomous tasking, and real-time decision-making at the edge. This reduces latency, improves spectrum efficiency, and allows our customers to operate resilient, self-optimizing space networks at scale." AI-enabled workload orchestration allows satellites to determine which data should be processed on orbit and which should be routed to ground-based cloud and enterprise systems, creating a unified, distributed compute fabric spanning space and Earth. Following the acquisition, Vidrovr co-founder Joe Ellis is leading the integration of machine learning capabilities across CesiumAstro's product portfolio, with a focus on next-generation, AI-native space systems. "By embedding analytics and autonomy directly into our communications payloads and Element family of satellites, CesiumAstro is establishing a real-time planetary intelligence layer," said Ellis. "This layer will not only observe global activity, but interpret it, prioritize it, and route the necessary data intelligently across an expanding network of space-based assets." "What attracted me to CesiumAstro was the opportunity to operationalize AI inside production-scale space systems," continued Ellis. "Together, we're enabling distributed intelligence that connects space and terrestrial infrastructure. Our goal is to bring machine learning inference as close to the data as possible, on orbit, and quickly route the most important data to where it should be processed on Earth." The acquisition reinforces CesiumAstro's commitment to vertically integrated, scalable production of high-performance communications payloads and satellites for national security and commercial customers. By combining advanced RF hardware, software-defined architectures, and embedded AI, CesiumAstro delivers adaptive, mission-ready space systems designed for increasingly complex operational environments. Explore how CesiumAstro is integrating Vidrovr's technology in this Q&A with Joe Ellis: https://www.cesiumastro.com/joe-ellis-q-a About CesiumAstro CesiumAstro is a global leader in advanced connectivity solutions for space and defense, delivering next-generation systems that connect, detect, and defend across commercial, government, and national security missions. Its standardized product platforms span satellites, high-performance communications payloads, terminals, and advanced computing systems, all designed for scalable production and mission-ready deployment. CesiumAstro maintains complete vertical integration with in-house design, manufacturing, and testing capabilities certified to AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 standards. Headquartered near Austin, Texas, the company operates additional facilities in Colorado, California, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.

SpaceNews
Feb 26th, 2026
CesiumAstro acquires Vidrovr to embed AI in space communications systems

CesiumAstro has acquired Vidrovr, a startup specialising in artificial intelligence for multimodal signals analysis. The transaction closed in late 2025, though financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition aims to accelerate CesiumAstro's efforts to embed AI in space telecommunications and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance infrastructure, enabling advanced radio-frequency capabilities. Vidrovr's AI technology will be integrated into CesiumAstro's communications systems. The deal reflects growing interest in applying AI to space-based communications and monitoring infrastructure.

Resilience Media
Feb 4th, 2026
CesiumAstro raises $470 million to build out low Earth orbit satellites

CesiumAstro raises $470 million to build out low Earth orbit satellites. CesiumAstro has secured $470 million in Series C capital to scale the manufacturing and deployment of space-based communications systems for government and commercial customers. The raise includes $270 million in equity led by Trousdale Ventures, with participation from Woven Capital, Janus Henderson Investors, Airbus Ventures, the Development Bank of Japan, MESH, and NewSpace Capital. An additional $200 million financing package was provided by the Export-Import Bank of the United States and J.P. Morgan under the "Make More In America" initiative. The company said the capital will support construction of a new 270,000 square foot headquarters near Austin, expanded manufacturing capacity, and faster deployment of its software-defined satellite communications platforms. CesiumAstro also plans to increase production of Element, its fully integrated low Earth orbit satellite, and expand engineering and program teams in the US and abroad. "This is a scale moment," said Shey Sabripour, Founder and CEO. "Our technology is moving from breakthrough to American Industrial backbone. This funding lets us deliver resilient, AI-enabled communications to 'connect, detect and defend' at global scale - faster." Founded in 2017, CesiumAstro develops communications payloads, satellites, and onboard computing systems used in proliferated space architectures. The company supplies hardware and software for defense and civil space programs. "CesiumAstro embodies the kind of enduring innovation we look for - engineering excellence with the discipline to deliver hardware over hype," said Phillip Sarofim of Trousdale Ventures. "We've backed the company across multiple rounds because this team isn't chasing headlines - they're building a forever company. Over the past year alone, CesiumAstro moved from announcing its first fully integrated satellite to securing eight SpaceX rideshare launches, accelerating on-orbit validation. Their momentum and maturity set them apart." Clearly, space-focused startups are particularly interesting in the United States and Europe as Ukraine faces an onslaught of Starlink-powered drones. By controlling more of the ground-to-air communications systems via satellite, modern defence companies can offer security and safety without risking jamming or shutdowns.

Payload
Feb 3rd, 2026
CesiumAstro Raises $270M Series C

CesiumAstro raises $270M series C. Thursday February 12, 2026 Waning Crescent Payload in your inbox. In-depth research, exclusive data, and expert analysis on the business and policy of space. Get ahead of the competition.

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