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RF Electrical Engineer

Xona Space Systems

Burlingame, CAFull-time$130–180K/yrPosted 1mo agoVerified open 4 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$130–180K/yr
Location
Burlingame, CA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Security clearance

Job overview

Xona Space Systems is hiring a RF Electrical Engineer. We’re looking for an RF Electrical Engineer to take ownership of our spacecraft’s TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking & Command) radios – the S‑Band link that keeps our satellites talking to the ground. You’ll own this subsystem end‑to‑end: architecture, link budgets, PCB design, and the antenna interface, built to survive the harshest environment there is. This is a hands‑on, cross‑disciplinary role working directly with electrical, systems, mechanical, and software engineers to ship a critical piece of hardware that flies.

Key focus areas include Design end‑to‑end satellite S‑Band radio, including schematic capture, PCB layout, and component selection, coordinating with antenna engineers, Develop spacecraft radio link budgets for all mission phases, and Ensure EMI/EMC compliance and spaceflight reliability across the design.

Successful candidates bring B.S. In Electrical Engineering Or Related Field, U.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident, Or Other Protected Individual, and Eligible To Obtain UK Security Clearance (SC). Important skills include RF Electrical Engineering, PCB Design, RF Layout, Routing, HFSS, and ADS. Preferred (not required): RF/Electronics Design For Space and Spacecraft Systems Design.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

RF Electrical EngineeringPCB DesignRF LayoutRoutingHFSSADSMATLABEMI/EMC StandardsMIL-STD-461UARTSPII2CEthernetOscilloscopesNetwork AnalyzersSignal GeneratorsDocumentationCross-Functional CommunicationRF/Electronics Design for SpaceSpacecraft Systems DesignRadiation-Tolerant Component SelectionThermal/Vacuum Design Constraints

Qualifications

B.S. In Electrical Engineering or Related FieldU.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident, or Other Protected IndividualEligible to Obtain UK Security Clearance (SC)Security Clearance at Reliability Status LevelPass Security Assessment for Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP)Pass Security Assessment for ITARM.S.

Full job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

Overview

We're looking for an RF Electrical Engineer to take ownership of our spacecraft's TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking & Command) radios - the S-Band link that keeps our satellites talking to the ground.

You'll own this subsystem end to end: architecture, link budgets, PCB design, and the antenna interface, built to survive the harshest environment there is. This is a hands-on, cross-disciplinary role working directly with electrical, systems, mechanical, and software engineers to ship a critical piece of hardware that flies.

What You'll Own:

  • End-to-end design of the satellite's S-Band radio - schematic capture, PCB layout, and component selection, in close coordination with antenna design engineers

  • Spacecraft radio link budgets across all mission phases

  • EMI/EMC compliance and spaceflight reliability across the design

  • Electrical and RF test/validation at unit, subsystem, and system level

  • Hardware bring-up, debugging, and performance tuning in lab and flight environments

What You Bring:

  • B.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field (M.S. a plus)

  • Hands-on experience with RF/electrical engineering, including PCB design with RF layout and routing

  • Proficiency with RF/EM tools: HFSS, ADS, or MATLAB

  • Working knowledge of EMI/EMC standards and practices (e.g., MIL-STD-461)

  • Experience with digital interfaces relevant to radio integration (UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet)

  • Hands-on lab experience: oscilloscopes, network analyzers, signal generators

  • Strong documentation habits and cross-functional communication

Strongly Preferred:

  • Experience designing RF/electronics for space or spacecraft systems

  • Exposure to radiation-tolerant component selection and thermal/vacuum design constraints

For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

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