Embedded Software Engineer, RF Payloads (Starshield)
Hawthorne · 1+ years experience · Remote · Posted Sep 28, 2026
At a glance
- Experience
- 1+ years experience
- Workplace
- Remote
- Location
- Hawthorne
About the role
- The Embedded Software Engineer for RF Payloads on the Starshield team will design and build RF capabilities for proliferated communications and remote sensing in low earth orbit.
- This role involves working on advanced development programs in support of US National Security in a highly collaborative and fast-paced environment.
Responsibilities
- Drive program-level decisions on RF system designs
- Research novel solutions for unique large-scale satellite RF systems
- Design, build, validate, and automate RF test benches for full characterization of custom RF designs
- Design and build modular, scalable RF test infrastructure and test automation sequences in Python and C++
- Work in close collaboration with hardware, FPGA, DSP, and software engineers to design and validate RF systems
- Create electromagnetic simulation models of hardware to design and evaluate performance
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
- 1+ years of professional development experience in C/C++ or Python
- 1+ years of professional experience with radio test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector signal analyzers, vector signal generators, and network analyzers
- 1+ years of professional RF experience with antennas or communication systems
- Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, Refugee, or Asylee to conform to U.S. Government export regulations
Preferred qualifications
- Master's degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
- Experience with testing both active and passive RF devices such as filters, amplifiers, mixers, and upconverters/downconverters
- Experience with common RF concepts such as gain, linearity, P1dB, ACLR, EVM, PAE, S-parameters, and input/output matching
- Experience with software design principles, software architecture, design patterns, and unit/integration testing methodology
- Experience with environmental test methodologies and equipment such as thermal chambers and temperature forcing systems
- Experience troubleshooting interactions between software and hardware such as network devices and lab instrumentation
- Experience using Windows and Linux operating systems
- Active TS/SCI clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one
Benefits
- Long-term incentives (company stock or long-term cash awards)
- Discretionary bonuses
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Medical, vision, and dental coverage
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Short and long-term disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid parental leave
- 3 weeks of paid vacation
- 10 or more paid holidays per year
Skills
- Python
- C++
- VNA
- VSG
- VSA
- Spectrum Analyzers
- RF Power Meters
- Oscilloscopes
- FPGA
- DSP
- Linux
- Windows
