Senior RF Antenna Engineer

Job Expired

Long Beach, California, United States

$135-170k

Full Time

3 months ago

Job description

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in August 2025. Our team is all-in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Vast is looking for a Senior RF Antenna Engineer, reporting to the Director, RF Engineering, to develop and deploy creative solutions for complex RF and Antenna systems for our human-rated artificial gravity space stations. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

As a Senior RF Antenna Engineer, you will perform element, antenna array, and vehicle level 3D EM simulations, generating and analyzing data to estimate comm system performance for artificial gravity space stations. You will also be responsible for developing space rated antenna systems and test hardware. Active and passive antenna design for long mission durations in space is a challenging problem that requires creativity and collaboration with many engineering disciplines. Help us design the communication systems that will advance human spaceflight!

Responsibilities:

Develop and model space rated antenna systems for artificial gravity space stations
Perform 3D EM simulations and use the data to estimate space to Earth and space to space communication systems performance
Create software to enable and automate analysis solutions crafted specifically for Vast’s unique missions
Generate antenna system requirements and specifications for space and ground based products
Collaborate with a multidisciplinary engineering team to form tightly integrated avionics, structures, thermal control, and software systems
See RF products through their full lifecycle from design to mission operations

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in ECE, EE, Physics, or related STEM discipline
4+ Years in an RF engineering role
Prior experience designing and testing antenna hardware
Familiarity with 3D EM simulation software such as HFSS, COMSOL, CST, etc

Preferred Skills & Experience:

Ms or PhD in ECE, EE, Physics, or related stem discipline.
Mission oriented mindset with a strong desire for team success.
Comfortable communicating deeply technical topics to a wide variety of audiences.
Proficient with circuit simulation tools such as SPICE, ADS, Microwave Office, Qucs, etc.
Experience with RF test equipment such as Spectrum Analyzers, Vector Network Analyzers, Signal Generators, Communications Test Systems, Power Meters, etc.
Experience with EDA software such as Altium Designer, Orcad, PADS, KiCad, Eagle, etc.
Comfortable communicating deeply technical topics to a wide variety of audiences.
Strong sense of accountability and integrity with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Knowledge of in space effects including ionizing radiation, atomic oxygen, plasma charging, MMOD, outgassing, etc.
Ability to thrive at an early-stage startup where you will have the opportunity to help define the way engineering is carried out while doing your own development work.
Familiarity with antenna measurement in anechoic chambers, far field ranges, compact ranges, near field scanners, etc.
Experience with software development in: Matlab, Python, C/C++, etc.
Experience with environmental test of antenna hardware for thermal, shock, vibration, humidity, EMI/EMC, etc.

Pay Range:

Senior RF Antenna Engineer Level III: $135,000-$170,000
Staff RF Antenna Engineer Level IV: $160,000-$200,000

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 15 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, free catered meals and snacks and beverages, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.