Spacecraft RF Systems Engineer

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE

As an end-to-end responsive space company, Firefly Aerospace is on a mission to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. Our small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles allow us to service the entire lifecycle of government and commercial missions from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. We utilize carbon composite structures, patented propulsion technologies, and common components across our vehicles to iterate quickly, improve reliability, and deliver payloads at a lower cost.

SUMMARY

Firefly Avionics Systems Engineers will leverage their experience in designing, developing, testing, and obtaining approval for RF transmission and communication systems for our launch vehicles and ground stations. Qualified candidates will be responsible for leading entire projects through defining tasks, tracking progress, designing the system architecture, coordinating with the approval agencies, and working through various development challenges. You will be part of the avionics team and will work closely and collaborate with all other teams across the company. Some responsibilities may include:

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and develop the spacecraft flight RF systems and the associated ground receiving stations.
• Manage the acquisition of components for these systems, including coordination and management of subcontractors.
• Coordinate in-house design, development, and testing tasks to ensure delivery schedules are met.
• Support spacecraft testing and mission day activities as the expert on this system.
• Provide support for spacecraft communication systems as required.
• Support hardware simulation environments to fully test the RF communication system end-to-end.
• Support the avionics systems design of spacecraft using standard V-model design methodology.
• Design, testing, and integration of avionics systems at component and system level.
• Familiar with writing of requirements and requirement verification.
• Ability to mentor Jr. Engineers within the RF discipline.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering or equivalent
• 5+ years of engineering experience designing/developing electronics system and assemblies, with an emphasis on RF systems
• Candidate must have a proactive mentality with the ability to self-start
• EMI Testing experience and data analysis; MIL-STD461 preferred
• Knowledge of Antenna theory and design, including phased arrays, dipoles, parabolic dishes
• Familiar with either SMC-016, MIL-STD461, or GEVS EMC standards
• Familiar with NASA HDBK-4001, NASA-HDBK-4002, and NASA-HDBK-4003 or standard GND design methodologies for spacecraft
• Familiarity with test equipment such as network analyzers, software-defined radios, signal analyzers, signal generators, power meters, GPS simulators, etc.
• Experience with Python, GNURadio, LabView, Ansys HFSS

Desired

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on communications systems, microwave engineering, or spacecraft development.
• Experience with RF transmission system design and analysis for spacecraft.
• Experience with RF ground station design and operation, specifically for spacecraft communication.
• Hands-on experience with the integration of electronics in spacecraft systems.
• Knowledge of basic spacecraft subsystems and how avionics integrate and interface with RF communication systems.
• Experience with environmental analysis and testing, including thermal cycling, thermal vacuum, shock, vibration, humidity, and salt fog.
• Expertise in link margin analysis for end-to-end spacecraft communication systems.
• Understanding of Bit Error Rates (BER), System Noise Figure, EVM, OSI layers, and other key performance metrics in spacecraft communication systems.
• Knowledge of communication systems, including forward error correction (FEC) or modulation types such as BPSK, OQPSK, SOQPSK, QAM, PCM/FM.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with other engineering disciplines and regulatory authorities.
• RF PCB design experience

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on 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