Principal RFIC Engineer

SpaceX

Confirmed live today Low trust

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Hawthorne, CAIrvine, CA
Salary: $210,000–$340,000 / yr
Posted: 60 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live today
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

Market check

Salary context

Above market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $187k

This role $275k

$127k $363k

below market most similar roles pay here above market

This role pays more than 96% of similar roles. Most pay $154,250–$220,112 — the blue band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $275k versus about $187k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft with the mission of enabling humans to become a multi-planetary species. It operates the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, as well as the Starlink satellite internet constellation.

SpaceX currently has 851 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $130,000–$165,000 across 590 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Principal RFIC Engineer

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The Principal RFIC Engineer (Starshield Silicon) joins the Starshield team to develop next-generation RFICs for space and ground infrastructures supporting U.S. National Security. This role focuses on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. You will design, simulate, and model RF, analog, and mixed-signal circuits, deriving specifications for subsystems and performing IC floor planning and layout. You will develop circuits in SiGe, GaAs, GaN, or CMOS processes while collaborating with system architects to partition hardware and software functions. Key responsibilities include owning packaging prototypes, characterizing prototypes, and developing automated test lab equipment. Required skills include experience with Spectre, ADS, HFSS, or Momentum, and knowledge of phase-locked loops, mixers, and filters. You must understand transceiver architectures from S-band to W-band and be proficient with spectrum analyzers and network analyzers.

Skills

RFIC Design SiGe GaAs GaN CMOS Spectre ADS HFSS Momentum IC Floor Planning Layout Phase-Locked Loops Vector Modulators Mixers Filters Power Amplifiers QPSK APSK QAM Spectrum Analyzers Vector Signal Analyzers Network Analyzers MMIC Design

What you'll do

Design, simulate, and model RF, analog, and mixed-signal circuits and systems.
Derive technical specifications for RFIC subsystems and individual circuits.
Develop circuits using SiGe, GaAs, GaN, or CMOS processes.
Perform IC floor planning, layout, and model package parasitic components.
Evaluate and characterize hardware prototypes for performance.
Assist in developing automated test lab equipment for measurements.
Work with manufacturing engineers on production testing and component qualification.

What we're looking for

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science.
8+ years of professional RF integrated circuit experience.
Master's degree or PhD in electrical engineering or computer engineering with an emphasis in RF/analog/mixed-signal integrated circuit design (preferred).
Experience using simulation tools such as Spectre, ADS, HFSS, or Momentum (preferred).
Experience performing analysis and simulation of linear and non-linear circuits like PLLs, modulators, oscillators, mixers, filters, and amplifiers (preferred).
Knowledge of digital communication systems, spread spectrum, and modulation types such as QPSK, APSK, and QAM (preferred).
Deep understanding of theory and MMIC design of RF front end blocks from S-band to W-band (preferred).
U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee eligible for Department of State authorization.