RF Engineer (Starshield)

SpaceX

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Hawthorne, CA
Salary: $125,000–$150,000 / yr
Posted: today

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Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $164k

This role $138k

$117k most similar roles pay here $201k

This role pays less than 62% of similar roles. Most pay $135,000–$192,500 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $138k versus about $164k 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 604 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $130,000–$155,000 across 440 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · RF Engineer (Starshield)

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As an RF Engineer on the Starshield team, you will collaborate with a multidisciplinary group to develop and support advanced RF hardware for low Earth orbit communications and remote sensing systems. Your daily tasks include designing electrical schematics, conducting PCBA board testing, resolving anomalies in orbit, and modifying mechanical drawings for flight applications. You will leverage tools like HFSS, CST, ADS, MATLAB, C/C++, Python, VNAs, and spectrum analyzers to model RF components and analyze channel impairments such as multipath and phase noise. This role requires a strong background in electrical engineering with experience in software-defined radios and frameworks like GNU Radio, along with the ability to obtain a Top Secret SCI clearance.

Skills

HFSS CST ADS MATLAB Python C C++ GNU Radio VNA Spectrum Analyzer

What you'll do

Develop and support the full lifecycle of RF hardware, from testing to on-orbit anomaly resolution.
Modify electrical schematics for flight applications focusing on reliability and manufacturability.
Model and analyze RF channel impairments including multipath, phase noise, group delay, fading, and nonlinear distortion.
Utilize software-defined radios and frameworks such as GNU Radio in project development.
Conduct link budget analysis related to communications and remote sensing systems.

What we're looking for

Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or electrical engineering
1+ years of RF engineering experience with modeling tools like HFSS, CST, ADS, MATLAB, C/C++, Python
Experience with RF test equipment such as VNA and spectrum analyzer
Understanding of link budgets and analysis for communications and remote sensing systems
Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret SCI clearance

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