RF Software Engineer

SpaceX

Confirmed live yesterday Low trust

Quick summary

Work type
On-site
Location
Hawthorne, CA
Salary
$125,000–$145,000 / yr
Posted
142 days ago
Freshness
Confirmed live yesterday

Market check

Salary context

Below market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $176k
This role $135k
$114k most similar roles pay here $225k

This role pays less than 90% of similar roles. Most pay $150,193–$202,500 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $135k versus about $176k 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 680 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $130,000–$165,000 across 442 roles with salary data.

Most-posted roles

View all roles at SpaceX

At a glance

TL;DR · RF Software Engineer

As an RF Software Engineer (Starshield), you will join a collaborative team of engineers to develop advanced programs supporting national security efforts through earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads in low earth orbit. You will drive program-level decisions on RF system designs, research novel solutions for large-scale satellite systems, and create electromagnetic simulation models to evaluate performance. Your daily work involves designing, building, and automating modular, scalable RF test infrastructure and sequences using Python and C++. You will also validate custom designs using tools such as vector network analyzers, signal generators, spectrum analyzers, and high-speed oscilloscopes. The role requires proficiency in C/C++, Python, and Linux or Windows environments while addressing complex technical challenges related to proliferated communications and remote sensing systems for government use cases.

What you'll do

  • Drive program-level decisions regarding RF system designs.
  • Research novel solutions for large-scale satellite RF systems.
  • Design, build, and validate RF test benches using equipment like VNAs and signal generators.
  • Develop modular, scalable RF test infrastructure and automation sequences in Python and C++.
  • Create electromagnetic simulation models of hardware to evaluate performance.
  • Troubleshoot interactions between software and hardware components including network devices and lab instrumentation.

What we're looking for

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or another engineering discipline.
  • 1+ years of professional development experience in C/C++ or Python.
  • 1+ years of professional experience with radio test equipment like spectrum analyzers and network analyzers.
  • 1+ years of professional RF experience with antennas or communication systems.
  • Active TS/SCI clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for export control authorizations.
  • Experience testing active and passive RF devices such as filters, amplifiers, mixers, and converters.
  • Knowledge of common RF concepts including gain, linearity, S-parameters, and input/output matching.

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