Senior Ground Station Systems Engineer Verified today
Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits and operates a backlog of over $1 billion in commercial contracts. We are seeking a Senior Ground Station Systems Engineer to support the design, development, deployment, and operation of satellite ground systems across commercial and U.S. Government programs.
This role combines technical engineering with proposal and capture support, requiring you to bridge customer requirements, system architecture, and implementation.
What you will do
- Design, develop, and support satellite ground station architectures, including antennas, RF systems, modems, networking, monitoring and control systems, and associated infrastructure.
- Perform link budget analysis and support system performance assessments for GEO and MEO satellite systems.
- Develop technical requirements, interface definitions, architecture diagrams, and system design documentation.
- Collaborate with spacecraft, network operations, mission operations, and software teams to ensure end-to-end system performance.
- Serve as a technical contributor for commercial and USG proposals, RFPs, RFIs, and white papers.
- Develop technical volumes, solution architectures, compliance matrices, and basis-of-estimate documentation.
- Support customer technical interchange meetings, design reviews, customer demonstrations and proposal presentations.
- Evaluate customer requirements and translate them into scalable, cost-effective ground segment solutions.
- Assist with technical risk assessments, schedule development, and cost estimation activities.
- Work closely with business development and program management teams during capture and pursuit activities.
What you need
- Bachelor's degree in an applicable field in engineering
- 5+ years of experience in satellite communications, ground systems engineering, RF engineering, or related disciplines.
- Strong understanding of RF communications fundamentals: link budgets, antenna systems, amplifiers and RF chains, modulation and coding techniques
- Experience with RF electronics and communication systems including RF front-end equipment, back-end equipment, and communication hardware
- Experience with antenna system design and operations including calibration, diagnostics, and monitoring
- Experience using RF test equipment (spectrum analyzer and signal generator) and troubleshooting RF components
- Experience supporting technical proposals, bids, captures, or customer solution development
- Ability to develop technical documentation and communicate complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
- Willing and able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance
- Strong project management skills and ability to demonstrate a high sense of urgency
- Willing to travel 20% of the time
Bonus experience
- Background in Digital Signal Processing (DSP), including modem design, waveform development, channelization, beamforming, or digital communications systems
- Experience with FPGA-based signal processing platforms
- Familiarity with GNU Radio, MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or SDR-based development environments
- Knowledge of advanced SATCOM technologies including phased arrays, adaptive coding and modulation, and digital payload architectures
- Experience with commercial and government proposals
- Familiarity with antenna control units and tracking systems
- Familiarity with spectrum management
- Familiarity with networking (Ethernet, IP, TCP)
- Comfortable scripting, preferably in Python
Compensation and benefits
Base salary: $180,000-$240,000 USD
Compensation includes equity via incentive stock options, company-subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on-site catered meals.
U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status is required to comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations.