Senior Antenna & RF Hardware Engineer Verified today

The Role

Lead the design of the phased-array antennas and RF receive chains deployed on Hubble's satellite payloads. You will own end-to-end responsibility for the array architecture, payload antenna subsystem panels, and RF receiver front-end. The antenna aperture and front-end design determine the performance margin available in an exceptionally demanding link budget: detecting unmodified Bluetooth Low Energy transmissions from Earth to low Earth orbit.

You will define array architecture, perform electromagnetic simulation and analysis directly, own schematic design and PCB layout implementation in Altium Designer through release to fabrication, execute antenna and RF characterization campaigns, and be accountable for the performance budgets governing the design. You will work across hardware-software integration, test, verify, and document the flight payload.

About Hubble Network

Hubble is building a global Bluetooth network dedicated to machine-to-machine connectivity. The first modem-less, gateway-less, direct-to-satellite network from off-the-shelf Bluetooth Low Energy chips, Hubble serves logistics, AgTech, and maritime with asset tracking at scale. The founding team has raised hundreds of millions in venture funding, developed the Amazon Sidewalk network, and launched billions of dollars in space assets.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree (Master's preferred) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related discipline
• 10+ years professional experience in antenna and RF design, with multiple antenna designs carried personally from concept through fabricated and characterized hardware
• Demonstrated phased-array antenna design experience, including ownership of array and element spacing, embedded element pattern behavior, mutual coupling and active reflection coefficient, grating lobe and scan volume trades, and array calibration. Single-element antenna design experience alone is not sufficient.
• Expertise with full-wave electromagnetic solver such as HFSS, CST, or FEKO, including modeling of array structures in the presence of surrounding mechanical structure, and ability to assess model validity and identify sources of simulation error
• Direct experience with antenna measurement and characterization, including anechoic chamber methodology, near-field and far-field pattern measurement, and gain and efficiency measurement
• Strong understanding of RF design principles, including impedance matching, signal integrity, low-noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, mixers, filters, and oscillators
• Demonstrated receiver front-end design experience for sensitivity-limited systems, including noise figure cascade analysis, gain distribution, filtering, linearity and blocking performance, and downconversion architecture
• Experience with local oscillator generation and distribution across multi-channel systems, including phase matching, isolation, and spur management
• Hands-on RF bring-up, tuning, debug, and test experience using vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, noise figure instrumentation, signal generators, and oscilloscopes
• Expertise in PCB design and layout of high-frequency RF circuits, including transmission lines, co-planar waveguides, wireless SoCs, matching networks, low-noise amplifiers, mixers, and power amplifiers, in Altium Designer (preferred). This position requires direct execution of PCB layout rather than oversight of layout performed by others.
• Proficiency with Python or MATLAB for RF analysis, link budget development, and measurement post-processing. The team works primarily in Python.
• Strong technical writing ability. Design decisions are documented, reviewed, and maintained as living artifacts.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Ability and willingness to thrive in a fast-paced, rapidly changing work environment

Strongly Desired

• Experience planning or supporting EMI/EMC test campaigns against standards such as MIL-STD-461 or CISPR, and closing findings through design change
• Experience in design of antennas and RF systems for space or aerospace applications including material selection and outgassing, thermal cycling and radiation effects
• Working knowledge of NASA and MIL-spec requirements for space and high-reliability hardware, including MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-883 and NASA workmanship standards such as IPC/NASA J-STD-001ES, and of IPC-6012 Class 3 fabrication requirements
• Working knowledge of EMI/EMC design and compliance, including radiated and conducted emissions and susceptibility, shielding and filtering strategy, grounding and return path design, and platform-level self-interference
• Familiarity with radio regulatory compliance requirements and certification campaigns, such as FCC Part 15.247 and Part 15B, ETSI EN 300 328, and CE
• Familiarity with digital beamforming architectures and the interface between the analog aperture and FPGA-based processing
• Experience with wireless IoT network protocols such as BLE and Zigbee
• Experience mentoring junior engineers or serving as technical lead on a multi-engineer program

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $101,000-177,000 (commensurate with experience)
• Comprehensive Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, HSA options
• Unlimited PTO
• Commuter Benefits (if working from HQ)
• Learning & Development Allowance
• Health & Wellness Stipend
• Sabbatical Program
• Work on state-of-the-art satellite system

ITAR Requirements

All applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (green card holders) as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15).