Communications Systems Engineer, RF; Satellite, Ground Terminals & Military User Equipment

Position: Communications Systems Engineer, RF (Satellite, Ground Terminals & Military User Equipment)
Requirements Development & Management:
Elicit, analyze, define, and manage technical requirements for satellite communication systems and ground terminals, translating high-level operational needs into detailed, verifiable system specifications. This includes a deep understanding of warfighter needs related to user equipment. Technical Analysis & Trade Studies:
Conduct comprehensive technical analyses and trade studies to evaluate design alternatives, assess performance feasibility, and make data-driven recommendations for optimal system solutions, considering constraints imposed by military user terminals. RF Systems Design and Analysis:
Design and analyze end-to-end RF communication systems, including satellite payloads and ground terminals, to meet mission requirements, with a focus on seamless integration with military user equipment to existing SATCOM solutions. Link Budget Analysis:
Develop and maintain detailed link budgets for satellite communication links, performing margin assessments and optimizing system performance based on modulation schemes, coding, and environmental factors, with specific consideration for user equipment performance. Scenario Modeling:
Create and simulate realistic communication scenarios to evaluate system performance under various conditions, including signal impairments, interference, and atmospheric effects, particularly as they impact deployed user terminals. MILSATCOM/COMSATCOM Expertise:
Apply in-depth knowledge of military and commercial SATCOM systems, including specific constellations (e.g., WGS, AEHF, MUOS) and standards, to develop and integrate solutions, particularly with respect to the user terminal segment. Military User Equipment Integration:
Analyze and evaluate the performance of various military user terminals (airborne, ground, maritime), ensuring interoperability and compatibility within the overall communication architecture. System Integration and Testing:
Support the integration, verification, and validation of communication equipment and software. Develop and execute test plans for lab and field evaluations of ground and space components, including specific tests for military user equipment over satellite systems. Ground Terminal Support:
Provide technical expertise on ground terminal architecture and design, including antennas, RF front-ends, modems, and data processing, ensuring compatibility with the military user terminal ecosystem. Architecture Development:
Participate in the definition of system architectures and interfaces, ensuring modularity, scalability, and compatibility across system components, from the space layer to the tactical user. Anomalies and Troubleshooting:
Investigate and resolve system anomalies, performance discrepancies, and technical issues throughout the system lifecycle, often involving user equipment in deployed scenarios. Technical Documentation:
Produce and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including system specifications, test procedures, interface control documents (ICDs), and analysis reports.

Collaboration:

Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including hardware and software engineers, mission planners, and military end-users, to deliver integrated system solutions.

Required:

Clearance:
Able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field. A Master's degree is preferred.

Experience:

12+ years of experience in communications systems engineering, with a focus on RF satellite communication systems. RF Fundamentals:
Strong understanding of RF principles, antenna systems, digital signal processing (DSP), and modulation/demodulation techniques. Systems Engineering Principles:
Proven experience with the systems engineering lifecycle, including requirements definition, decomposition, verification, and validation. Technical Analysis

Skills:

Demonstrated ability to perform complex technical analysis, trade studies, and generate data-driven recommendations. Link Budget Tools:
Proficiency with link budget and RF simulation and modeling tools, such as STK (Systems Tool Kit), MATLAB, or custom scripts. SATCOM Knowledge:

Experience with both MILSATCOM and COMSATCOM systems, protocols, and architectures (LEO, MEO, GEO).