Principal RF Antenna Engineer, Top Secret Clearance
K2 Space builds satellites for commercial, science, and national security missions, including programs operating in the classified domain. In this role, you will be responsible for the test & measurement of radiofrequency (RF) and microwave electronics to be hosted on some of the largest, most powerful, rapidly designed and rapidly manufactured satellites ever deployed in space. In your first 6 months, you will work with a multidisciplinary team of antenna, RF, field programmable gate array (FPGA), digital signal processing (DSP), software, mechanical, and electrical engineers in order to prototype your systems and refine your designs. In your first two years, you will have contributed to developing cutting-edge RF systems that fly in space in support of our customers' most sensitive national security missions.
Responsibilities
Lead research, design, and procurement of antenna elements
Qualify radiofrequency and antenna hardware through environmental testing including vibration, shock, thermal, and thermal vacuum (TVAC)
Assist with design and validation testing for radiofrequency and microwave hardware from UHF through Ka band, including phased array antennas, low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, filters, high speed converters, and other RF electronic components
Execute development and production tests to meet internal and external customer needs
Collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders to integrate your designs into the spacecraft system
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in computer, electrical, aerospace engineering, or other relevant science, technology, or mathematics discipline
8+ years of experience in microwave, RF, or antenna engineering
Experience with RF test equipment such as vector network analyzers (VNA), spectrum analyzer, etc.
Experience with anechoic chambers and antenna measurement assets such as near field scanners
Ability to work in a fast-paced and high velocity start-up atmosphere
Deep experience with classified systems and their security requirements
Nice to Have
Master’s or Ph.D. degree in a field related to antenna design and analysis
Experience with environmental testing for space electronics such as thermal, vibration, TVAC, radiation, and EMI/EMC testing per standards such as SMC-S-016
Experience with RF systems testing, including antenna characterization and insertion loss tests
Experience with antenna and electromagnetic modeling and analysis software tools such as Ansys Electronics Desktop HFSS and Altair FEKO
Experience with software defined radio hardware development including high speed RF data converters (digital to analog and analog to digital converters), clock trees, and data converter interfaces
Compensation and Benefits:
Base salary range for this role is $200,000 - $270,000 + equity in the company
Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level
Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks