Principal Communication Engineer II

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are looking to add a Principal Communication System Engineer II to our team. If you enjoy working in a startup environment and are passionate about developing leading-edge phased arrays for satellites, spacecraft, and aerospace systems, we would like to hear from you.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in systems engineering, experience in space technology, and the ability to be the technical point of contact for our communication programs. In this position, you will lead the development of space architecture concepts, sub-system design, payload design, requirements development, analysis and decomposition, high-level software and hardware system architecture design, concept of operations (CONOPS) development, and risk assessment. You will coordinate activities across multidisciplinary engineering teams, raise issues at the program level, and drive complex programs to success.

The successful candidate will communicate effectively with team members and internal stakeholders, both verbally and through written content.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Evaluate mission needs to define requirements, integrate technical parameters, and assure compatibility of all physical, functional and program interfaces.
• Derive mission ConOps for space vehicle and constellation level architectures.
• Support reviews of requests for proposals to support solution development and response.
• Lead trade studies to optimize system architecture.
• Define and validate space system requirements and interfaces.
• Develop and direct technical concept development in support of proposals.
• Lead development of space architecture concepts, sub-system design, payload design, ground station design, requirements development, analysis and decomposition, hardware system design, Link budget studies, gain line up, cascade analysis, array simulation studies, concept of operations (CONOPS) development, and risk reduction.
• Select and define modem configuration.
• Select and define data layer configuration.
• Participate in developing system engineering processes for requirements management, flow down, and traceability.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 11+ years of experience in space communications.
• Very strong background in communication theory.
• Deep understanding of RF concept, impairments, and the resulting impacts.
• Background and practical experience with FPGA & modern vector processing engines.
• Experience with and understanding of satellite-communications standards (NR NTN, DVB-S2x, CCSDS).
• Experience with at least one scripting and one programming language (ideally Python & C++).
• Experience working with product/component developers and vendors who provide critical functionality to the overall system.
• Experience working with classified systems and red/black architectures for communications.
• Experience with optical communications systems.
• Ability to hold a security clearance.
• Excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Ability to define work direction, track milestones, and demonstrate progress on large open-ended projects.
• Sense of urgency, with the ability to work well under pressure.
• The ability to work well in teams, with peers and management.

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.