Contested Communications Engineer

Type of Requisition:
Regular

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess:
Top Secret

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:
Top Secret/SCI

Public Trust/Other Required:
None

Job Family:
Radio Frequency

Job Qualifications:

Skills:
Radio Frequency Engineering, RF System Design, RF Systems, Satellite Communications (SATCOM)
Certifications:
None
Experience:
10 + years of related experience
ship Required:
Yes

Job Description:

Own your opportunity to serve as a critical component of our nation's safety and security. Make an impact by using your expertise to protect our country from threats.

AT GDIT, people are our differentiator. As a Contested Satellite Engineer you will help ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. Our work depends on Contested Satellite Engineer joining our team at Fort Liberty, NC.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

As a Communications (SATCOM) RF Engineer with an active Top-Secret clearance to support the development, analysis, and enhancement of satellite communication systems operating in contested, congested, and denied environments. The ideal candidate will have extensive expertise in RF engineering, waveform development, electronic warfare (EW) countermeasures, and secure communications technologies to ensure mission resilience for Department of Defense (DoD) and national security applications. This role involves collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to design and implement anti-jam, low probability of detection (LPD), and low probability of intercept (LPI) SATCOM solutions, supporting critical defense and intelligence operations.

HOW A RF ENGINEER WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

• Lead the design, analysis, and optimization of RF and SATCOM systems for use in contested and degraded environments.
• Develop and implement mitigation techniques against jamming, spoofing, interference, and cyber threats targeting satellite communications.
• Conduct link budget analysis, spectrum management, and system modeling to ensure robust and resilient communication.
• Support the development, integration, and testing of advanced SATCOM systems, including ground terminals, space-based assets, and protected waveforms.
• Perform research and development (R&D) on next-generation SATCOM waveforms, adaptive coding techniques, and interference-resistant architectures.
• Assess and implement Electronic Protection (EP) techniques against emerging electronic warfare (EW) threats.
• Utilize RF simulation tools (MATLAB, Python, STK, HFSS, or similar) to model and evaluate system performance.
• Collaborate with software, hardware, and cybersecurity teams to enhance SATCOM system security and reliability.
• Develop technical documentation, reports, and briefings for senior leadership, DoD stakeholders, and intelligence agencies.
• Participate in classified programs and special projects that require.

Required Skills:

• 10+ years of related experience.
• Expertise in RF system design, signal processing, and satellite link analysis.
• Strong understanding of electronic warfare (EW) threats, jamming techniques, and anti-jam waveforms.
• Experience with modulation schemes (QPSK, QAM, DSSS, FHSS, etc.) and forward error correction (FEC) techniques.
• Hands-on experience with RF test equipment (spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, vector signal generators).
• Familiarity with DoD SATCOM protocols and standards (DVB-S2, MIL-STD-188-164, CCSDS).
• Strong knowledge of Software-Defined Radio (SDR) platforms and their applications in SATCOM.
• Proficiency in RF modeling and simulation tools.

Desired Skills:

• Master's or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience working with protected military SATCOM systems (AEHF, WGS, MUOS, PTS).
• Knowledge of AI/ML applications in RF signal processing and interference mitigation.
• Understanding of cybersecurity threats impacting SATCOM and secure networking principles.
• Experience supporting DoD, intelligence community (IC), or defense contractors on classified SATCOM programs.
• Hands-on experience with waveform development, adaptive coding, and spread spectrum technologies.

Security Clearance Level:

• Active Top Secret clearance required to start and must be able to obtain TS/SCI

Location:

• On Customer Site

Citizenship Required:

• ship Required

GDIT IS YOUR PLACE TO WORK:
401K with company match
Comprehensive health and wellness packages
Internal mobility team dedicated to helping you own your career
Professional growth opportunities including paid education and certifications
Cutting-edge technology you can learn from
Rest and recharge with paid vacation and holidays

The likely salary range for this position is $144,500 - $195,500. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Scheduled Weekly Hours:
40

Travel Required:
10-25%

Telecommuting Options:
Onsite

Work Location:
USA NC Fort Bragg

Additional Work Locations:

Total Rewards at GDIT:
Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.

We are GDIT. A global technology and professional services company that delivers consulting, technology and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense and intelligence community. Our 30,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. We operate across 30 countries worldwide, offering leading capabilities in digital modernization, AI/ML, Cloud, Cyber and application development. Together with our clients, we strive to create a safer, smarter world by harnessing the power of deep expertise and advanced technology.

We connect people with the most impactful client missions, creating an unparalleled work experience that allows them to see their impact every day. We create opportunities for our people to lead and learn simultaneously. From securing our nation's most sensitive systems, to enabling digital transformation and cloud adoption, our people are the ones who make change real.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans