Senior Antenna Design Engineer - Phased Array Antenna & RF Front-End Electronics

Deliver antenna elements and phased-array systems that meet spacecraft communication requirements for gain, coverage, polarization, scan performance, and reliability, from early architecture through verified flight hardware.

• Antenna architecture and design. Translate mission and link requirements into antenna specifications and architectures. Design and optimize antenna elements, arrays, feed structures, and polarization networks for spacecraft applications.
• Array performance. Analyze beam steering, beamforming, scan loss, sidelobes, grating lobes, mutual coupling, polarization purity, and array-level gain across required frequencies and scan conditions.
• Electromagnetic simulation. Build and validate full-wave models using Ansys HFSS and complementary tools such as CST or FEKO. Run trade studies, parametric analyses, and sensitivity assessments; use MATLAB or Python to automate post-processing and design workflows.
• Requirements and trade studies. Evaluate performance, size, mass, power, thermal, structural, deployment, and manufacturing constraints. Document assumptions, risks, margins, and design decisions.
• Hardware realization. Partner with RF and mechanical engineers to integrate antenna elements, feed networks, beamforming electronics, spacecraft structure, harnessing, and thermal provisions. Support prototypes, engineering models, and flight-hardware release.
• Verification and correlation. Plan and execute antenna characterization, including near-field or far-field measurements. Compare measured results with simulation, isolate discrepancies, and drive corrective action.
• Calibration and system integration. Support amplitude and phase calibration approaches and integration with RF, digital beamforming, and spacecraft systems. Help close electrical and mechanical interfaces.
• Qualification and production readiness. Support environmental and space qualification activities, including vibration, thermal-vacuum, and radiation testing as applicable. Establish repeatable design, test, and acceptance practices.

• Technical ownership. Take a design from requirements to verified results, identify decisions that affect mission performance, and keep actions moving to closure.
• Sound engineering judgment. Use data and clear tradeoffs to balance array performance, complexity, schedule, and manufacturability. Raise technical risks early.
• Cross-functional execution. Work constructively across disciplines and sites, make interfaces explicit, and communicate status and recommendations clearly.
• Reusable engineering practice. Document models, analyses, tests, and lessons learned so the team can build on verified knowledge and repeat successful methods.

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field with a focus on antennas or electromagnetics; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Typically 7+ years of hands-on antenna design experience, including phased arrays or other multi-band antenna systems.
• Strong understanding of antenna theory, electromagnetics, array theory, beamforming, polarization, mutual coupling, and link-budget concepts.
• Advanced experience with Ansys HFSS; experience with CST, FEKO, or equivalent tools is valuable. Proficiency with MATLAB or Python for analysis and automation.
• Demonstrated ability to take antenna designs from simulation through hardware integration and measured verification.
• Experience with antenna test equipment and near-field or far-field measurement methods; phased-array calibration experience is beneficial.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, technical writing, and cross-functional communication skills.
• Space, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability hardware experience is preferred, including familiarity with environmental qualification and design-for-manufacture.

The antenna architecture and array meet approved system requirements across the operating and scan envelope; models are correlated with measured hardware; interfaces and risks are closed in time for integration; and qualification evidence supports release of reliable flight hardware.