Senior Radio Frequency Engineer

Senior RF Engineer — RF Sensing & Payload Systems

San Francisco, CA | $150k–$185k + Significant Equity

We’re hiring a Senior RF Engineer for a fast-growing aerospace startup developing next-generation satellite technology.

This is a highly hands-on role for an engineer who wants to take end-to-end technical ownership of advanced RF sensing hardware — from system architecture and component selection through detailed design, PCB implementation, prototype bring-up, test, integration and qualification.

You’ll work on high-sensitivity RF payloads designed to detect and characterize signals from orbit, with responsibility spanning the antenna/receiver interface, RF front end, mixed-signal electronics and overall system performance.

What You’ll Own

• RF architecture and hardware development for advanced receiver and sensing systems
• RF front-end design including LNAs, mixers, filters, oscillators, synthesizers and down-conversion chains
• Phased-array / electronically steered antenna systems, beamforming and array integration
• Receiver performance including noise figure, sensitivity, dynamic range, linearity, gain cascades and interference
• RF and mixed-signal PCB design from schematic through layout, bring-up and debug
• Integration of RF hardware with ADCs, FPGAs and/or SDR-based architectures
• System-level RF test, characterization and performance validation
• Technical leadership across RF hardware as the team and product scale

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of hands-on RF, microwave, antenna, radar or related hardware experience
• Proven ownership of RF hardware from architecture/design through build and test
• Strong understanding of receiver and RF front-end design
• Experience with phased arrays, beamforming, electronically steered antennas, radar, EW or passive RF sensing
• Hands-on experience with RF/EM tools such as ADS, HFSS, CST, AWR, Cadence or similar
• Schematic capture and multilayer PCB design/layout experience
• Strong laboratory experience with VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes and related RF test equipment
• Ability to work across disciplines and provide hands-on technical leadership

Experience in radar, electronic warfare, SIGINT/ELINT, SDR, UAVs, aerospace, satellite systems or other SWaP-constrained hardware is highly relevant. Previous space experience is not required.

Package: $150,000–$185,000 base + significant equity, strong benefits, 401(k) match and relocation support.

This position is on-site in San Francisco. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.; visa sponsorship is not currently available.

Interested? Apply or message me for a confidential conversation.