Senior Ground Station Systems Engineer
Astranis · San Francisco, United States · 11d ago
Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe – large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military.
With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization.
Astranis has raised over $1.2 billion from some of the world’s best investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Baillie Gifford, Blackrock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, and Snowpoint, and employs a team of 500 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.
Senior Ground Station Systems Engineer
Astranis is seeking a Senior Ground Station Systems Engineer to support the design, development, deployment, and operation of satellite ground systems across both commercial and U.S. Government programs. This role combines technical engineering with proposal and capture support, requiring an individual who can bridge customer requirements, system architecture, and implementation.
The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of RF communications, satellite ground infrastructure, and systems engineering principles, along with experience contributing to technical proposals, cost estimates, and customer-facing solution development. Experience with Digital Signal Processing (DSP), modem architectures, or waveform development is highly desirable.
This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys both developing satellite ground systems and shaping the technical solutions that win new business.
Role
- Design, develop, and support satellite ground station architectures, including antennas, RF systems, modems, networking, monitoring and control systems, and associated infrastructure.
- Perform link budget analysis and support system performance assessments for GEO and MEO satellite systems.
- Develop technical requirements, interface definitions, architecture diagrams, and system design documentation.
- Collaborate with spacecraft, network operations, mission operations, and software teams to ensure end-to-end system performance.
- Serve as a technical contributor for commercial and USG proposals, RFPs, RFIs, and white papers.
- Develop technical volumes, solution architectures, compliance matrices, and basis-of-estimate documentation.
- Support customer technical interchange meetings, design reviews, customer demonstrations and proposal presentations.
- Evaluate customer requirements and translate them into scalable, cost-effective ground segment solutions.
- Assist with technical risk assessments, schedule development, and cost estimation activities.
- Work closely with business development and program management teams during capture and pursuit activities.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in an applicable field in engineering
- 5+ years of experience in satellite communications, ground systems engineering, RF engineering, or related disciplines.
- Strong understanding of RF communications fundamentals, including:
- Link budgets
- Antenna systems
- Amplifiers and RF chains
- Modulation and coding techniques
- Experience with RF electronics and communication systems including RF front-end equipment, back-end equipment, communication hardware, etc.
- Experience with antenna system design and operations including calibration, diagnostics, monitoring, etc.
- Experience using RF test equipment (spectrum analyzer and signal generator) and troubleshooting RF components
- Experience supporting technical proposals, bids, captures, or customer solution development.
- Ability to develop technical documentation and communicate complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Willing and able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
- Strong project management skills and able to demonstrate a high sense of urgency
- Willing to travel 20% of the time
- Lifting, standing, climbing, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, and carrying are generally required to perform the functions of this position
Bonus
- Background in Digital Signal Processing (DSP), including modem design, waveform development, channelization, beamforming, or digital communications systems.
- Experience with FPGA-based signal processing platforms.
- Familiarity with GNU Radio, MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or SDR-based development environments.
- Knowledge of advanced SATCOM technologies including phased arrays, adaptive coding and modulation, and digital payload architectures.
- Experience with commercial and government proposals
- Familiarity with antenna control units and tracking systems
- Familiarity with spectrum management
- Familiarity with networking (Ethernet, IP, TCP)
- Comfortable scripting, preferably in Python
Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company-subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on-site catered meals.
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