Senior Communications Engineer I

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
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 seeking a Senior Communications Engineer I to support the end-to-end integration of communication functions for our communication payload products. This highly technical role combines deep domain expertise in communication systems with hands-on integration and test execution.
You will play a critical role in the architecture definition, execution, and delivery of our communication payload products—contributing to requirement definitions, algorithm development, Special Test Equipment (STE) design, verification, and final sell-off. This position is ideal for an engineer passionate about solving complex integration challenges and advancing the standard of excellence in payload delivery.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define and develop functional communications requirements in collaboration with Systems Engineering during concept and design phases.
• Flow requirements to Design and Test Product teams, ensuring alignment throughout the development lifecycle.
• Support the development of communications architectures, including RF and digital unit interfaces, payload interfaces, and algorithm integration strategies.
• Contribute to link budget development, modulation/demodulation schemes, and digital communications algorithm implementation.
• Support the definition and development of Special Test Equipment (STE) required to verify communications payloads; coordinate with Test Product teams for execution.
• Develop test plans and verification strategies for RF, digital, and hybrid payload systems.
• Execute system-level test activities, troubleshoot anomalies, and drive root cause analysis through resolution.
• Participate in payload- and system-level integration activities, including compatibility testing with third-party systems, customer-furnished equipment (CFE), and subsystem vendors.
• Represent the payload integration effort in program reviews, technical interchange meetings (TIMs), and formal sell-off events as a technical contributor.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Communications Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 4+ years of experience in communications systems engineering, payload integration, or systems development in aerospace, defense, or space environments. Master's degree is preferred.
• Deep technical expertise in RF and digital communications system design, link budget analysis, digital modulation/demodulation and algorithm implementation, and communications architecture, physical interfaces, and signal path analysis.
• Experience designing and specifying Special Test Equipment (STE) for payload or subsystem verification.
• Strong working knowledge of RF/digital test tools: spectrum analyzers, signal generators, vector signal analyzers, BER testers, etc.
• Proven troubleshooting, fault isolation, and test execution skills at the unit, subsystem, and system level.
• U.S. Citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance may be required.

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 age