Principal Antenna Design Engineer I

📋 Description

• • Own the complete lifecycle of cutting-edge phased-array and high-frequency antennas—from blank-sheet concept through on-orbit validation—for satellites, launch vehicles, UAVs, and other space-borne and airborne platforms that push the boundaries of global connectivity.
• • Translate mission-level RF requirements into optimized antenna architectures; select topologies, define link budgets, and perform trade studies that balance gain, scan volume, polarization purity, thermal stability, manufacturability, and cost for PCB-based arrays operating well above 20 GHz.
• • Drive detailed electromagnetic design using expert-level 3D simulation in CST or HFSS, iterating on element geometry, lattice spacing, feed networks, and radome integration to achieve stringent sidelobe, axial ratio, and power-handling targets across wide temperature ranges and mechanical launch environments.
• • Architect and optimize passive and active RF front-ends, including beamformers, power dividers/combiners, filters, and matching networks; co-design with mixed-signal boards in Altium to ensure seamless signal integrity, EMI/EMC compliance, and manufacturability on high-layer-count, low-loss PCB stacks.
• • Prototype and validate designs in our RF lab using VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, near-field and far-field ranges, thermal chambers, and vibration tables; author test plans, execute qualification campaigns (TVAC, vibe, shock, radiation), and correlate measured data with simulation to refine models and de-risk flight hardware.
• • Present design review packages to customers, executive leadership, and external partners; distill complex technical trade-offs into clear, decision-ready briefings and contribute technical volumes for proposals that secure new contracts and strategic funding.
• • Mentor junior engineers and cross-functional teams in electromagnetics, RF test techniques, and design-for-space best practices; champion a culture of rapid iteration, rigorous documentation, and continuous learning that accelerates CesiumAstro’s roadmap.
• • Collaborate daily with mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineers to ensure antenna assemblies integrate flawlessly into spacecraft buses, launch vehicle fairings, and UAV airframes while meeting mass, power, and pointing budgets.
• • Support post-launch operations by analyzing on-orbit telemetry, troubleshooting anomalies, and recommending in-flight software or hardware updates that extend mission life and enhance system performance.
• • Stay at the forefront of advanced manufacturing techniques (high-frequency laminates, additive PCB processes, heterogeneous integration) and emerging standards (5G NTN, optical/RF hybrid payloads) to keep CesiumAstro’s product portfolio ahead of market demand.