Senior Principal Rf Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Our client is seeking a Sr. RF Electrical Engineer for their Space Team. The Space Team's mission is to design, build, and test small commercial satellites that provide revolutionary RF geospatial analytics.

You will live in the lab, putting their RF payloads, Software Defined Radios (SDRs), and antenna systems through their paces. This is a hands-on role for someone who genuinely enjoys the process of testing hardware, chasing down anomalies, and figuring out why something isn't behaving the way it should. You'll define and execute RF performance test campaigns, troubleshoot issues down to the root cause, and work closely with the design, mechanical, software, payload, and systems engineering teams to get flight hardware from the bench to launch-ready.

Responsibilities: Own RF performance test campaigns for space-based payloads and SDR systems, from planning through execution and reporting. Define and scope RF test plans to verify key specifications including sensitivity, dynamic range, spurious emissions, linearity, and signal quality. Spend hands-on time in the lab running tests, operating RF and electrical test equipment, and working directly with flight hardware.

Troubleshoot and root-cause RF and electrical issues uncovered during test, working the problem from symptom to fix. Develop test procedures, fixtures, and automation scripts to characterize SDR and RF front-end performance efficiently and repeatably. Execute EMI/EMC compliance testing, identify sources of interference, and develop and validate mitigation strategies for flight hardware.

Support spacecraft integration and test efforts, including bring-up and use of Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) and flatsats for functional testing. Perform first article hardware unit testing, including receiving inspection, burn-in testing, thermal validation, and hardware checkouts. Diagnose test escapes and hardware anomalies, drive corrective actions, and document findings clearly for the engineering team.

Partner with the RF design team to translate test results and field issues into actionable feedback that improves future hardware revisions. Perform RF link budget analysis, interference modeling, and sensitivity trade studies in support of test planning and anomaly investigation. Requirements Requirements: Bachelor's degree in RF/Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

5+ years of hands-on experience testing and troubleshooting RF electronics, including SDRs, mixers, filters, amplifiers, and receiver chains. A genuine enjoyment of hands-on lab work, you'd rather be at the bench running a test or chasing down a fault than behind a desk. Strong working knowledge of software-defined radio architectures, RF front-ends, and space-based RF systems.

Proven track record of diagnosing and resolving RF and electrical issues, with a methodical, curious approach to problem-solving. Extensive experience using lab equipment such as Spectrum Analyzers, Network Analyzers, Signal Generators, Noise Figure Analyzers, and RF test chambers. Understanding of power electronics, high-speed digital design, and RF fundamentals (impedance matching, S-parameters, noise figure, linearity, etc.)

Hands-on flight hardware experience (satellite integration, RF lab testing, prototyping, troubleshooting). Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively across multi-disciplinary teams, including translating test findings into clear, actionable feedback for designers. Desirable: Experience working in the smallsat or space industry with RF payloads or communication systems.

Proficiency with Python, C++, MATLAB, or other coding languages for RF analysis and test automation. Experience developing custom test fixtures or automated test equipment (ATE). Familiarity with RF simulation tools (ADS, CST, HFSS, or similar) to support test planning and anomaly investigation.

PCB design and layout (Altium or similar). Experience with version control (git) and continuous integration workflows. Experience using collaboration tools such as JIRA, Confluence, etc.