Principal RF Payload Lead Engineer

Skylo is hiring a Principal RF Payload Lead Engineer to own the end-to-end architecture, design, development, and on-orbit performance of RF communications payloads for direct-to-device connectivity. You will own the complete technical solution, from requirements and system architecture through hardware delivery, integration, test, and mission operations support. This is the first hire into a new group inside Space Network, so you are defining how the work gets done before there is a team to do it.

You will feel at home here if you have designed an RF system, then built it, tested it, and watched it ship to real users.

What You'll Do

• Own the RF payload architecture. Phased-array antennas, RF front ends, frequency planning, and waveform selection aligned to cellular standards.
• Lead phased-array design and analysis. Beamforming strategy, scan performance, EIRP and G/T, coverage optimization, and handover.
• Own link design end to end. Link budgets, modulation and coding, Doppler, interference analysis, and regulatory considerations.
• Lead integration and test. Functional test, RF performance verification, over-the-air testing, and environmental qualification.
• Work across the cellular teams. Compatibility with 3GPP and NTN behavior over satellite links, alongside the RAN and core network groups.