RF Engineer

Position Overview

The RF Engineer is responsible for RF‑layer service readiness for satellite–cellular connectivity across our LEO/MEO constellation. This role ensures that beams, links, and terminal RF chains consistently meet the performance, robustness, and reliability required for commercial satellite broadband and direct‑to‑device (NTN) services.

You will collaborate across RF systems, waveform/PHY, NTN/RAN engineering, field‑test teams, and network engineering to define RF acceptance criteria, shape test campaigns, interpret performance results, and provide RF sign‑off for launches, market activations, and major software or hardware releases.

This role blends deep RF engineering expertise, practical SATCOM experience, and structured acceptance discipline to transform a complex satellite constellation into predictable, high‑quality, repeatable services.

Positioned at the center of AST SpaceMobile's RF and service‑readiness stack, the RF Engineer ensures that the constellation, beams, and terminals perform to the standards required for real‑world satellite broadband and NTN deployments. Success requires strong RF fundamentals, hands‑on SATCOM experience, and a disciplined acceptance mindset that combines technical depth with clear, actionable communication to cross‑functional teams.

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Key Responsibilities

• RF Service Readiness & Acceptance

• Own RF‑level acceptance criteria for satellite services, including link budgets, performance margins, coverage thresholds, interference limits, and beam/handover performance targets.

• Translate service and SLA requirements (throughput, availability, latency envelopes) into measurable RF KPIs (e.g., C/N0, CNIR, EIRP, G/T, fade margins, elevation constraints).

• Define, publish, and maintain RF Acceptance Packs detailing test plans, link‑budget assumptions, measurement methods, and pass/fail thresholds by region, beam set, and service profile.

RF Test Design & Review

• Design lab, field, and hybrid RF test campaigns covering elevation angles, edge‑of‑coverage conditions, blockage scenarios, and high‑mobility cases.

• Specify RF setups—antennas, RF front‑ends, cabling, calibration standards, and measurement points—to ensure accurate, repeatable, and comparable results across labs and field teams.

• Review drive‑test and field‑test plans to confirm adequate RF coverage of priority beams, handover zones, and interference‑sensitive areas.

Measurement, Analysis & Troubleshooting

• Analyze RF data (spectral plots, channel power, CNIR, MER/EVM, modulation behavior) from lab and field environments to verify compliance with acceptance criteria.

• Investigate anomalies—including unexpected fades, beam imbalance, spurious emissions, interference, or degraded margins—develop root‑cause hypotheses and drive corrective actions with design and operations teams.

• Correlate RF‑layer behavior with higher‑layer symptoms (attach failures, mobility issues, throughput degradation) in partnership with NTN/RAN, core, and system‑performance teams.

NTN & Satellite–Cellular Integration

• Align RF acceptance assumptions with 3GPP NTN procedures, covering Doppler effects, timing behavior, and beam/satellite handover mechanisms.

• Ensure RF conditions support robust terminal/device operation under satellite constraints such as low SINR, variable elevation, blockage, and platform motion.

• Provide RF guidance, thresholds, and interpretation support to field and drive‑test teams for service‑acceptance activities.

Reporting & Launch Gating

• Contribute RF sections to Service Acceptance Reports (SAR), including KPI performance, deviations, risks, and mitigation recommendations.

• Provide RF‑readiness inputs for launch and release gates: coverage/beam readiness, margin status, interference risk, and operational considerations.

• Maintain RF acceptance trackers, regional coverage summaries, and issue logs across beams, markets, and service variants.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Telecommunications, or a related field (Master's preferred).

Preferred

• 5–10+ years in SATCOM or RF systems engineering, link engineering, or RF validation roles.

• Experience building and validating LEO/MEO/GEO satellite link budgets, including availability and fade‑margin analysis.

• Exposure to service acceptance, network certification, or launch‑readiness processes.

• Familiarity with satellite–cellular interoperability, NTN‑aligned profiles, Doppler and delay impacts, and low‑SINR RF behavior.

• Ability to translate system‑level performance or service requirements into RF‑level KPIs and testable acceptance thresholds.

Cross‑Functional Interfaces

• Internal: RF Systems Engineering, Waveform/PHY, NTN/RAN Engineering, Network Planning, Labs & Test, Field/Drive Test, System Performance, NOC/Operations, Regulatory/Compliance, Program/Project Management.

• External: Ground‑segment providers, antenna and RF‑subsystem vendors, external labs and certification partners, and occasional operator or ecosystem partners for joint acceptance activities.

Tools / Standards / Methods

• RF & Test: Spectrum analysers, vector signal analysers, power meters, signal generators, GNSS timing systems, and channel‑emulation tools.

• Analysis: Link‑budget and propagation tools; scripting environments (MATLAB/Python) for RF data processing; coverage and heat‑map visualization tools.

• Test & Logs: Lab measurement systems, field/drive‑test platforms, and RF‑aware log/trace analysis tools.

• Process: Test‑management and defect‑tracking systems, standardized acceptance‑pack templates, and documentation aligned with regulatory and spectrum‑use requirements.

Performance Metrics

Success is measured by:

• RF acceptance coverage across beams, regions, and defined scenarios.

• Margin compliance versus agreed link budgets and availability targets.

• RF issue quality (clarity, reproducibility, impact assessment) and closure rate.

• On‑time delivery of RF readiness inputs for launches and major releases.

• Post‑launch RF stability and absence of RF‑driven regressions in approved regions.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work periodically in lab and gateway environments with RF test setups.

• Occasional travel to gateways, partner labs, or key field‑test locations.

• Comfortable performing extended analytical work, including RF data review and detailed reporting.

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.