Principal RF Engineer (Transportation)

At Sierra Space, we envision a future where humanity lives and works in space, on moons, and on distant planets. Sierra Space builds and delivers the future of space transportation, destinations, and infrastructure, offering "space-as-a-service" in support of the new space economy.
Our fast-paced and collaborative team designs, builds, and flies the Dream Chaser Cargo System, an ambitious flagship program to create our Nation's only commercially reusable space plane. With your help, we will conduct many safe and successful missions over the next decade to deliver critical cargo to and from the International Space Station. These flights for NASA will enable us to build an unprecedented commercial space transportation network around the Dream Chaser, which provides affordable, cutting-edge orbital capability and return to Earth services onto runways around the globe. The future of space transportation is now.
Sierra Space, based in Louisville, Colorado with operations in Madison, Wisconsin, Durham, North Carolina, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida, designs and manufactures advanced spacecraft, satellites, propulsion and environmental systems, spacecraft subsystems and components for the U.S. government (including NASA), commercial customers and international organizations. Learn more about Sierra Space
The Communications Systems Engineer provides system design, simulation, analysis, and testing in support of the only reusable space plane - Dream Chaser.
As the Communications (COMM) Systems Engineer - RF Engineer you'll provide RF/COMM system design, analysis, simulation, documentation, testing, supplier oversight, and operational support for Dream Chaser and other exciting programs to come. Responsible for decomposition of requirements, generation and allocation of specifications, control documents, plans and reports in support of the development of this project, you will support programs from the early phases of program capture through integration and test. You will have intimate knowledge of the product technology and a good working knowledge of the associated engineering disciplines.
This role involves advanced RF/communications system and subsystem concept development, architecture development, technology, and product development with internal and/or external teammates.
Primary Responsibilities:

• Analysis, design, development, integration and test of Key RF and COMMS architecture elements such as signal processors and RF Components that support data links.
• Development of RF system and subsystem interface requirements and RF system engineering artifacts such as link budgets.
• Establish RF subsystem designs and products that are compatible with overall platform size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP), and to verify and validate RF subsystem performance in simulation environments to support customer demonstrations and trade studies.
• Ensure communications data link subsystems and RF subsystems are compatible with open systems interfaces in an integrated network centric tactical C2 architecture.
• Support technical meetings and reviews, including Program milestone reviews.
• Generation of Technical Specification (SPEC), Interface Control Document (ICD), Interface Requirement Document (IRD) documents, Test and Verification requirements procedures and others.
• Author test plans and procedures for verifying operation of subsystem and components during Integration and Test.
• Coordination of engineering schedules and milestones. Define, develop, and evaluate operational requirements.
• Perform requirements analyses and trade studies.
• Identify technical problems and recommend solutions.
• Perform risk analyses and assessments.
• Support anomaly resolutions: develop and review operations procedures and perform associated data analyses.
• Perform Verification/Validation methodologies.

Must-Haves:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or related engineering discipline and typically 14 or more years of relevant experience. Higher education may be considered in lieu of experience.
• Experience may be considered in lieu of education.
• Demonstrated knowledge of RF engineering principles and practices
• Progressive experience working in multi-disciplinary design and development teams.
• Advanced understanding of RF requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and allocation; systems design, systems integration, technical risk identification and management strategies, and Verification and Validation (V&V) principles.

Preferred:

• Bachelors or Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering including specific education in RF Electromagnetics.
• Experience with ground operations of NASA is a plus.
• Experience handling COMSEC equipment and knowledge of COMSEC requirements.
• Working knowledge of EEE Parts selection considerations.
• Experience with requirements management and system modelling tools, such as DOORS, MATLAB
• Background in the Aerospace and Defense Industry
• Progressive experience leading baseline definition and maturation in a complex development setting, including the use of high impact trade studies and other measures.
• Ability to establish and track key Technical Performance Measurements (TPM)
• Experience in RF COMM System design and development, preferably in space, airborne applications.
• Communication hardware component procurement experience, including S-band transponders and antennae commonly used on spacecraft in low earth orbit.
• Experience with qualification and acceptance of flight hardware.
• Experience performing integration and test of communications equipment in an airborne or space integration environment.
• Experience analyzing, designing, developing, integrating, and testing RF and Communications systems/subsystems including hardware and software components for advanced airborne or space applications.
• Experience developing RF/COMMS models and simulations to verify that designs meet requirements and performance metrics in terms of an interoperable System-of-Systems.
• Experience developing RF and communications link budgets.
• Experience with testing, Verification and Validation is required.
• Candidate will be expected to communicate effectively in presentations to large audiences, and person to person, concerning the products they develop
• The ability to obtain and maintain a Security Clearance may be required. Learn more about the background check process for Security Clearance

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
To conform to U.S. Government international trade regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.
With 30+ years of proven spaceflight heritage, Sierra Space has provided more than 4,000 space systems, subsystems, and components to customers worldwide, and participated in more than 500 missions to space, including to Mars. The company has technology in production and in development to enable space habitats for short- and long-duration space travel, a fleet of Dream Chaser spaceplanes, and the first free-flying commercial space station. Please visit www.sierraspace.com to learn more about Sierra Space, its business areas, capabilities, programs, products, and services.
Physical/Mental/Emotional Requirements:

• Frequently walk, sit, stand, climb stairs and steps
• Frequently repeat same hand, arm, and finger motion many times to include finger and hand dexterity.
• Rarely lifting or carrying up to 20 lbs.

Working Conditions:

• Rarely exposed to outdoor elements (high/low temperatures, sun, rain/snow, etc.)
• Rarely exposed to fumes or hazardous chemicals/materials
• Rarely exposed to loud noises

Estimated Starting Salary Range: $159,430.15 - $219,216.46. SNC considers several factors when extending job offers, including but not limited to candidates' key skills, relevant work experience, and education/training/certifications.
Sierra Space offers annual incentive pay based upon performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.
Sierra Space offers a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 8%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.
At Sierra Space, our mission is to dream, innovate, inspire and empower the next generation to transform humanity through technology and imagination. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome our employees to bring their whole selves to their work. Sierra Space is committed to fostering an inclusive, accepting, and diverse environment free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Contributions to Sierra Space come in many shapes and styles, and we believe diversity in our workforce fosters new and greater ways to dream, innovate, and inspire.