RF Test Engineer

SPACE SYSTEMS

This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in Rocket Lab’s evolution into an end-to-end space company that delivers launch, spacecraft, and on-orbit operations. The Space Systems Division is shaping Rocket Lab’s future with Photon, our brand of high-performance satellites, enabling innovative missions in low Earth orbit and beyond including missions for NASA to LEO, the Moon, and Mars and commercial customers including leading the design and manufacture of 17 high power telecommunication spacecraft buses for Globalstar.

Rocket Lab is also growing spacecraft components business, anchored on the acquisition of Sinclair Interplanetary manufacturing reaction wheels and star trackers in Toronto, SolAero Technologies manufacturing solar power and primary structure solutions in Albuquerque, Planetary Systems Corporation manufacturing launch separation systems in Silver Spring, and Advanced Solutions, Inc. provider flight and ground software as a service in Denver. Our component’s business is key to vertically integrating our spacecraft solutions and enabling constellations for customers.

RF Test Engineer

Responsible for testing radio frequency components and systems used to support Photon spacecraft.  The ideal RF Test Engineer will thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, and reliably meet tight project deadlines.

Duties & Responsibilities

Test Planning and Preparation:

• Design test setups.
• Develop test scripts to automate tests.
• Develop test plans and procedures.
• Seek input from RF engineers as necessary to support test setup design/analysis.
• Arrange/purchase test equipment and components as needed.
• Test Conduct and Reporting:

• Establish test setups.
• Conduct testing.
• Post-process test data.
• Develop test reports.

Production Support:

• Train and support production technicians.
• Support the production process.
• Seek input from RF engineers as necessary.

Required Skills & Experience

• 4-year Engineering degree in Electronics, Communications, RF, or equivalent qualification.
• 3+ years' experience across all aspects of RF device/system testing including test planning, conduct, and reporting.
• Working knowledge of common RF components such as splitters, attenuators, amplifiers and frequency converters and their general RF performance characteristics.
• Solid theoretical understanding of RF test and measurement principles.
• Highly proficient in using RF test and measurement equipment such as; Vector Network Analyzers (VNA) and spectrum analyzer.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines in a past-paced environment.
• Effective communication and documentation skills and the ability to build strong working relationships.
• Must be able to work onsite at Rocket Lab HQ in Long Beach, California.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience developing test scripts and automated test setups.
• Working knowledge of RF communications systems including; modulation and coding, cascaded RF device performance, and link analysis.
• Experience performing end-to-end testing of RF communications systems for example; Eb/N0 vs BER testing.