Sr. C2 Terminal RF & Antenna System Engineer

Location: Los Angeles AFB, CA

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

The Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, technology development, warfighter capability enablers, systems integration, defense industrial base, and threat reduction to help shape existing and future space missions across the national security space (NSS) enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including the U.S.

Space Force, U.S. Space Command, Air Force Material Command, and senior leadership at the Pentagon, but also provides a broad range of technical support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with customers’ portfolios as well as horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation. Additionally, DSG provides deep technical expertise to the Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) in the conception, design, acquisition, launch and operations of satellite, launch vehicle, ground control, and range systems.

Aerospace is the trusted technical and programmatic advisor to the Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS) Program Office, responsible for system development, integration, and transition to operations on an aggressive national timeline. ESS is the recapitalization of the strategic satellite communications architecture that underwrites nuclear command, control, and communications, the system that has to work on its worst day.

The Command & Control (C2) Terminal is where that system meets the operator. It is the link that has to close under jamming, under stress, and under conditions no commercial terminal is ever asked to survive. If the terminal doesn't work, nothing else in the architecture matters.

This is an RF Engineer's job at the center of a national mission. The Sr.C2 Terminal RF & Antenna System Engineer will evaluate competing terminal architectures, assess real prototypes from multiple vendors, and lead the integration and test work that determines which design the government buys. You will be hands-on with antennas, phased arrays, software-defined radios, and signal processing and your technical findings will directly shape a multi-billion-dollar acquisition. Few RF Engineers get to do deep technical work and have it drive a procurement decision. That is this role.

Aerospace exists to give the government the technical answer, which means your assessment of a vendor's link budget or array performance is not filtered through anyone's business development interests. For engineers who have spent years defending a product line, this is the difference that matters.

One important note before you read further: this position requires an active Secret clearance with eligibility to obtain TS/SCI — not TS/SCI in hand. If you hold a current Secret and assumed strategic mission work was closed to you, it is not. Apply.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA.

What You'll Be Doing

Serving as the program's subject matter expert in C2 RF system, antennas, phased arrays, and software-defined radio (SDR) communication subsystems

Solving hard MILSATCOM problems end to end: link performance, signal processing, waveform behavior, interference, and anti-jam performance under realistic operational conditions

Evaluating competing C2 terminal architectures and prototypes, and leading the integration and test activity that separates vendor claims from measured performance

Leading project teams and engaging the customer directly on the problems that actually matter with real influence over what gets built

Translating technical findings into decisions, briefing senior government and Aerospace leadership with clarity and brevity, writing assessments that withstand scrutiny, and building consensus across contractors and organizations that do not report to you so the right technical answer gets adopted rather than merely documented

Using your technical judgment to keep ongoing development programs executing successfully while shaping future mission capability

Operating strategically in support of our NC3 customers and stakeholder community

Developing and managing Aerospace Engineering and Technology Group (ETG) support to the program, ensuring the team has access to the specialized expertise it needs, when it needs it

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Sr. Project Engineer – Communications Systems and Payload Systems Engineering – RF:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited program in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline

Twelve or more years of related experience in antenna/RF system design, analysis, and test or comparable depth in SDR, waveform, signal processing, or satellite terminal engineering

Experience supporting DoD or IC space system programs

Strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to brief technical material to senior audiences with clarity and brevity, write assessments that withstand scrutiny, and move stakeholders who outrank you or don't work for you toward a sound technical position

Willingness to travel domestically up to 10% of the time

An active Secret security clearance with eligibility to obtain a TS/SCI clearance issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

• It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:
• An advanced degree in a relevant technical area
• Proficiency in phased array design, modeling, and performance measurement
• Proven ability to architect and implement antenna and RF system solutions against real-world performance requirements
• Hands-on experience with SATCOM terminal development, integration, or test airborne, ground-mobile, or fixed

Experience developing or operating ground stations

Experience with protected SATCOM, anti-jam, or anti-spoof techniques and their measured performance

Experience with RF test and measurement, anechoic chamber or range testing, and anomaly resolution on real hardware

Experience evaluating competing vendor designs, supporting source selection, or assessing contractor technical performance

Experience working in a program office with a government customer

A track record of leading development projects and mentoring junior engineers

An existing TS/SCI clearance

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills.

(Min - Max)

$166,400.00 - $249,600.00

Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

Operate Strategically

Lead Change

Engage with Impact

Foster Innovation

Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees

• During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.
• Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type. A few highlights include:
• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
• Flexible spending accounts
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
• Relocation assistance
• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

Education assistance programs

An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from various backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at [email protected] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.