The Aerospace Corporation

RF and Launch Operations Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation$129K — $249K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a STEM field or equivalent
  • Minimum 6 years of engineering experience in relevant disciplines
  • Strong electrical engineering foundation for RF-related tasks
  • Proficiency in designing tests to confirm technical specifications
  • Ability to analyze complex technical data
  • Excellent communication skills for effective teamwork
  • Active TS/SCI security clearance and polygraph required
  • Willingness to travel approximately 10% for test campaigns

Responsibilities

  • Provide technical support for mission execution and success
  • Collaborate with government and industry teams on RF systems engineering
  • Conduct RF shielding effectiveness tests using advanced equipment
  • Coordinate resources for RF testing and generate technical reports
  • Validate space vehicle interface requirements with launch vehicles
  • Perform readiness assessments for NRO missions
  • Conduct real-time assessments during launches

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
  • Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
  • Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
  • Robust 401(k) Plan with significant company contribution
  • Access to flexible spending accounts
  • Variable pay for exceptional contributions
  • Relocation assistance available
  • Professional development programs to advance careers
  • Education assistance programs
  • Inclusive work environment promoting teamwork and respect
Full Job Description

The National Systems Group (NSG) serves as the technical advisor to the Intelligence Community and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence, including electronics programs, advanced technologies, ground and communications, imagery programs, and systems engineering and launch.

The NSG Launch Directorate provides direct technical support to the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Office of Space Launch (OSL) in the areas of Launch Systems and Launch Site Engineering, Mission Integration, Mission Assurance, and specialized testing.  As the RF and Launch Operations Engineer (Project Engineer/Senior Project Engineer – RF Engineering), you will be part of an integrated government/contractor Operations Team and will perform mission specific technical verifications and advanced RF testing and analysis.  Your focus will be on launch base processing of space vehicles, RF Shielding Effectiveness (SE) testing, and RF data analysis and interpretation.

This is a full-time position working onsite at a customer facility at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL.

What You’ll Be Doing

  • Providing technical support to a government/contractor team focused on mission execution and mission success
  • Working shoulder-to-shoulder with Government, Industry, and SETA counterparts to advance and lead RF systems engineering activities, including requirements, design, test, analysis, and evaluation across multiple levels of maturity
  • Performing RF shielding effectiveness test campaigns with advanced equipment
  • Coordinating Aerospace resources to perform RF testing, analyze data, and generate technical reports
  • Validating and verifying space vehicle to launch vehicle interface requirements
  • Performing readiness assessments at key milestones in support of NRO missions
  • Conducting day of launch on-console assessments of real-time technical data

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Project Engineer - RF Engineering:

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a STEM field or equivalent
  • A minimum of 6 years of engineering experience in electrical, mechanical, aerospace, or physics and mathematics disciplines
  • Electrical engineering knowledge base suitable for RF-related work
  • Ability to formulate tests to verify if technical requirements and specifications are being met
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a government/contractor team
  • Ability to assess a large variety of technical data and identify items of highest significance
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Proactive approach to problem solving, ability to work with autonomy
  • Willing to travel approx. 10% to perform test campaigns
  • This position requires a current and active TS/SCI security clearance and polygraph, which is issued by the US government. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

Additional Requirements for Senior Project Engineering – RF Engineering:

  • Minimum of 12 years of relevant technical experience
  • Experience with launch vehicle or space vehicle design, analysis, test, or operations
  • Solid understanding and experience with spacecraft processing systems including air & road transport, mechanical ground support equipment, radio frequency detection/protection, and/or environmental monitoring systems

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

  • Advanced degree from an accredited program in Electrical Engineering, Physics or STEM related discipline
  • Experience with national security space systems characterization, testing, demonstration and operations
  • Practical experience with RF system design or RF testing spanning laboratory characterization and field validation
  • Experience with C++, TILE!, Python, or MATLAB

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)

$129,000.00 - $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 6 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 6the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

About The Aerospace Corporation

The Aerospace Corporation is a nonprofit corporation that operates a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) headquartered in El Segundo, California. The corporation provides technical guidance and advice on all aspects of space missions to military, civil, and commercial customers. Aerospace also designs and develops spacecraft, sensors, and other systems in support of national security, civil, and commercial customers. The corporation has more than 4,000 employees and operates a number of laboratories and test facilities across the United States.
Learn more about The Aerospace Corporation
Size
4,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1960

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