Live · read from company career sites daily at 06:00 UTC

Lead RF Engineer Seen this week

Xona Space · Burlingame, California · RF & Comms · first seen 2026-07-16

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar - the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit - Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

As a Lead RF Engineer at Xona, you'll be designing, implementing, testing, and optimizing RF systems to enable our next-generation GNSS system. From spacecraft payload electronics to ground monitoring systems, your work will ensure the end-to-end RF broadcast system delivers Xona’s high-accuracy and high-precision PNT service.

 

Required Qualifications

  • Understanding of electromagnetic principles behind radio frequency communications.

  • Ability to interpret PCBA schematics and layout drawings. Familiarity with PCB ECAD tools such as Altium.

  • Hands-on experience using electrical/RF test equipment, including multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, and spectrum analyzers.

  • Knowledge of typical performance metrics for RF communications systems.

  • Hands-on experience/coursework with antenna design and/or testing. Familiarity with 3D EM simulations tools such as Ansys HFSS.

  • RF amplifier and circuits tuning

  • RF Design experience in L-Band, S-Band and C Band

  • Familiarity with RF circuit simulation tools, such as Keysight ADS or AWR Microwave Office.

  • Hands-on experience with RF test set-ups and calibrations.

  • Ability to analyze and interpret RF test data, and assess performance vs. design requirements.

  • Willing and able to travel to support off-site testing events as needed.

  • Self-starter attitude and proactive in seeing projects from design through implementation.

  • Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, cross-team collaborative environment.

  • Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work closely with multidisciplinary teams and external partners to achieve project goals.

  • To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

 

Preferred Qualifications

  • 3 - 5 years of RF engineering experience

  • Experience leading a project development schedule from concept to delivered product

  • Experience leading direct reports and/or small teams

  • Experience with space RF electronics, with an understanding of phenomena such as multipaction.

  • Knowledge/experience with GNSS systems.

  • Proven RF PCB and/or antenna designs from past work.

  • Implementation of passive or active RF sub-systems whether on the bench or on PCBs.

 

For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

Lead RF Engineer - Xona Space | Flight Proven Space