Principal RFIC Engineer (Starshield Silicon)

SpaceX
Irvine, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

A natural match if you have advanced RFIC design experience and a background in government or national security projects.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with advanced RFIC design experience and a background in national security or government projects
    — “U.S. National Security. In this role, you will be developing cutting-edge next-generation RFICs”
  • Individuals with a strong foundation in microwave frequency characterization and MMIC design
    — “Experience characterizing radio performance in microwave frequencies”
  • Engineers with a track record of working on complex RF transceiver architectures
    — “Knowledge of RF transceiver architectures”

Things to consider

  • Requires long hours and potential for weekend work to meet critical milestones
    — “Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones”
  • Travel may be required for off-site testing, which affects work-life balance
    — “Willingness to travel for off-site testing”
  • U.S. citizenship or specific residency status is mandatory due to ITAR requirements
    — “To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with SiGe, GaAs, GaN, or CMOS processes in your resume and interview
    — “Develop analog/mixed-signal/RF/microwave circuits in SiGe, GaAs, GaN, or CMOS processes”
  • Emphasize your ability to model and simulate RF circuits and systems
    — “Design, simulate and model RF/analog/mixed-signal circuits and systems”
  • Showcase your work with packaging prototypes and product development processes
    — “Own packaging prototypes, product development, and release to production”
  • Demonstrate your ability to collaborate across system architects, modem/DSP, and ASIC engineers
    — “Work with system architects, modem/DSP and ASIC engineers to partition functions between hardware and software domains”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • design and model RFICs
  • develop analog/mixed-signal/RF/microwave circuits
  • work with system architects
  • perform IC floor planning and layout
  • evaluate and characterize prototypes
Typical background
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science8+ years of professional RF integrated circuit experience

Skills & requirements

Required

RFIC DesignAnalog/mixed-signal CircuitsRF Transceiver ArchitecturesMMIC DesignRadio Related Test EquipmentRF Front End BlocksS-band To W-band Frequency Ranges

Preferred

SigeGaasGanCMOS ProcessesPhase-locked LoopsVector Modulators/demodulatorsOscillatorsMixersFiltersLow Noise And Power AmplifiersDigital Communication SystemsSpread SpectrumSingle And Multi-carrier TechniquesModulation Types

Stack & domain

RFIC DesignAnalog/mixed-signal/rf/microwave CircuitsSige, Gaas, Gan, Or CMOS ProcessesSystem ArchitectureModem/dsp And ASIC EngineeringIC Floor Planning And LayoutPackaging PrototypesProduct DevelopmentRelease To ProductionModelingCharacterizationAutomated Test Lab EquipmentProduction TestingQualificationSimulation ToolsDigital Communication SystemsSpread SpectrumSingle And Multi-carrier TechniquesModulation TypesRF Transceiver ArchitecturesRF Front End BlocksRadio Related Test EquipmentCollaborationFast-paced EnvironmentUnsolved ProblemsIterationOperational CapabilityRFICSpace TechnologyNational Security

About the role

Original posting from SpaceX via Greenhouse

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

PRINCIPAL RFIC DESIGN ENGINEER (STARSHIELD SILICON)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. As a RFIC Engineer on the Starshield team, you will be working on advanced development programs in support of U.S. National Security. In this role, you will be developing cutting-edge next-generation RFICs for deployment in space and ground infrastructures around the globe. You will work in a highly collaborative and fast-paced environment, where we are exploring unsolved problems and applying the SpaceX mindset of iterating rapidly to go from design and demo to operational capability at lightning pace.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

 Design, simulate and model RF/analog/mixed-signal circuits and systems

 Derive specifications for the RFIC subsystems and circuits

 Develop analog/mixed-signal/RF/microwave circuits in SiGe, GaAs, GaN, or CMOS processes

 Work with system architects, modem/DSP and ASIC engineers to partition functions between hardware and software domains

 Perform IC floor planning and layout

 Own packaging prototypes, product development, and release to production. Model package and external parasitic components

 Evaluate and characterize prototypes of the design

 Assist in the development of automated test lab equipment for lab measurements

 Work with manufacturing engineers on production testing and qualification of the RFIC components and systems

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

 Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science

 8+ years of professional RF integrated circuit experience

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Master's degree or PhD in electrical engineering or computer engineering with an emphasis in RF/analog/mixed-signal integrated circuit design

Experience using simulation tools such as Spectre, ADS, HFSS or Momentum

Circuit design skills, and experience performing analysis and simulation of both linear and non-linear circuits such as phase-locked loops, vector modulators/demodulators, oscillators, mixers, filters, low noise and power amplifiers

Knowledge of digital communication systems, spread spectrum, single and multi-carrier techniques and modulation types such as QPSK, APSK and QAM

Knowledge of RF transceiver architectures

Deep understanding of theory and MMIC design of RF front end blocks, from S-band to W-band frequency ranges

Familiarity with radio related test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector signal analyzers, vector signal generator, network analyzers

Experience characterizing radio performance in microwave frequencies

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones 

Willingness to travel for off-site testing

An active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions; if so, you will be subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:

Level 3: $210,000.00 - $340,000.00

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com. 

Source: SpaceX careers (Greenhouse)

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