Principal RF Payload Systems Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Vitesse Systems is looking for a Principal RF Payload Systems Engineer  to join the team in Longmont, Colorado! This position requires a strong technical background in satellite communications payloads, RF systems, spacecraft system engineering, and mission performance analysis. The candidate will serve as a key contributor to payload system development, system-level trade studies, technical assessments, supplier evaluations, and payload integration activities.

The ideal candidate combines deep RF and payload expertise with strong systems engineering skills and the ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams including spacecraft bus, software, mechanical, thermal, electrical, AIT, and mission operations organizations.

About Vitesse Systems

Vitesse Systems is a leading provider of highly engineered antenna, thermal management and mission critical solutions used in radar, electronic warfare and C5ISR applications. No challenge is too difficult for the Vitesse Team. From complex specification driven requirements to precision manufactured components, Vitesse Systems has the experience and expertise needed to execute.

Our Core Values

Our core values of Integrity, Initiative, Impact, and Integration translate to an environment where every team member is valued and rewarded. The mission-critical solutions we design and manufacture at Vitesse make our country and our world safer.

Our Benefits

• 3 Weeks of Paid Time Off
• 10 Paid Company Observed Holidays
• Birthday & Anniversary Incentives
• 401K Employer Match
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Company-paid Life Insurance
• Company-paid Short & Long-term Disability
• Continuing Education Reimbursement Program
• Generous Referral Program

The Role

The Payload Systems Engineer is responsible for supporting the development of advanced communications payloads for LEO, MEO, and GEO satellite missions. They will work across the full payload lifecycle, from mission concept and requirements development through design, integration, testing, launch, and operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Payload Architecture & Design
  • Lead the development and evaluation of advanced communications payload architectures for GEO, MEO, and LEO satellite missions.
  • Perform system-level trade studies involving payload capacity, coverage, spectral efficiency, mass, power, thermal resources, and mission performance.
  • Assess the impact of payload design changes on spacecraft resources, mission performance, schedule, and operational concepts.
  • Develop payload block diagrams, interface definitions, and subsystem architectures.
• Systems Engineering
  • Analyze mission requirements and translate them into technical specifications, system-level requirements, engineering constraints, and verification plans.
  • Support development and maintenance of payload requirements, interface control documents, and compliance matrices.
  • Contribute to Concept of Operations (CONOPS) development and mission-level performance assessments.
  • Support requirements verification, validation, and technical baseline management throughout the program lifecycle.
  • Participate in major program reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR, FRR, and operational readiness reviews. 
• Payload Analysis & Modeling
  • Develop and maintain engineering tools, simulations, and performance models used throughout program execution.
  • Perform payload performance analyses including:
    • EIRP and G/T budgets
    • Link budget analysis
    • Conversion gain and loss budgets
    • Coverage and capacity assessments
  • Build and execute simulations to evaluate payload performance under operational and environmental conditions.
  • Support mission-level performance assessments and sensitivity analyses.
• Hardware & Supplier Oversight
  • Engage directly with payload hardware suppliers and subcontractors to support architecture development, hardware selection, and procurement activities.
  • Evaluate active and passive RF hardware for payload applications.
  • Review supplier analyses, technical documentation, specifications, and test results.
  • Support technical assessments of payload design maturity, performance risks, and implementation approaches.
  • Participate in technical interchange meetings and design reviews with suppliers and bus manufacturers.
• Integration, Test & Operations
  • Support payload integration, verification, validation, and spacecraft-level testing activities.
  • Work closely with AIT teams to develop test plans, procedures, verification methods, and success criteria.
  • Support environmental qualification programs including vibration, thermal vacuum, EMC/EMI, RF performance, and system-level testing.
  • Support payload commissioning, on-orbit checkout, anomaly investigations, and operational performance assessments.
  • Contribute to operational procedures, payload initialization, and mission support activities.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with spacecraft bus, thermal, mechanical, electrical, software, antenna, AIT, and operations teams to optimize overall mission performance.
  • Support design trades and resource allocation activities across payload and spacecraft subsystems.
  • Communicate technical findings and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications & Experience

• Required Qualifications:
  • Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or related technical discipline.
  • Minimum 10 years of experience in satellite communications, RF systems engineering, payload engineering, or spacecraft systems engineering.
  • Experience developing communication payloads for GEO, MEO, and/or LEO satellite systems.
  • Strong understanding of satellite subsystems and spacecraft system engineering principles.
  • Experience performing payload and system-level trade studies.
  • Experience supporting payload development through design, integration, test, and operational phases.
• Strong technical understanding of:
  • RF communications systems and payload architectures.
  • Payload performance analysis and budgeting.
  • Spacecraft resource management including power, thermal, mass, and volume constraints.
  • Payload integration and verification processes.
  • Satellite communications system design and performance evaluation.
• Experience with:
  • Selection of payload active hardware (TWTA, SSPAs, LNAs, Converters, MLOs, etc).
  • Reflector-based antenna systems and DRAs.
  • Communication payload thermal and power analyses.
  • Link budget development and performance assessment.
  • Digital payloads, with and without digital beamforming and phased-array antenna systems.
• Proficiency in:
  • MATLAB, Python, STK, or equivalent engineering analysis tools.
  • Microsoft Office, Visio, and engineering documentation tools.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.
  • Experience with regenerative payload architectures.
  • Experience with satellite manufacturing and production environments.
  • Experience supporting environmental testing, spacecraft integration, and launch campaigns.
  • Familiarity with technology readiness assessments, risk reduction planning, and payload qualification programs.
  • Experience supporting in-orbit testing, payload commissioning, and mission operations.
  • Familiarity with antenna analysis and modeling tools such as TICRA, GRASP, CST, HFSS, or equivalent.
• Desired Attributes
  • Strong systems thinking and ability to understand complex interactions across payload, spacecraft, and mission elements.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to independently drive technical investigations and trade studies.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary engineering teams.
  • Comfortable operating in a fast-paced development environment with evolving mission requirements.
• Must provide proof of US Citizenship or Permanent Residency to comply with ITAR requirements
• Ability to pass a drug screen per Vitesse’s drug testing policy
• Ability to pass a criminal background check per Vitesse’s policy

Vitesse Systems, LLC performs work controlled by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). These statutes require the protection of technical data and products. The regulations require that such data not be disclosed in written, oral, or visual form to any foreign national without prior export authorization from the Department of State. A foreign national is defined by the U.S. Government under EAR 734.2(b)(2)(ii) and 8 USC 110 (a)(20) as one who:

• Is not a United States citizen
• Is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the U.S.
• Does not have politically protected status (embassy, refugee, or asylum)

Vitesse Systems, LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) Veterans / Disabled Employer.