Antenna Engineer (Starlink)

SpaceX is leveraging our experience building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system.

As a Starlink Antenna Engineer, you will have full ownership of all phased array, Wi-Fi, and other RF systems for this customer-facing hardware. You will design, implement, and verify small router antennas, phased arrays, and reflector antenna systems. You will interact regularly with senior leadership to influence the fundamental operation of our constellation and network while collaborating with electrical, silicon, software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams to steer this project from initial concept development to full-scale production.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, fabricate, and characterize prototypes of antennas, feed systems, and RF front ends for next-generation phased arrays, gateways, and consumer wireless products
• Create electromagnetic simulation models of hardware (antennas, filters, PCB layout) to design and evaluate performance
• Work in close collaboration with electrical, mechanical, digital signal processing, and software engineering teams to design and validate RF systems
• Create and test phased array alignment solutions
• Rapidly develop design, validation, and production test solutions for our high-volume consumer products and gateway antennas
• Write automation software in python to interact with units under test, test equipment, instrumentation, and documentation systems

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience with antennas or communication systems (internships and extracurricular projects are applicable)
• 1+ years experience with radio test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector signal analyzers, vector signal generators, and network analyzers
• 1+ years of programming experience in Python, C#, C++, or MATLAB

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree or PhD in electrical engineering with emphasis in RF/antenna engineering
• Experience designing wireless communications systems
• Experience with basic principles of antenna theory
• Understanding of link budgets and analysis related to communications
• Thorough understanding of RF active and passive components
• Experience characterizing radio performance at microwave frequencies
• Experience working with waveguide systems at mmWave frequencies
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Passion for problem solving
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to work extended hours or weekends as needed for mission critical deadlines

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.