Senior RF Engineer

Background
Cowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our modular, scalable satellites collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit to enable multiple integrated applications: transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit high-performance computing clusters (GPU/TPU), and providing secure, high bandwidth optical data transport.

Baiju Bhatt founded Cowboy Space Corporation in 2024. Inspired by his father’s work with NASA Langley Research Center, Baiju earned his B.S. in Physics and M.S. in Mathematics at Stanford before co-founding Robinhood, now a public company that has helped over 20 million Americans access the financial system. Cowboy Space Corporation has raised ~$365 million from Index Ventures, Interlagos, Construct Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and others.

This is an ambitious mission that demands extraordinary talent. Cowboy Space Corporation’s team has worked at places like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Astranis and NASA, and is based in San Carlos, CA. If you're ready to solve complex technical challenges and help build the most important energy company in the world, we want to hear from you.

About the role

We are looking for a hands-on RF engineer to own the selection, development, integration, and radio systems and associated RF hardware for our launch vehicle and spacecraft. You will turn mission requirements into a communications system that works reliably from the ground station to the vehicle.

You will lead RF system trades, maintain link budgets, and take radio hardware through bring-up, environmental qualification, vehicle integration, and flight support. This is an individual contributor role with technical ownership across suppliers and the electrical, mechanical, software, integration, and test teams.

Responsibilities

• Define RF requirements and maintain link budgets for telemetry and command links, including antenna performance, losses, interference, and ground-station compatibility.

• Evaluate radios, antennas, and RF components for the required bands from UHF through Ka-band; assess performance, interfaces, qualification evidence, and integration risks.

• Own radio and RF hardware bring-up, configuration, characterization, and integration with flight software and vehicle avionics, working with suppliers to resolve interface and performance issues.

• Develop and execute acceptance and qualification plans for RF hardware, including functional, vibration, shock, thermal, thermal-vacuum, and EMI/EMC testing as applicable. Coordinate facilities and equipment, lead test readiness, and maintain verification records.

• Develop RF test benches, fixtures, cabling, calibration methods, and automation with the test team; identify testability needs early and support repeatable acceptance testing for subsequent builds.

• Lead RF anomaly investigations across hardware, software, test equipment, and ground interfaces, verify corrective actions, and support flight operations.

• Prepare technical inputs for FCC licensing and coordinate compatibility testing with ground-station providers. Resolve RF interference and coexistence issues with payload and vehicle teams.

• Partner with the navigation sensor owner on GNSS antenna and RF interfaces, interference, and compatibility while maintaining clear ownership of the communications system.

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical, computer, or aerospace engineering, physics, or a related field.

• 8+ years of experience developing or integrating RF communications systems for space applications, including hands-on hardware verification and environmental qualification.

• Experience translating communications requirements into radio and antenna selections, link budgets, and hardware or system-level verification plans.

• Proficiency with RF laboratory equipment, including vector network analyzers, spectrum or signal analyzers, signal generators, power meters, and oscilloscopes.

• Working knowledge of digital communications and modulation, RF measurement methods, and EMI/EMC mitigation through grounding, shielding, filtering, and cable routing.

• Ability to use Python or MATLAB for test support and data analysis, document results clearly, and resolve integration issues with suppliers and engineers from other disciplines.

Preferred experience

• Experience taking supplier-provided flight radios through vehicle integration, ground-station testing, and on-orbit operations.

• Experience with CCSDS protocols, software-defined radio interfaces, or modulation and coding schemes used in satellite communications.

• Experience automating RF instruments using SCPI, VISA, or comparable interfaces, and working in Linux environments.

• Experience applying space-hardware qualification and acceptance standards such as GEVS, MIL-STD-1540, SMC-S-016, or ECSS, and planning EMI/EMC verification.

• Experience using RF analysis tools such as HFSS, FEKO, ADS, or AWR, or preparing technical material for spectrum licensing and coordination.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $170,000 – $202,00 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan

• Paid time off

• 10 paid holidays per calendar year

• Paid parental leave

• Relocation assistance if applicable

ITAR Requirements

• Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here.