Spacecraft Radio Frequency Systems Engineer

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States' security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is important for continued success of the Laboratory's mission.

Pay Range

$132,810 - $170,556 Annually for the SES.2 level

$159,330 - $204,636 Annually for the SES.3 level

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education, experience, the external labor market, and internal equity.

Job Description

We have an opening for a Spacecraft Radio Frequency (RF) Systems Engineerto work on projects and initiatives with a focus on U.S. national security. You will provide spacecraft subject matter expertise as a member of a multi-disciplinary team performing concept development, requirements generation, modeling & simulation, and analyses of advanced space payloads and spacecraft models for the Z Program's Space Science and Security Program (SSSP). You will collaborate with scientific and engineering personnel as well as senior management to design and deliver spacecraft models to support national security missions. As an RF Systems Engineer, you will research and analyze elements of spacecraft RF communications systems such as link budgets, gain budgets, analog-to-digital conversion, and digital signal processing. This position is in the National Security EngineeringDivision (NSED) within the Engineering Directorate.

This position will be filled at eitherlevel based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level.

You will

• Provide solutions to problems of moderate complexity in spacecraft RF subsystems such as telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C), RF communications, and/or synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payloads.
• Perform various analyses of spacecraft RF performance and capabilities.
• Work in a diverse team of scientists and engineers to develop requirements for models of advanced spacecraft systems.
• Apply cutting edge research to the analysis of spacecraft performance and capabilities.
• Interface directly with management and external sponsors to communicate technical milestones and solicit input from technical leaders in the space program.
• Communicate results through formal technical reports and presentations.
• Review intelligence reports and derive technical assessments for the intelligence community and external sponsors.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.3 level

• Lead a multi-disciplinary team including engineers, scientists, and technical staff to achieve specific technical goals relevant to national security missions in space systems.
• Perform advanced analyses of spacecraft system performance and capabilities.
• Review complex intelligence reports and derive advanced technical assessments for the intelligence community and external sponsors.
• Mentor junior technical staff to promote professional development. Provide performance feedback to the appropriate managers as input to personnel performance evaluations.

Qualifications

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access, which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor's degree in RF/electrical engineering or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Broad aerospace and/or spacecraft engineering experience with designing, assembling, testing, or operating flight hardware and/or software.
• Experience with spacecraft RF payloads, communications, command and control, and/or link budgets.
• Experience with software tools, methods, and techniques as applied to spaceflight systems such as GRASP, Matlab/Simulink, STK, ADS, CST Microwave Studio, HFSS, or Comsol.
• Experience working as a member of a multidisciplinary project team that may include engineers, scientists, designers, and technicians.
• Demonstrated ability to devise solutions for complex problems that require in-depth analysis of tangible and intangible factors.
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate in a team environment and present and explain technical information to colleagues, management or sponsors.
• Ability to travel as necessary to present analyses to sponsors, stakeholders and mission partners.

Additional qualifications at the SES.3 level

• Advanced knowledge of concepts related to aerospace and/or RF electrical engineering of spacecraft and experience leading the development of proposals to meet space mission customer requirements.
• Significant practical experience and/or theoretical depth in spacecraft RF subsystems such as telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C), RF communications, and/or synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payloads.
• Experience estimating cost and schedule of scientific, technical, spacecraft, or aerospace projects.
• Significant experience and demonstrated track record of success developing and implementing creative solutions to a diverse range of complex multi-disciplinary problems.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple parallel tasks, often requiring the resolution of conflicting work requirements and prioritization of tasks toward predetermined long-range targets.

Qualifications We Desire

• Current active DOE Q-level security clearance with SCI access.
• Master's degree in RF/electrical engineering or related field, or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Familiarity with orbital mechanics, orbit determination, satellite maneuvering, identification or tracking.
• Experience with spacecraft operations in any phase, such as launch, deployment/initialization, mission operations, and disposal.
• Experience with on-orbit anomaly resolution, spacecraft failure review boards, and/or fault tree analysis.
• Experience conducting research and analysis related to national security issues, including extensive experience with Intelligence Community and Department of Defense needs and practices, including SCI security marking, intelligence oversight and compliance, and related security and safety practices.
• Familiarity with machine learning and/or data science theories or techniques

Additional Information

#LI-Onsite

Position Information

This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2024 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• Flexible Benefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity
• Our core beliefs - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/our-values
• Employee engagement - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/employee-engagement

Security Clearance

This position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance.If you are selected, wewill initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if youmeet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. Also, all L or Q cleared employees are subject to random drug testing. Q-level clearance requires U.S. citizenship.

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

Wireless and Medical Devices

Per the Department of Energy (DOE), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory must meet certain restrictions with the useand/or possession ofmobile devices in Limited Areas. Depending on your job duties, you may be required to work in a Limited Area whereyou are not permitted to have a personal and/or laboratory mobile devicein your possession. This includes, but not limited to cell phones, tablets, fitness devices, wireless headphones, and other Bluetooth/wireless enabled devices.

Ifyou useamedical device, whichpairs with a mobile device,you must still follow the rules concerningthe mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas. Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities requireseparate approval. Hearing aids without wireless capabilities or wireless that has been disabled are allowed in Limited Areas, Secure Space and Transit/Buffer Space within buildings.

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Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

We invite you to review the Equal Employment Opportunity posters which include EEO is the Law and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision .

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