Principal Systems Engineer - Radio Frequency

At Trident Systems Space Electronic Systems (SES) division, we believe in the power of using strong engineering principles to drive innovation and solve complex problems. We foster a culture of rigorous engineering and continuous improvement, leveraging the full knowledge of our organization through collaborative product development processes that include design and peer reviews. We combine our expertise in space electronics with right-sized development processes to create innovative, high-performance space-based electronic systems that meet our customers' evolving needs.

We are a mission partner supporting DoD, Intelligence Community, and Civil space customers. We develop complex, radiation effects mitigated, designs that balance competing requirements in modern space programs, delivering cutting-edge solutions that enable our customers to achieve more in space.

Position Summary

We are seeking a talented, self-motivated, and experienced Principal Systems Engineer with RF communications domain expertise to provide our business development, R&D, and product development teams with guidance at all RF communication system levels of integration: horizontally from front-end analog to back-end digital / processing, and vertically from component selection to system level key performance parameters and mission link budgets. The ideal Principal Systems Engineer with RF expertise candidate will have demonstrated success in leading engineering teams to develop and deliver new and/or improved RF communications products that meet requirements on time and within budget.

The Principal Systems Engineer with RF expertise works collaboratively with other lead systems engineers and program managers to ensure successful program execution through a wholistic, systems engineering approach. This position requires expert technical capability and communication skill, effective forward thinking to take advantage of opportunities and prevent issues, and ability to contribute to system solutions that address mission level challenges. To be successful in this role, the individual should possess technical depth to perform deep-dive analysis and apply properly tailored systems engineering process, as well as technical breadth to work through complex issues across disciplines (e.g. mechanical, electrical, software, and firmware). This individual is able to work autonomously with only high-level objectives to be effective, is able to work on problems of diverse complexity and scope, and demonstrates expert engineering judgement.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead a diverse engineering team in the development of advanced multi-function RF, processing, networking, and/or data storage units for space applications
• Perform, independently and with other engineering disciplines as needed, end-to-end system analysis, link budget development, simulation, design and implementation of complex multifunction RF systems, subsystems, and components
• Collaborate with program management to lead program execution within cost and schedule constraints
• Act as the program technical representative / POC
• Oversee engineering program planning and execution, work with the engineering discipline leads to assign appropriate staff to their projects, and interact with the program manager and divisional leadership to run a successful program
• Own the engineering develop process on the program and ensure the proper systems analysis and trades, technical baseline management, and requirements verification and validation activities are completed
• Prepare for and present at all major design reviews, including internal and external (customer) reviews
• Support travel or off-site work, as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) field
• 9+ years of experience including 3+ years' experience as a technical project lead
• Multidiscipline knowledge in all areas related to engineering including system, hardware, software/firmware, and integration and test
• Broad understanding of RF system design, including high-speed electrical principles, including transmission line theory, field theory, RF noise, power budgets and frequency planning
• Experience with layout of high-speed RF circuits, including knowledge of PCB and flex materials/properties
• Experience using CAD tools for RF system design, modeling, and simulation
• Ability to lead multidiscipline teams (e.g. system, hardware, software/firmware, and integration and test) through the development of complex electronic systems to meet rigorous space application requirements
• Strong team leadership, including ability to coach teams, provide mentorship, etc.
• Ability to balance technical performance with program cost and schedule targets
• Capable of using Microsoft Office and Atlassian tools to support task planning, task execution, documentation, and team communication
• Excellent organization and communication skills
• US citizenship is required

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD degree in a STEM field
• Experience with space industry product development life cycles
• Experience in product development for high reliability, high survivability, and/or space environment applications
• Extensive experience in aerospace RF/radar systems design and development
• Lead RF/radar subsystem/payload engineer or experience on one or more airborne or space programs
• Experience with digital signal processing techniques, MATLAB, and other DSP simulation tools
• Experience with Xilinx family devices, including Zynq UltraScale+ or Versal architecture
• Knowledge of VPX standards (VITA 46 and VITA 65) and demonstrated experience implementing in embedded hardware
• Familiarity and working knowledge of digital radar and electronic countermeasure systems, antenna theory and/or radio wave propagation

Benefits

Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits including but not limited to:

• Health benefits
  1. Medical
  2. Dental
  3. Vision
  4. Basic life with AD&D
  5. Short term disability
  6. Long term disability
  7. Ancillary (Voluntary life with AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital, and pet)
  8. Spending accounts (HSA, FSA, and DCFSA)
• Paid time off
• Holidays
• 401(k) (including automatic company contribution)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Leaves (Parental, pregnancy, and military)
• Potential annual bonus

Trident Systems reserves the right to change or assign other duties to this position.

Trident Systems is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact recruiting@tridsys.com.

Pay Transparency: The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)