RF Integration Team Lead
Job Description
<div class="content-intro"><p>Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe – large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military. </p> <p>With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization.</p> <p>Astranis has raised over $1.2 billion from some of the world’s best investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Baillie Gifford, Blackrock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, and Snowpoint, and employs a team of 500 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.</p></div><p><strong>Team Lead - RF Integration</strong></p> <p>As the Production RF Integration Team Lead, you will build, mentor, and guide a high-performing team of engineers dedicated to the assembly, integration, and testing (AI&T) of Astranis spacecraft payloads and RF sub-assemblies. This role bridges the gap between RF design and flight-ready production. You will oversee the development of RF test cells, design-for-test (DFT) strategies, and cross-functional processes that ensure our communication satellites meet rigorous performance metrics before launch.</p> <p>This role requires a unique blend of deep technical RF knowledge & intuition, agile program management, and people-first leadership.</p> <h4><strong>Role</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Hire, develop, and lead a world-class team of RF test engineers. Cultivate a culture of technical excellence, safety, and continuous learning.</li> <li>Oversee the design and implementation of hardware test racks, leveraging both COTS equipment and custom PCBAs to measure complex RF signals, apply flight-like loads, and power units under test.</li> <li>Drive the development of Python-based automation software to interface with flight hardware, RF test equipment (VNAs, spectrum analyzers), and enterprise data systems for seamless data capture.</li> <li>Stand up and scale cross-functional business processes for RF test requirements capture, test development, and rigorous test validation.</li> <li>Partner closely with RF Design, Mechanical Integration, and Environmental Test teams to channel test insights back into design improvements</li> <li>Manage budgets, schedules, work plans, and performance requirements to ensure production milestones are met without sacrificing quality</li> </ul> <h4><strong>Requirements</strong></h4> <ul> <li>B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.</li> <li>5+ years of professional experience in a fast-paced hardware product development or production environment</li> <li>Proven track record of building, managing, and mentoring engineering teams, with a knack for delegation and team building</li> <li>Strong Design-for-Test (DFT) and test automation mindset, specifically tailored to complex hardware</li> <li>Exceptional ability to synthesize and summarize dense, highly technical RF and systems topics for both executive leadership and cross-functional teams</li> <li>Demonstrated ability to build engineering and operational processes from scratch</li> <li>US Citizenship or Permanent Residency (Green Card) is required</li> <li>Ability to work 5 days a week in office</li> </ul> <h4><strong>