Engineering Program Manager – RF Structures & Systems

Opterus•Loveland, CO

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Engineering Program Manager – RF Structures & Systems will lead the planning, execution, and delivery of spacecraft communications hardware and integrated deployable RF structures. This role blends technical depth in RF structures and spacecraft communications with program leadership across engineering, manufacturing, and test teams. You will be responsible for driving program planning, schedules, budgets, risk management, design maturity, and stakeholder communication while also providing hands-on technical guidance at key decision points. Experience with deployable RF antennas, mechanisms, composite structures, and space-qualified communications systems is preferred.

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
5+ years of experience in spacecraft systems or hardware development
Proven experience leading multi‑disciplinary aerospace hardware programs
Experience with space‑qualified hardware and environmental test campaigns
Excellent communication skills and ability to coordinate across technical and programmatic domains
Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment with high levels of ownership and accountability

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of RF antenna systems, link budgets, RF architectures, or deployable RF structures
Experience with deployable antennas, mechanisms, or structural‑RF integrated systems
Familiarity with composites or precision structures
PMP certification or formal project management training
Experience with NASA, DoD, or commercial space qualification processes
Background in small‑company, rapid‑development environments

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end program execution for RF structures & systems development, including planning, schedules, cost tracking, and risk management.
Coordinate cross-functional engineering teams (mechanical, structures, manufacturing, test).
Drive milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and ensure technical and programmatic readiness.
Serve as the main point of contact for customer communications and deliverables
Lead end-to-end requirements management activities: translate customer needs into traceable system requirements and develop comprehensive verification plans and artifacts
Guide system architecture decisions and strategy for developing new RF payloads, antennas, and deployable RF structures
Provide program-level oversight for the design, analysis, prototyping, and qualification of deployable RF structures
Support RF system modeling, link budgets, system level performance assessments, and integration with spacecraft bus components
Work with structural and mechanical engineers to ensure alignment between RF performance requirements and deployable structure design
Review and approve engineering documentation, design analyses, test plans, and test reports
Collaborate with structural and composite teams to ensure manufacturability and repeatable build processes
Support integration and test of antennas, materials, mechanisms, and RF subsystems, including environmental and functional testing
Partner closely with manufacturing, quality, and supply chain to ensure smooth production and delivery
Identify program inefficiencies and lead continuous improvement initiatives
Mentor engineers and contribute to the development of internal engineering standards and best practices
Support sales activities including customer requirements discovery, concept and project planning, project estimating, and cost support
Contribute to company outreach activities including marketing and lead generation