Senior RF Test Engineer

Impulse Space•Redondo Beach, CA

9d•$135,000 - $180,000•Onsite

About The Position

As a Senior RF Test Engineer at Impulse Space, you will own RF test strategy, automation infrastructure, and system-level validation for wireless spacecraft and ground communication systems. You will work closely with RF, embedded, software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams to define test requirements, develop scalable validation infrastructure, and drive reliability across a wide range of RF hardware. This role is focused on RF test architecture, automation, production validation, and characterization of wireless communication systems including GNSS receivers, radios, antennas, and modulated communication waveforms.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or related technical field
5+ years of experience writing Python for RF test systems, automation infrastructure, or wireless hardware validation environments
Experience working with RF lab equipment including spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, GNSS simulators, and SDR platforms
Experience with RF system measurements such as channel power, EVM, modulation quality, Es/N0, C/N0, bandwidth, and receiver sensitivity
Experience developing and documenting RF test procedures for engineering or production environments
Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills across RF hardware and software systems
Comfortable working hands-on in lab and integration environments

Nice To Haves

Experience developing scalable production or manufacturing RF test systems
Experience with SDR platforms, GNU Radio, or custom waveform development
Experience with beamforming, phased arrays, or multi-antenna RF systems
Familiarity with embedded Linux
Experience with RF environmental, vacuum, thermal, vibration, or OTA testing
Experience leading cross-functional integration and validation efforts
Experience working in a fast-paced hardware development environment

Responsibilities

Define RF test requirements and acceptance criteria for engineering, integration, and production environments
Lead the design and development of RF test fixtures and automated test systems
Develop scalable Python-based automation tools for RF testing, instrumentation control, and data analysis
Characterize and debug modulated RF waveforms and wireless communication links
Operate and integrate RF lab equipment including spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, power meters, and software defined radios
Lead RF hardware bring-up, troubleshooting, and system-level validation efforts
Conduct RF system-level testing including coexistence (CoEx), desense, beamforming, and over-the-air (OTA) testing
Test and validate RF hardware including GNSS receivers, radios, antennas, filters, amplifiers, and other RF components