---
title: 'Senior RF Engineer at Samara Aerospace'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-rf-engineer-samara-aerospace-san-francisco-njtx7rd2rr7n'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-20'
---

# Senior RF Engineer at Samara Aerospace

- **Company:** Samara Aerospace
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-04-21
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-20
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/samaraaerospace/jobs/5195490008

## Job description

About Us:

Samara Aerospace is revolutionizing satellite design by addressing the challenges of deploying and managing large satellite constellations. Our innovative Hummingbird spacecraft bus offers a modular and scalable platform that streamlines satellite production and deployment, significantly reducing launch costs. Hummingbird's compact architecture maximizes launch capacity, making it the most efficient and agile spacecraft in the industry. At the core of our technology is the patented Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control (MSAC) system. Unlike traditional wheel-based pointing control systems, MSAC utilizes actuators embedded in the hinges of deployable solar panels to provide 3-axis attitude control and active jitter cancellation. This design eliminates the need for spinning wheels, reducing mass and potential points of failure, while enhancing pointing precision.

Role:

Samara Aerospace is seeking a Senior RF Engineer to join our growing engineering team. In this role, you will own the full lifecycle of RF systems development—from requirements definition and architectural trade studies through design, fabrication, test, and qualification. You will collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineering teams to develop high-performance RF solutions in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Responsibilities:

- Lead architectural R&D efforts for new RF communications and payload subsystems by conducting trade studies and establishing requirements
- Develop and maintain RF system models and simulations, perform end-to-end link budget analysis, noise and linearity cascades, and interference/co-existence assessments to validate system performance margins across operating conditions.
- Drive the full hardware development cycle from bench prototype through design validation and qualification testing.
- Defining test plans, executing characterization campaigns, and documenting results to demonstrate compliance with system requirements.
- Own the end-to-end PCB implementation of RF designs, including schematic capture, multilayer board layout (RF/mixed-signal), stackup definition, design rule checks, and liaison with fabrication and assembly vendors to ensure manufacturable, high-performance hardware.
- Design, simulate, implement, and characterize active and passive RF subsystems at microwave frequencies, including SSPAs, LNAs, power amplifiers, up/down converters, mixers, oscillators, and filters.
- Plan, develop, and execute RF testing at both board level and integrated system level using spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, vector signal generators, and oscilloscopes.
- Support regulatory compliance efforts including FCC licensing and frequency coordination
- Contribute to recruiting, mentoring, and technical development of teammates.

Qualifications:

- B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or equivalent; M.S. or Ph.D. preferred.
- 5+ years of RF engineering experience with a B.S. degree, or 3+ years with an M.S.
- Deep knowledge of fundamental RF concepts: circuit analysis, noise figure, linearity, gain, radio architecture, and
- Hands-on experience designing, building, and testing RF hardware at microwave and/or millimeter-wave frequencies.
- Proficiency in RF/EM simulation tools (ADS, HFSS, Cadence, etc)
- Proficiency in schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout (Altium preferred).

Preferred:

- Experience developing RF hardware for aerospace, space, or other mission-critical environments.
- Experience with antenna design and electromagnetics/propagation.
- Experience phased-array antenna systems (beamforming, null-steering).
- Familiarity with Software Defined Radios (SDRs) and associated digital signal processing.
- Proficiency in data analysis and scripting languages (Python) for test automation and signal processing.
- Familiarity with common bus protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN, UART) and Linux command-line environments
- Familiarity with satellite communications systems (ground segment and/or space segment), including DVB-S2

Salary and Benefits:

- Pay range: $150,000-190,000 annually to start
- Early and competitive equity in a rapidly growing startup
- Platinum-level healthcare, vision, dental, and life insurance covered 100% for you
- Partial dependent coverage available
- 401k matching at 4% (no vesting)
- Unlimited PTO and sick time
- Catered lunch 3x per week
- Education assistance up to $5,250 per year
- Relocation assistance is available
- 17 paid holidays (including a “winter break” Dec. 24-Jan. 1

Work Authorization Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Samara Aerospace does not currently sponsor employment visas for this position. Employment eligibility will be verified upon hire in accordance with federal law.

## About Samara Aerospace

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Samara Aerospace builds high-performance satellite platforms using its patented MSAC attitude control technology, enabling superior pointing stability and agility for commercial, civil, and national security missions.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed VC)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Patrick Haddox (CEO, Co-founder) and Vedant (CTO, Co-founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Aerospace & Defense / Spacecraft Manufacturing
- **Target customers**: B2B (satellite operators, government agencies, defense contractors) – Enterprise and Government
- **Mission or purpose statement**: Reduce the cost and complexity of space missions by designing satellites that do more with less, using elegant engineering rather than brute-force complexity.

## Products & Services
- **[Hummingbird Spacecraft Bus]**: A modular, scalable satellite platform that integrates Samara’s patented MSAC (Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control) system. MSAC uses actuators embedded in deployable solar panel hinges to provide 3-axis attitude control, active jitter cancellation, and high agility – without traditional reaction wheels or bearings. The bus is designed for Earth observation, optical communications, and space superiority missions. (Product type: Hardware/Spacecraft)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding raised – **$10.12M** (Seed VC as of early 2024) [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/samara-aerospace)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: IllinoisVENTURES, Balerion Space Ventures, Access Venture Partners, MFV Partners, Mana Ventures, and 11 others [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/samara-aerospace)
- **Growth Signals**: Closed a $10M seed round ~7 months ago to accelerate spacecraft production; growing team with multiple open engineering roles; patented technology validated through university research and early CubeSat prototypes.

## Competitive Advantages
- **MSAC Technology**: The only attitude control system that actively cancels jitter and eliminates spinning wheels – reducing mass, wear, and failure points. Large solar panels provide more control authority, flipping the traditional trade-off between power and agility.
- **Milli-arcsecond pointing precision** enables optical communications and high-resolution imagery that competitors struggle to achieve with traditional reaction wheels.
- **Rapid deployment & low launch cost**: Compact, modular bus design maximizes launch capacity and simplifies production.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling production of the Hummingbird spacecraft bus to serve commercial and government customers.
- Expanding applications in Earth observation, space-based Internet (optical links), and space domain awareness/defense.
- Continued refinement of MSAC for higher agility and precision in contested environments.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Mission**: Join a small, mission-driven team (currently <50 people) that is redefining satellite design from the ground up. The founders emphasize “elegant engineering” and sustainability – reducing space debris by making satellites more efficient.
- **Work Environment**: Based in San Francisco (2565 3rd Street). Likely in-office with flexibility. Early-stage startup environment with direct impact on spacecraft design.
- **Engineering Focus**: Heavy emphasis on embedded software, firmware, mechanical, thermal, and avionics engineering. Team members include PhDs from UIUC and seasoned aerospace veterans. Open roles include Senior Embedded Software Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Senior Thermal Engineer, and others.
- **Notable Perks**: Not explicitly listed, but typical of Series-A startups – equity, hands-on ownership, and exposure across the full spacecraft lifecycle. The team includes directors of software, mechanical, avionics, and business development.

## Sources
1. [samaraaerospace.com](https://www.samaraaerospace.com/)
2. [samaraaerospace.com/careers](https://www.samaraaerospace.com/careers)
3. [samaraaerospace.com/about](https://www.samaraaerospace.com/about)
4. [greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/samaraaerospace)
5. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/samara-aerospace)

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