Communications Software Engineer

Description

Title: Communications Subject Matter Expert (SME) - Tactical Systems & Swarm Networks

Location: Dallas, TX

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Covenant is a global defense company headquartered in Washington, D.C., building long-range precision strike weapons for the United States and its allies. Its flagship munition, Anthem, combines heavy payload and long range at a fraction of the cost of comparable legacy systems, with production volumes designed to meet the demands of prolonged conflict. Designed as an end-to-end weapon system that is simple to store, transport, and field, Anthem is produced in the United States, Germany, and Israel. For more information, visit covenant.com

THE ROLE

As the Communications Subject Matter Expert (SME), you will lead the architecture, integration, and deployment of resilient communications systems that enable the next generation of autonomous precision strike capabilities. Sitting at the intersection of Software, Hardware, and RF Engineering, you will serve as the technical authority responsible for designing secure, reliable, and scalable tactical datalinks that support the Anthem munition system across contested operating environments.

You will own the evolution of our communications architecture from prototype to production, ensuring seamless connectivity between munitions, ground control systems, military SATCOM networks, and joint force assets. This role spans the full product lifecycle-from system design and integration through live-fire testing and operational deployment-with a relentless focus on delivering communications that are secure, resilient, and intuitive for the warfighter.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead the design, integration, and optimization of tactical communications architectures supporting the Anthem munition system.
• Develop resilient SATCOM capabilities that connect airborne assets directly with Ground Control Stations (GCS) using U.S. military communications infrastructure.
• Design, implement, and validate secure communications pathways between munitions, operators, and joint force assets.
• Architect resilient S-band inter-munition communications supporting autonomous mesh networking, collaborative targeting, and operations in GPS-denied and electronically contested environments.
• Develop secure software and hardware interfaces for classified government communication networks and compartmented data sources.
• Integrate software-defined radios (SDRs), RF subsystems, and networking protocols into production-ready hardware platforms.
• Collaborate with Software, Hardware, RF, Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC), and Systems Engineering teams to deliver fully integrated communication solutions.
• Support system integration, field testing, customer demonstrations, and live-fire events across multiple government programs.
• Partner directly with U.S. Army, U.S. Space Force, and other Department of Defense stakeholders to ensure interoperability with evolving tactical communications architectures.
• Optimize communications systems for rapid field deployment, intuitive operation, and reliable mission execution under combat conditions.
• Evaluate emerging communications technologies and recommend innovative solutions that enhance survivability, resilience, and operational effectiveness.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, RF Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience developing communications systems within the defense, aerospace, or national security sectors.
• Strong technical expertise spanning RF Engineering, Software Engineering, and embedded communications systems.
• Deep understanding of S-band communications, RF propagation, waveform optimization, link budget analysis, and electronic warfare (EW) resilience.
• Experience developing or integrating military or commercial SATCOM solutions on low-SWaP airborne platforms.
• Expertise with software-defined radios (SDRs), tactical networking protocols, and distributed mesh networking architectures.
• Experience integrating secure communications into autonomous systems ,munitions, unmanned aircraft, or other defense platforms.
• Strong understanding of communication system testing, RF troubleshooting, and system integration.
• Ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering organizations in a fast-paced development environment.
• Active Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility.
• Ability to support compartmented programs requiring SCI access and specialized government communications environments.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience integrating AFATDS (Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System), Artillery Execution Suite (AXS), or similar digital fires systems.
• Familiarity with Army sensor-to-shooter architectures, Variable Message Format (VMF), Link 16, or other tactical military communications standards.
• Experience supporting autonomous weapons, precision strike systems, loitering munitions, or collaborative autonomous platforms.
• Knowledge of U.S. Space Force communications architectures and military SATCOM systems.
• Experience operating within highly classified Special Access Programs (SAP) or compartmented government programs.
• Experience supporting developmental flight testing, operational demonstrations, or live-fire events.
• Active Top Secret / SCI clearance with current access to classified DoD communication environments.

WHAT MAKES YOU SUCCESSFUL

• You thrive solving complex communications challenges where software, hardware, RF engineering, and mission execution intersect.
• You understand that resilient communications are mission-critical and design systems that perform reliably in contested and denied environments.
• You can translate advanced technical concepts into robust, production-ready capabilities that operate seamlessly in the hands of military operators.
• You are equally comfortable working in a laboratory, on a test range, or alongside government customers to validate mission performance.
• You are driven by delivering communication systems that enable autonomous platforms to operate with speed, resilience, and precision in the most demanding operational environmen ts.