{"id":452363,"url":"https://alion.io/job/leidos-rf-communications-engineer","title":"RF Communications Engineer","company":{"id":7791,"name":"Leidos","domain":"leidos.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/leidos","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"services","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":79,"open_postings":236,"ghost_share":0.004,"stale_share":0.843,"repost_share":0.004,"time_to_fill_p50_days":27,"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Huntsville, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":87100,"max":157450,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":157450},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Altium Designer","optional":true},{"name":"C++","optional":true},{"name":"Keysight ADS","optional":true},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true},{"name":"Simulink","optional":true},{"name":"Wi-Fi","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-21T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-08-21","last_verified_at":"2026-10-18T12:39:33Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":null,"days_open":60,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":60},"description":"Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?\nAt Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.\nAre you ready for your next career challenge?\nLeidos Defense provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions.\nFollowing NASA's award of the High Achievability Lunar Terrain Vehicle (HALTV) program contract to Lunar Outpost, Leidos, as a key partner, is seeking RF Communications Engineer to support HALTV and other programs as part of a diverse team that develops lunar mobility systems, cislunar spacecraft, and a wide range of critical technologies for civil, military, and commercial space programs.\nPrimary Responsibilities\nThe RF Communications Engineer will support the Leidos Space Platforms Portfolio in the development of a lunar terrain vehicle system and support equipment, primarily responsible for subsystem integration, qualification, and testing of RF communications hardware into a seamless operational system. This position requires expertise in RF simulation analysis, subsystem-level testing, electromagnetic compatibility testing, and end-to-end system verification. The role also requires the ability to translate high-level product development strategies into system requirement specifications and to work with multi-discipline engineering teams to develop lower-level detailed requirements. Candidates will work in a team environment to support design through product implementation and should be able to contribute to engineering design dispositions and support resolution of documentation discrepancies in coordination with Lunar Outpost and other team members.\nCandidate may be required to travel as necessary (10-20%).\nBasic Qualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or equivalent degree from an ABET-accredited institution with 5+ years of prior relevant experience or Master's degree with 3+ years of prior relevant experience. Candidates with PhD degrees are encouraged to apply, with degree level substitution for direct industry work experience.\n\nMust have experience with roles, as detailed in this description, with an engineering company or system integrator where design, integration, testing, and/or modification of human-rated aerospace systems communications hardware was involved.\n\nMust have demonstrated experience developing RF link budgets along with hardware experience with space-based transceivers, antennas, and amplifiers.\n\nMust have hands-on experience with RF simulation and analysis tools such as HFSS, CST Studio Suite, ADS, or equivalent electromagnetic simulation software.\n\nMust have experience conducting subsystem-level testing, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing, and end-to-end communications system verification.\n\nMust have excellent oral and written communication skills.\n\nMust have demonstrated experience effectively communicating within a team environment.\n\nCandidate must be a resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL area.\n\nUS Citizenship is required with ability to obtain and maintain security clearance.\n\nPreferred Qualifications\nPreferred candidates may have experience and/or working knowledge of the following:\nSpace Communications Systems\nDemonstrated the ability to architect and implement complex space-based RF communication links/systems from concept through flight operations.\n\nProficiency with CCSDS (Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems) standards and NASA communication protocols.\n\nUnderstanding of communications with regards to navigation and telemetry systems.\n\nUnderstanding standards for packet data formats, coding and synchronization, modulation schemes (BPSK, QPSK, OQPSK, APSK, SOQPSK, GMSK), and forward error correction algorithms.\n\nExperience with lunar surface communications systems and rover-to-orbiter relay architectures.\n\nCislunar or deep space communications heritage.\n\nExperience with NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) or Near Space Network (NSN) operations.\n\nWi-Fi and Commercial Wireless Systems\nExperience with Wi-Fi standards including IEEE 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) protocols and implementations.\n\nHands-on experience with integration and testing of Wi-Fi subsystems in aerospace or ruggedized environments.\n\nKnowledge of Wi-Fi performance tests including throughput, latency, packet error rate, and range testing.\n\nExperience with Wi-Fi coexistence analysis and mitigation in multi-radio environments.\n\nFamiliarity with Wi-Fi security protocols (WPA2, WPA3) and network configuration for mission-critical applications.\n\nExperience conducting Wi-Fi subsystem qualification testing including environmental testing (thermal, vibration, vacuum).\n\nKnowledge of MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) antenna systems and beamforming techniques for Wi-Fi applications.\n\nRF Design and Analysis\nExperience with RF PCB design using tools such as Altium Designer or Keysight ADS.\n\nProficiency in STK (Systems Tool Kit) integration and scripting for mission analysis and end-to-end system modeling.\n\nProgramming experience in Python, C/C++, MATLAB, or similar languages for RF system analysis and automation.\n\nCoordinating and planning frequency spectrum with Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Interagency Operations Advisory Group (IOAG), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG), and International Telecommunication Union (ITU).\n\nObtaining space-based communication permits and licenses.\n\nKnowledgeable with electromagnetic interference (EMI) analysis and testing, passive intermodulation (PIM), and harmonic effects.\n\nExperience with cosite analysis and antenna pattern analysis using computational electromagnetic software such as STK, HFSS, E3Expert, GEMACS, and/or MATLAB/Simulink.\n\nFamiliarity with mobile platform antenna systems, phased array antennas, and vehicular RF integration challenges.\n\nExperience across multiple frequency bands including S-Band, X-Band, Ka-Band, C-Band, L-Band, and ISM band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz) RF design.\n\nKnowledge of RF filter design (microstrip and waveguide).\n\nExperience with test bench equipment including VNA, VSG, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and Wi-Fi test equipment.\n\nIf you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.\nOriginal Posting:\nJuly 15, 2026For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.\nPay Range:\nPay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8050,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":true},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["National Security","C4ISR","Defense Manufacturing","Engineering Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-06T08:56:49Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 50 · green card filings: 24","filings_12m":50,"filings_prev_12m":58,"green_card_filings_12m":24,"median_offered_wage_usd":124257,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-15T11:24:14+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":16,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.447,"p_room":0.35,"age_days":60,"expected_fill_days":27,"reasons":["conf:41","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":157450,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/leidos-rf-communications-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/leidos-rf-communications-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-20T13:50:00Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":15413,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-21T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":7791},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=7791"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fleidos-rf-communications-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fleidos-rf-communications-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fleidos-rf-communications-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/leidos-rf-communications-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fleidos-rf-communications-engineer"}]}