RF Front-End Engineer, meoSphere

RF Front-End Engineer, meoSphere

SES

Betzdorf, Luxembourg

ROLE DESCRIPTION

We are seeking a dynamic and visionary leader to join our rapidly growing aerospace team. To accelerate schedules, reduce costs, and guarantee quality, SES is internalising a critical segment of the supply chain: the final integration of partner satellite platforms with SES’s software-defined payload, all within a state-of-the-art manufacturing and test facility.

You will contribute to the development of next-generation non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) communication payloads. We are seeking a highly skilled engineer to contribute to the development and qualification of the Transmit and Receive RF Front-End Subsystems for a Ka-band Direct Radiating Antenna (DRA) payload. The role focuses on GaN and GaAs-based RF electronics, with thousands of front-end units per satellite, requiring a strong emphasis on design for manufacturing, repeatability, and reliability. You will be responsible for subsystem performance, industrialization, and integration across the satellite lifecycle.

As Engineer, RF Front-End, meoSphere, you will be in charge of:

• Subsystem Ownership:
  • Define and manage requirements for the Ka-band RF front-end transmit and receive chains, including Noise Figure (NF), Gain, flatness and band-pass response, Power Added Efficiency (PAE), Linearity (e.g., NPR);
  • Ensure compatibility with digital beamforming ASICs based subsystem and antenna architecture.
• Hardware Development & Qualification:
  • Lead the development and qualification of space-grade RF front-end modules based on GaN (Tx) and GaAs (Rx) technologies;
  • Oversee design reviews, performance trade-offs, and compliance with space environmental constraints (thermal, radiation, EMC, mechanical);
  • Define and validate test plans for RF performance, reliability, and environmental qualification.
• Design for Manufacturing (DfM):
  • Drive industrialization of front-end modules to supporthigh-volume production (thousands of units per satellite);
  • Collaborate with suppliers and manufacturing teams to optimize for yield, cost, and repeatability;
  • Implement design practices that support automated assembly, test, and screening.
• Supplier Management:
  • Manage external suppliers for RF front-end components, including technical oversight, schedule tracking, and quality assurance;
  • Review and approve design documentation, test results, and qualification reports.
• Integration & Verification:
  • Support payload-level integration and test campaigns, including:
    • RF chain validation;
    • Functional testing of Tx/Rx modules;
    • Troubleshooting and anomaly resolution during AIT and in-orbit commissioning.
• Cross-functional Collaboration:
  • Interface with system engineering, antenna, digital, thermal, and mechanical teams to ensure subsystem compatibility;
  • Contribute to payload-level budgets and system performance optimization.
• Documentation & Reporting:
  • Prepare technical documentation, compliance matrices, and customer deliverables;
  • Present technical status and findings to internal leadership and external stakeholders.

YOUR PROFILE

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related discipline;
• 10+ years of electronic equipment design experience, preferably in the space sector and/or involving high frequency electronics;
• Fluency in English; additional languages are an asset.

COMPETENCIES

• Technical:
  • Experience with GaN and GaAs technologies, including high-power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, and RF filtering;
  • RF & Microwave Hardware: Experience with space-qualified RF components such as SSPAs, LNAs, filters, and couplers. Understanding of RF chain design and performance validation;
  • Strong background in RF front-end design and integration for Ka-band satellite payloads;
  • Electronic Space Hardware: Strong background in the development, integration, and qualification of electronic hardware for space applications, including compliance with thermal, mechanical, radiation, and EMC constraints.
• Design for Manufacturing:
  • Proven experience in high-volume RF hardware development, including yield optimization, test automation, and industrialization;
  • Knowledge of PCB layout, packaging, and thermal management for spaceborne RF electronics.
• Tools & Analysis:
  • Proficiency in RF simulation and analysis tools (e.g., ADS, HFSS, CST, MATLAB, Altium);
  • Experience with RF test equipment and automated test setups.
• Soft Skills:
  • Strong leadership and ownership mindset;
  • Excellent communication and coordination skills across multidisciplinary teams;
  • Analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities in complex system environments.