Principal Antenna Product Engineer

Principal Antenna Product Engineer

Sateliot

Barcelona, Spain

YOUR MISSION

Sateliot is seeking an experienced Principal Antenna Product Engineer to lead the end-to-end development of an advanced antenna array for space applications. The successful candidate will take full ownership of the product lifecycle - from concept definition through design, simulation, prototyping, fabrication, testing, qualification, and flight readiness.

This role requires deep expertise in antenna engineering for the space environment, including materials selection, lightweight and semi-rigid structures, and deployable antenna systems. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical rigor with first-principles thinking, and a pragmatic, goal-oriented approach focused on delivering flight-ready hardware within program constraints.

Antenna design must be carried out in tight coordination with mechanical and thermal constraints, ensuring structural integrity, thermal stability, and manufacturability from the earliest design phases. The candidate will work closely with a senior mechanical engineer to ensure seamless RF-structural integration and optimized system performance.

YOUR MAIN FUNCTIONS

Technical Leadership & Product Ownership

• Lead the architectural definition and technical roadmap of advanced antenna arrays for space applications;
• Own the antenna system from concept to design for manufacture, qualification, testing and flight readiness;
• Translate mission and system requirements into robust antenna design solutions;
• Apply first-principles thinking to challenge assumptions and drive optimal, physics-based solutions;
• Maintain a pragmatic and goal-oriented mindset, balancing performance, cost, schedule, risk, and manufacturability.

Antenna Design & Simulation

• Design high-performance antenna arrays (e.g., phased arrays, reflectarrays, patch arrays, deployable architectures);
• Perform full-wave electromagnetic simulations (CST, HFSS, FEKO or equivalent);
• Design antennas considering:
  • Mechanical constraints (stiffness, launch loads, vibration, deployment reliability);
  • Thermal constraints (thermal gradients, expansion, cycling, distortion effects);
  • Mass optimization and structural integrity;
  • Manufacturability and assembly constraints.
• Optimize radiation performance, efficiency, bandwidth, polarization, and thermal stability;
• Make data-driven decisions grounded in electromagnetic fundamentals while ensuring structural and thermal robustness.

Space Environment & Materials

Select and qualify materials considering:

• Radiation tolerance;
• Thermal cycling;
• Outgassing (ECSS/NASA compliance);
• Vacuum compatibility;
• Mechanical strength-to-weight ratio.

Lightweight & Deployable Structures

• Lead the development of lightweight, semi-rigid antenna structures;
• Contribute to or drive deployable antenna concepts and structural integration strategies;
• Collaborate closely with the senior mechanical engineer to co-design RF and structural elements from early concept stages;
• Ensure RF performance stability under mechanical stress, thermal cycling, and deployment dynamics.

Prototyping, Design to manufacture, & Fabrication

• Oversee prototype development, including PCB-based RF structures, waveguide assemblies, and hybrid solutions;
• Define fabrication tolerances, inspection criteria, and manufacturing workflows;
• Ensure the design is optimized for repeatability, scalability, and production efficiency;
• Interface with suppliers and manufacturing partners;
• Drive iterative prototyping cycles with a practical, solution-oriented approach.

Testing & Qualification

• Define and execute RF validation campaigns (anechoic chamber, near-field/far-field measurements);
• Support environmental qualification (vibration, thermal vacuum, shock, radiation);
• Correlate EM simulations with structural and thermal behaviour;
• Analyse test data rigorously and implement corrective design improvements;
• Deliver test requirements and test reports;
• Lead qualification documentation and technical reviews.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the senior mechanical engineer to ensure fully integrated RF-mechanical-thermal co-design;
• Interface with systems, thermal, manufacturing, and mission engineering teams;
• Support system integration and mission readiness reviews.

REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Electromagnetics, RF Engineering, or related field;
• 8+ years of experience in antenna design;
• Proven experience delivering antenna systems from concept through qualification;
• Strong understanding of space environmental constraints and compliant materials;
• Experience with lightweight, semi-rigid, and/or deployable antenna structures;
• Demonstrated ability to design antennas considering mechanical, thermal, and manufacturing constraints;
• Expertise in electromagnetic simulation tools (HFSS, CST, FEKO or similar);
• Hands-on experience with antenna measurement and RF validation;
• Attitude of the person:
  • Need to have a “can do attitude”. Think outside the box and be able to push boundaries of physics;
  • Task oriented focused to close out actions ASAP;
  • Focused on time to market.

NICE TO HAVE

Preferred Qualification

• Antenna design for space qualified systems;
• Experience with phased arrays and beam-steering architectures;
• Experience in LEO/MEO/GEO satellite missions;
• Experience in S-band, L-band, Ka-band, or other satellite communication bands;
• Multi-physics co-design experience (EM + structural + thermal).

Key Competencies

• First-principles thinker with strong electromagnetic intuition;
• Pragmatic and goal-oriented, capable of delivering robust solutions under program constraints;
• Strong awareness of mechanical, thermal, and manufacturing realities;
• End-to-end product ownership mindset;
• Analytical and systematic problem-solving capability;
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration skills;
• Hands-on engineering attitude with attention to detail and quality;
• Clear technical communication and leadership abilities.