Senior User Terminal Antenna and RF Specialist

Main Responsibilities

Develop and maintain technical requirements for Telesat Lightspeed user terminal antenna systems.

Support the definition, allocation, and verification of antenna performance requirements for fixed and mobile user terminals.

Contribute to the development of terminal certification, qualification, and type-approval processes.

Serve as the primary technical interface to antenna manufacturers, technology suppliers, and development partners.

Evaluate vendor-proposed antenna solutions with respect to performance, reliability, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and regulatory compliance.

Identify and recommend design improvements, technology enhancements, or new antenna concepts to achieve product objectives.

Perform system-level analysis, modeling, and simulation of antenna performance within the Telesat Lightspeed network.

Define and execute validation and characterization test plans for antenna prototypes and pre-production systems.

Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams in the evaluation of antenna technologies and user terminal solutions.

Participate in supplier design reviews, technical assessments, and technology road-mapping activities.

Maintain awareness of industry developments in satellite communications, phased-array technology, RF systems, beamforming architectures, and 5G/6G antenna technologies.

Support customer engagements and business development activities by providing technical expertise as required.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

Required

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Telecommunications Engineering, or a related discipline.

Minimum 5 years of experience in satellite communications, antenna systems, user terminal development, or related wireless communication technologies.

Experience in antenna design, testing, integration, or performance evaluation.

Preferred

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.

Ph.D. with research focused on phased-array antennas, electronically steerable antennas, electromagnetics, RF systems, or related technologies.

Direct experience developing or deploying electronically steerable antennas (ESAs) for satellite communications.

Specialized Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Experience in the design, modeling, simulation, integration, and testing of electronically steerable antennas.

Strong understanding of phased-array antenna architectures, beamforming techniques, and antenna control systems.

Knowledge of satellite antenna technologies including flat-panel ESAs, tracking reflector antennas, and hybrid architectures operating in Ku- and Ka-band frequencies.

Understanding of satellite communications systems, including user terminals, modems, gateways, and network architectures.

Knowledge of RF subsystems including power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, up/down conversion chains, and antenna calibration techniques.

Familiarity with satellite communication physical-layer concepts such as modulation, coding, link budgets, G/T, EIRP, and interference analysis.

Understanding of global regulatory and licensing requirements affecting satellite communications equipment.

Strong foundation in electromagnetics, antenna theory, and propagation.

Experience with RFIC, beamforming IC, and phased-array technology selection and evaluation.

Knowledge of design-for-manufacture (DFM), production processes, and cost optimization for antenna systems.

Experience integrating antenna systems with modems, networking equipment, and user terminal hardware platforms.

Demonstrated ability to work effectively with suppliers, partners, and cross-functional engineering teams.

Strong analytical, technical writing, and presentation skills.

Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Excellent engineering judgment and ability to balance performance, reliability, cost, power consumption, manufacturability, and schedule considerations.

Fluent in English, both written and verbal.

Soft Skills

Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly present technical concepts

Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced environment

Detail-oriented with a focus on quality and reliability

Proactive mindset with a passion for innovation and continuous learning

Leadership

No direct reports.

Provides technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Leads supplier interactions, technical reviews, and development activities involving external partners and contractors.

May supervise supplier activities and technical work packages associated with antenna development and validation.

Makes independent engineering decisions within the scope of assigned projects and responsibilities.

Establishes technical priorities and guides project teams in achieving program objectives.

Working Conditions

Resource is required to be in office four (4) days weekly.

Approximately 90% of the time spent in a professional office or laboratory environment.

Approximately 10% of the time spent in manufacturing, integration, testing, or outdoor field environments.

Support of projects across multiple time zones may occasionally require schedule flexibility.

Occasional domestic and international travel may be required.

Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain all required travel documentation and authorizations.