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# SATCOM Systems Engineer

- **Company:** KBR Inc
- **Location:** San Diego, CA, United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $125,000.0 - $135,000.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Systems Engineering, Modems, Data Transmissions, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Network Layer, MATLAB, Satcom, Signal Processing, Software Requirements Analysis, System on a Chip, System-level Testing
- **Published:** September 1, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.clearancejobs.com/jobs/9131802/satcom-systems-engineer

## About the Role

* BS in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or related field

 * 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in communications system development

 * Experience supporting modem, waveform, or RF subsystem design or integration

 * Experience supporting integration and system-level testing

 * Experience working in DoD or defense communications programs

 * Knowledge of RF engineering principles including non-linear effects, phase noise, filtering, frequency planning, and interference analysis

 * Understanding of digital communications theory including modulation, coding, synchronization, and detection

 * Experience evaluating or implementing ModCod strategies and adaptive coding and modulation

 * Experience with multiple access schemes

 * Experience performing link budget analysis and system performance modeling

 * Experience with modeling/simulation tools such as MATLAB or equivalent

 * Ability to translate waveform and RF performance analysis into actionable system requirements

 * Active DoD SECRET clearance.

Desired Qualifications:

 * MS in Electrical Engineering (Communications, RF, or Signal Processing concentration preferred)

 * Experience with MILSATCOM (WGS, AEHF, MUOS) or Commercial SATCOM systems

 * Experience with protected waveforms and secure modem architectures

 * Active DoD Top Secret clearance

## Description

The Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Systems Engineer will support the architecture, analysis, integration, and technical oversight of advanced satellite communications systems. The role requires technical knowledge in RF engineering, digital communications, and modem development. The engineer will work across RF, IF, baseband, and networking layers to evaluate and develop modem and terminal architectures for satellite communications systems. Responsibilities include analysis of modulation and coding performance, multiple access techniques, waveform optimization, and integration of SoC/FPGA-based communications subsystems.

 * Analyze and define modem and RF subsystem architectures for SATCOM systems

 * Evaluate modulation and coding schemes (QPSK, 8PSK, APSK variants, LDPC, Turbo, etc.) under operational link conditions

 * Assess and support implementation of multiple access techniques

 * Develop and review link budgets, spectral efficiency analysis, and interference mitigation strategies

 * Support System-on-Chip (SoC) or FPGA-based modem implementations and hardware/software partitioning decisions

 * Define system and interface requirements across RF, IF, baseband, and Layer 2 interfaces

 * Support integration and test of modem and terminal subsystems in laboratory and field environments

 * Identify technical risks and performance trades across waveform, RF, and network layers.


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