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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Space-Based Comms Systems Engineer - **Company:** Vantor's Career - **Location:** United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $124,000.0 - $165,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Data Analysis, Systems Engineering, Hardware Design, Systems Architecture, Systems Integration, Software Verification - **Published:** June 5, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.dice.com/job-detail/a2362598-4b5c-446e-8d98-573b91f8cc20 ## About the Role * Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline. * 5+ years of experience in the Aerospace industry - 2+ years of developing, integrating, or supporting spacecraft optical communications systems. * Strong understanding of spacecraft optical communications principles, including: * Link acquisition and tracking * Pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) systems * Optical link budget development * Data rate and bandwidth calculations * Distance-dependent losses and performance modeling * End-to-end communications architecture * Experience conducting technical trade studies and hardware down-selection efforts. * Experience with spacecraft optical communications AI&T campaigns and deploying into full operations * Experience developing and maintaining system-level performance analyses and link budgets. * Demonstrated ability to evaluate vendor technologies and manage technical relationships with suppliers and manufacturers. * Experience overseeing hardware development, manufacturing, testing, and qualification activities. * Experience setting up, executing tests, and analyzing data-chain testbeds leveraging optical terminals * Strong systems engineering mindset with the ability to understand subsystem interactions and mission-level impacts. * Excellent communication skills and proven ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams. * Ability to operate independently and drive technically complex initiatives with minimal oversight. These skills would be amazing * Experience supporting optical communications systems for commercial, civil, and national security missions. * Familiarity with optical terminal integration into spacecraft avionics and communications architectures. * Experience in designing spacecraft RF cross-links * Experience with ground station integration and end-to-end communications network analysis. * Experience supporting design reviews, requirements verification, and mission readiness activities. * Knowledge of emerging optical communications standards, architectures, and industry trends. * Active U.S. Government security clearance. ## Description We are seeking an experienced Space-Based Comms Systems Engineer to lead the evaluation, integration, and technical oversight of mainly spacecraft optical communications solutions. This role will serve as a key technical authority across optical terminal selection, link performance analysis, vendor engagement, and system-level architecture development. You will work at the intersection of: * Spacecraft optical communications * Systems engineering and architecture development * Vendor management and hardware procurement * Mission performance analysis * Cross-functional spacecraft integration The ideal candidate understands not only the optical communications subsystem itself, but also how it interacts with the broader spacecraft architecture and mission objectives. This individual will provide technical leadership from early trade studies through deployment and operational readiness. What you'll do day-to-day * Lead the evaluation, selection, and integration of spacecraft optical communications systems for mission-critical space programs. * Develop and maintain optical communications trade studies, requirements analyses, and hardware down-selection efforts. * Build and maintain detailed optical link budgets, including acquisition, tracking, pointing, atmospheric effects, distance-dependent losses, and system performance margins. * Analyze end-to-end communications performance and recommend architecture improvements across spacecraft, ground, and network segments. * Assess optical terminal capabilities, data rates, acquisition strategies, modulation approaches, and operational concepts to ensure mission success. * Serve as the primary technical interface with optical communications vendors, evaluating product offerings and ensuring alignment with program requirements. * Guide vendor engagements throughout the product lifecycle, including technical reviews, design assessments, manufacturing oversight, and delivery planning. * Interact and collaborate with optical comm and RF cross-link service providers to evaluate the applicability of their offerings * Monitor supplier manufacturing, integration, testing, and qualification activities to ensure schedule, quality, and technical objectives are achieved. * Collaborate with spacecraft, avionics, communications, mission operations, payload, and systems engineering teams to develop optimized end-to-end solutions. * Identify technical risks, performance limitations, and integration challenges while developing mitigation strategies. * Support system architecture development and provide recommendations on upstream and downstream subsystem impacts. * Contribute to customer engagements, technical reviews, and proposal activities as a subject matter expert in optical communications. ## Related Videos - [Unlocking the potential of Digital & IT at Vodafone](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/602-unlocking-the-potential-of-digital-it-at-vodafone) - [Model Based Systems Engineering in an Agile Product Development Process](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/68-model-based-systems-engineering-in-an-agile-product-development-process) - [Quantum Computing - The tiny and the big challenges](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/934-quantum-computing-the-tiny-and-the-big-challenges) - [Data Science in Retail](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/586-data-science-in-retail) - [Valven Atlas: Engineering Intelligence That Delivers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1660-valven-atlas-engineering-intelligence-that-delivers) - [Automated Driving - Why is it so hard to introduce](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/628-automated-driving-why-is-it-so-hard-to-introduce) ## Related Articles - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [How software is steering vehicle technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/515-how-software-is-steering-vehicle-technology) - [6 Emerging Technologies We’ll Learn About in 2025](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/381-6-emerging-technologies-we-ll-learn-about-in-2025) - [Latest Technology Trends 2023: 8 New Inventions That Will Change The World](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/164-latest-technology-trends-2023-8-new-inventions-that-will-change-the-world) - [Dev Digest 134 - Where pixels sing?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/477-dev-digest-134-where-pixels-sing) - [How to Find Tech Jobs in Vienna](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/292-how-to-find-tech-jobs-in-vienna)