Sr. Satcom Modem Engineer (Satellite Communications)

Location: San Francisco, California; hybrid work with 3 days per week in the San Francisco office

Salary: $162,600–$203,200 USD per year base salary for San Francisco hires, with potential bonus and equity incentives.

Company

hirify.global designs, builds, and operates a large constellation of imaging satellites and delivers satellite-derived data through a cloud-based platform for commercial, environmental, and humanitarian applications.

What you will do

• Develop GNU Radio-based ground modem solutions.
• Architect, design, implement, and verify software-defined radios and modems for space applications.
• Characterize SDR link performance across S-band through Ka-band and optical communication terminals.
• Lead on-orbit performance validation for end-to-end satellite communications systems.
• Lead RF, microwave, and optical communications system integration and testing.
• Select vendors, manage subcontractors, and collaborate with RF, electrical, flight software, systems engineering, mission, and manufacturing teams.

Requirements

• Strong experience with DSP algorithms, digital communication theory, digital modulation, synchronization, error correction, and floating-point and fixed-point implementation.
• Experience with software-defined radios, GNU Radio, and Linux development tools.
• Experience defining and measuring real-time radio performance metrics, including SNR, BER, PER, and constellation visualizations.
• Experience with state-of-the-art RF system-on-chip implementations.
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or equivalent experience focused on digital communications.
• Access to applicable export-controlled information must be possible without additional export licensing from BIS or DDTC.

Nice to have

• MS or PhD in electrical engineering focused on digital communications.
• Expertise in MATLAB and Simulink for modem design.
• Proficiency in Python and data analysis tools.
• Experience with optical communications and space links.
• Expertise in radar or phased-array technology.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans, plus an HSA with company contribution.
• Paid time off, holidays, company-wide days off, and 16 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Home office, phone, internet, and commuter reimbursements where applicable.
• Tuition reimbursement, LinkedIn Learning access, equity, wellness, and employee assistance programs.
• Paid volunteering time off and an inclusive, people-centric work environment.

Hiring process

• Selected interviews may be recorded and transcribed with candidate consent; opting out does not affect candidacy.
• AI tools are prohibited during live interviews and assessments unless explicitly permitted.