Principal Digital Signal Processing Engineer, RF Payloads

Location: Hybrid work near Denver or Colorado Springs, Colorado; some work must be performed on site. The position is also listed for Denver, CO or Long Beach, CA. Candidates must be authorized to work under U.S. ITAR requirements.

Base salary: $190,000–$275,000 per year, plus equity and benefits.

Company

hirify.global develops autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors for space superiority and defense.

What you will do

• Lead DSP architecture, technical roadmaps, requirements, interfaces, implementation strategies, and verification plans for space-based RF payloads.
• Develop real-time processing algorithms for high-rate complex I/Q data from RF sensors, phased arrays, SIGINT payloads, radar systems, and software-defined radios.
• Design signal-processing chains for downconversion, channelization, filtering, resampling, spectral analysis, detection, classification, synchronization, and interference mitigation.
• Develop phased-array, beamforming, direction-finding, radar, geolocation, and signal-exploitation algorithms where applicable.
• Translate floating-point algorithms into efficient fixed-point implementations for embedded processors, FPGAs, GPUs, DSPs, and other flight-computing platforms.
• Lead algorithm verification, hardware-in-the-loop testing, payload integration, root-cause analysis, on-orbit commissioning, and cross-functional technical execution.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in digital signal processing, RF systems, radar, communications, SIGINT, electronic warfare, or a related technical field.
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related technical discipline; a master’s degree or Ph.D. is preferred.
• Hands-on experience processing high-rate complex I/Q data and designing real-time DSP systems for CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, DSPs, or heterogeneous embedded platforms.
• Strong knowledge of sampling theory, filtering, Fourier transforms, spectral analysis, multirate processing, statistical signal processing, fixed-point modeling, quantization, bit growth, overflow, and numerical accuracy.
• Proficiency with C++, Python, MATLAB, or similar programming languages, plus production software practices including automated testing, code reviews, version control, and configuration management.
• Active TS//SCI clearance or eligibility to obtain one is required. U.S. work authorization is required for ITAR compliance.

Nice to have

• Experience with spacecraft, airborne, radar, or resource-constrained RF payload systems.
• FPGA development with VHDL, Verilog, SystemVerilog, or FPGA-based DSP tools.
• GPU acceleration, CUDA, GNU Radio, Simulink, Xilinx/Vitis, software-defined radios, or RF data acquisition systems.
• Experience with geolocation, radar processing, phased-array calibration, adaptive nulling, jamming, multipath, or low-SNR signal processing.
• Experience with payload integration, hardware-in-the-loop testing, environmental testing, or on-orbit commissioning.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid work environment with required on-site work for some activities.
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage with HSA/HRA options.
• Flexible Time Off for exempt employees or accrued PTO of up to 25 days for non-exempt employees, plus 12 paid holidays.
• Parental leave, sick leave, a 401(k) plan, fitness reimbursement, and equity participation.
• Catered lunches and snacks are available for in-office employees.