Sr. RFIC Design Engineer
Job description
About the role
The position partners with systems, firmware, architecture, design, validation, and product engineering teams. Success supports maximizing Starlink utility for communities and businesses worldwide.
Software engineers turn product ideas into working code. Engineers work in small teams, review each other's work, and ship in small batches. Most teams follow agile practices such as sprints and daily standups. Engineers also write tests, fix bugs, and improve performance. The field values clear communication as much as technical skill. Engineers spend part of every week on planning, code review, and debugging, not just writing new code. The ability to explain a technical decision in plain words separates strong engineers from the rest.
Key facts
What you'll do
Derive specifications for RFIC subsystems and circuits to guide implementation and validation.
Perform IC floor planning and layout to meet electrical, thermal, and area targets.
Model package and external parasitic components to ensure accurate circuit behavior in the intended environment.
Evaluate and characterize prototypes to verify functionality, performance, and robustness.
Characterize and analyze full radio performance across frequency bands and operating conditions.
Assist in developing automated test lab equipment for laboratory measurements to streamline verification.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science as a baseline qualification.
5+ years of RF integrated circuit experience to ensure practical design and debug capability.
Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones during development and production ramps.
Practical notes
ITAR requirements govern this role; eligibility is limited to U.S. lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees.
Typical interview steps
Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.
Good to know
This role focuses on RFIC design for satellite and ground communication systems using SiGe and CMOS processes.
Questions to ask
Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works. Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable. Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.
Career growth
Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.
About the company
Based in Starbase, Texas, a company pursues work in spaceflight, telecom, and artificial intelligence. A unit handles rocket launches, leading yearly orbital counts beyond other national and commercial teams. Another unit runs Starlink, a satellite communications firm. A third area, through SpaceXAI, advances Grok and AI integration with X, while managing data center operations. Roles often cross these paths. Candidates with engineering, software, or operations backgrounds may find chances to join projects that span launch, connectivity, and machine learning efforts in this Texas-based enterprise.