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CesiumAstro creates out-of-the-box communication systems for space and airborne platforms.
The Role
Lead design and evolution of end-to-end space and ground system architectures for satellites, communications payloads, and supporting software. Translate requirements into architectures, define interfaces, create CONOPS and documentation, perform system-level analysis and trade studies, develop roadmaps, evaluate new capabilities, and support proposals and customer engagements.
Summary Generated by Built In
Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.
CesiumAstro is seeking an experienced Communication Systems Architect to lead the design and evolution of our end-to-end space and ground system architectures. This role is responsible for defining, integrating, and maintaining current and future architectures across satellite platforms, communications payloads, ground stations, and supporting software systems.
As a principal-level individual contributor, you will work closely with engineering, product, program management, and business leadership to ensure architectural coherence, scalability, and alignment with customer and mission requirements.
The ideal candidate brings deep experience across satellite systems, space communications, ground infrastructure, and software-enabled systems, along with the ability to operate at both strategic and implementation levels.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Design, develop, and maintain CesiumAstro’s end-to-end architecture spanning satellite platforms, communications payloads, ground stations, and associated software systems.
- Provide architectural leadership and frameworks for system definition, development, integration, verification, and lifecycle evolution.
- Translate customer, mission, and business requirements into clear system architectures, interfaces, and engineering specifications.
- Analyze interactions between satellites, payloads, ground infrastructure, networks, and software services, assessing the impact of design changes and new capabilities.
- Define and maintain accurate, complete, and accessible architecture documentation, including Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), system diagrams, and interface definitions.
- Partner with engineering and product teams to develop technology roadmaps, align development plans, and ensure cohesive integration across space and ground segments.
- Perform system-level analysis using modeling, simulation, data analysis, and trade studies to evaluate performance, cost, risk, and scalability.
- Lead technical evaluations of new capabilities, products, and architectures to deliver cost-effective, high-performance solutions aligned with customer and business objectives.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to solve complex technical challenges and support customer engagements.
- Contribute to proposal development, technical reviews, and strategic planning activities as needed.
JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).
- 15-19 years of relevant experience in space systems, satellite communications, or related aerospace domains.
- Strong expertise in space system architectures, including satellite platforms, communications payloads, ground stations, and networked systems.
- Experience defining system-level requirements, interfaces, and performance metrics across complex, multi-domain architectures.
- Demonstrated experience developing and documenting CONOPS and system architectures for space missions.
- Proven ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and operate effectively in resource-constrained environments.
- U.S. citizenship or eligibility to work on ITAR-regulated programs.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- Experience with satellite communications systems, including RF payloads, phased array antennas, and/or ground terminal architectures.
- Familiarity with digital signal processing, networking, and software-defined systems.
- Experience with cloud-based architectures, distributed systems, and virtualized environments.
- Background in modeling and simulation, system optimization, or advanced algorithm development.
- Experience working with government and/or commercial aerospace customers.
CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.
CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering, or related technical field (or equivalent experience)
- 15-19 years relevant experience in space systems, satellite communications, or related aerospace domains
- Deep expertise in space system architectures including satellite platforms, communications payloads, ground stations, and networked systems
- Experience defining system-level requirements, interfaces, and performance metrics across complex multi-domain architectures
- Experience developing and documenting Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and system architectures for space missions
- Proven ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and operate in resource-constrained environments
- U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent resident status, conditional resident, asylee/refugee, or eligibility to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations
- Experience with satellite RF payloads, phased array antennas, and ground terminal architectures
- Familiarity with digital signal processing, networking, and software-defined systems
- Experience with cloud-based architectures, distributed systems, and virtualized environments
- Background in modeling, simulation, system optimization, or advanced algorithm development
- Experience working with government and/or commercial aerospace customers
CesiumAstro Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about CesiumAstro and has not been reviewed or approved by CesiumAstro.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage includes medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, plus FSAs and mental health benefits. Feedback suggests the health package is comprehensive for a growth-stage aerospace firm.
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Retirement Support — Offerings include a 401(k) with company matching and other retirement-plan elements. Feedback suggests core retirement mechanisms are in place alongside standard financial benefits.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Generous PTO, paid holidays, paid sick days, and bereavement leave are included. Feedback suggests time-off options are broad on paper across multiple leave types.
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The Company
What We Do
We build high-throughput, plug-and-play phased array communication payloads for space and airborne platforms. CesiumAstro’s full-stack, multi-mission hardware and software products enable a diverse range of commercial and defense objectives. Full-system engineering design is at the heart of every CesiumAstro product. We deliver high-performance solutions under rapid development timelines.
Why Work With Us
At CesiumAstro, we’re a team. We’re passionate, respectful, and determined colleagues ready to help at a moment’s notice. We’re mentors excited to enable our peers with the knowledge they need to succeed. Together, we’re visionaries committing to building memories that will last a lifetime.
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