• Location: Ottawa
• Type: Direct Hire
• Job #35386

We are seeking an experienced Senior User Terminal Antenna & RF Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership in the evaluation, design, validation, and deployment of advanced satellite user terminal antenna technologies. This role supports the development of next-generation broadband communications systems for fixed, mobility, maritime, aeronautical, and land-mobile applications.

The successful candidate will evaluate existing and emerging antenna technologies, including electronically steerable antennas (ESAs), phased-array systems, beamforming solutions, and tracking reflector antennas. Working closely with Product Management, Systems Engineering, and external technology partners, the engineer will influence antenna architecture, performance requirements, product strategy, and long-term technology roadmaps.

This position requires strong analytical skills in RF system analysis, antenna modeling, electromagnetic simulation, and performance validation to ensure user terminal solutions meet demanding technical, operational, and commercial objectives.

Main Responsibilities

Antenna Architecture & System Engineering

• Develop and maintain technical requirements for advanced user terminal antenna systems.
• Define, allocate, and verify antenna performance requirements for fixed, mobile, maritime, aeronautical, and land-mobile communication terminals.
• Support the development of certification, qualification, regulatory approval, and product validation processes.
• Perform system-level modeling, simulation, and performance analysis of antenna systems operating within broadband satellite communication networks.
• Analyze antenna performance, coverage, beam steering, link budgets, and operational suitability under varying deployment scenarios.
• Identify opportunities for performance improvements, cost reduction, manufacturability enhancements, and technology innovation.

Technical Leadership & Supplier Management

• Serve as the primary technical interface with antenna manufacturers, RF component suppliers, engineering partners, and technology vendors.
• Evaluate proposed antenna solutions based on technical performance, reliability, manufacturability, production readiness, cost, schedule, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead supplier design reviews, technical assessments, architecture evaluations, and technology roadmap discussions.
• Provide technical leadership and engineering guidance to multidisciplinary development teams throughout the product lifecycle.

Product Validation & Performance Testing

• Develop comprehensive validation, characterization, and verification plans for prototype and production antenna systems.
• Support laboratory testing, environmental qualification, field trials, interoperability testing, and production validation.
• Analyze test results and recommend design improvements based on measured RF performance and operational data.
• Collaborate with RF, hardware, software, systems, manufacturing, and quality engineering teams to ensure successful product integration.

Technology Development & Innovation

• Monitor advancements in:
  • Electronically Steerable Antennas (ESA)
  • Phased-array antenna systems
  • Beamforming technologies
  • RF integrated circuits (RFICs)
  • Microwave and millimeter-wave communications
  • Satellite communications
  • 5G and 6G wireless technologies
• Recommend new antenna architectures and technology improvements that enhance product competitiveness.
• Support customer engagements, technical proposals, demonstrations, and business development activities by providing subject matter expertise.

Education & Experience

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in satellite communications, RF engineering, antenna systems, wireless communications, or related technologies.
• Experience designing, integrating, testing, or evaluating RF antenna systems.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Ph.D. specializing in phased-array antennas, electromagnetics, RF systems, microwave engineering, or wireless communications.
• Experience developing or deploying electronically steerable antenna (ESA) technologies for commercial, aerospace, defense, or broadband communication systems.

Technical Skills & Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess experience with:

• Design, modeling, simulation, integration, and testing of electronically steerable and phased-array antenna systems.
• Beamforming architectures, adaptive antenna control systems, and calibration techniques.
• Flat-panel antennas, reflector antennas, hybrid antenna architectures, and microwave/mmWave antenna technologies.
• RF subsystems including:
  • Power Amplifiers (PA)
  • Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA)
  • Frequency conversion systems
  • RF front-end architectures
  • Beamforming ICs
  • RF Integrated Circuits (RFICs)
• Satellite communication systems including:
  • User terminals
  • Modems
  • Gateways
  • Network architectures
• Communication system analysis including:
  • Link budgets
  • G/T
  • EIRP
  • Modulation and coding
  • Interference analysis
  • Signal propagation
• Strong understanding of:
  • Electromagnetic theory
  • Antenna design
  • RF propagation
  • Microwave engineering
• Design-for-Manufacturing (DFM), production engineering, supplier qualification, and product cost optimization.
• Integration of antenna systems with networking equipment, embedded controllers, and communication platforms.
• Regulatory requirements governing RF and satellite communication equipment.

Professional Skills

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong technical writing, documentation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate complex engineering concepts to technical and executive audiences.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities and concurrent development activities.
• Demonstrated engineering judgment balancing performance, reliability, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and power consumption.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.

Leadership

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Lead supplier engagements, technical reviews, architecture discussions, and product development activities.
• Guide engineering teams in technology selection, system trade studies, and architecture decisions.
• Manage technical work packages and oversee supplier deliverables to ensure successful project execution.
• Establish engineering priorities and make independent technical decisions supporting program objectives.
• Collaborate with Product Management, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Customer Support teams throughout the product lifecycle.