Six Figure Work

RF Engineer

Xona Space Systems

Company websitexonaspace.com (Xona Space Systems, opens in new tab)

Base salary $160K  to $180K

Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in Burlingame, CA

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  • LocationBurlingame, CA
  • WorkplaceOn-site
  • Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
  • Last checked (2 h ago) · observed since

About this job

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.


As an RF Engineer at Xona, you’ll design, implement, test, and optimize RF systems that enable our next-generation satellite navigation system. From spacecraft payload electronics to ground monitoring systems, your work will help ensure our end-to-end RF broadcast system delivers Xona’s high-accuracy, high-precision positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service.

Required Qualifications

  • 2–4 years of RF engineering experience.

  • Understanding of electromagnetic principles underlying RF communications and common RF system performance metrics.

  • Ability to interpret PCB schematics and layout drawings, with familiarity using PCB design tools such as Altium.

  • Hands-on experience using electrical and RF test equipment, including multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, and spectrum analyzers.

  • RF design experience in L-band, S-band, and C-band.

  • Familiarity with RF circuit simulation tools such as Keysight ADS or AWR Microwave Office.

  • Hands-on experience developing and calibrating RF test setups.

  • Ability to analyze RF test data and assess performance against design requirements.

  • Experience with space RF electronics, including an understanding of phenomena such as multipaction.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering teams.

  • Ability to communicate technical findings clearly to multidisciplinary teams and external partners.

  • Willingness and ability to travel to support off-site testing events as needed.

  • A proactive approach to moving projects from design through implementation.

  • Knowledge of or experience with GNSS systems.

  • Hands-on experience or coursework in antenna design or testing.

  • Familiarity with 3D electromagnetic simulation tools such as Ansys HFSS.

  • Experience tuning RF amplifiers and circuits.

  • A track record of RF PCB or antenna designs that have been built and tested.

  • Experience implementing passive or active RF subsystems on the bench or on PCBs.

For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Source: Xona Space Systems on Ashby · View original posting (opens in new tab)

Pay in context

This role's base floor ($160,000) is above 63% of the 2,034 Engineering (non-software) roles in California listed on this site; 39 others list the same floor. Their median floor is $146,200; the middle half runs from $124,193 to $173,000.

Only jobs on this site count, and each one publishes a base salary of $100,000 or more, so this compares six-figure jobs with each other, not with the whole market. Computed Nov 6, 2026.

This range next to 6 other live Xona Space Systems roles with the nearest advertised base floor
Chart as a table
This range next to 6 other live Xona Space Systems roles with the nearest advertised base floor
RolePublished base
RF Engineer (this listing)$160K - $180K
Sr. Flight Dynamics Engineer$160K - $200K
Communications / DSP Engineer$160K - $210K
Sr. Software Engineer - Build & Release$165K - $185K
Cloud Security Specialist – Platforms Engineering$153K - $178K
Sr. Electrical Engineer$170K - $200K
Electrical Engineer - Payload Systems$150K - $180K

Same $100K to $400K scale as every card. All Xona Space Systems roles · How to read the bar

Observed changes

  1. Began meeting the published-salary criteria
  2. First observed on the employer's board
Observed since
Employer-stated posting date
2026-10-23
Where this pay comes from

Location as the employer wrote it: Burlingame, California

USD 160,000 – 180,000 · 1 YEAR · Salary

Method
Structured pay field published by the employer
Checked
Rule set
us-base-v2

The employer's job board publishes this pay as a dedicated data field. We read the field directly; no interpretation was needed.

What we verified

  • The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
  • The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
  • The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.

We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.