Six Figure Work

Sr. RF Engineer

Xona Space Systems

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

Base salary $170K  to $200K

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 (1 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 Sr. RF Engineer at Xona, you'll be designing, implementing, testing, and optimizing RF systems to enable our next-generation GNSS system. From spacecraft payload electronics to ground monitoring systems, your work will ensure the end-to-end RF broadcast system delivers Xona’s high-accuracy and high-precision PNT service.

Required Qualifications

  • Understanding of electromagnetic principles behind radio frequency communications.

  • Ability to interpret PCBA schematics and layout drawings. Familiarity with PCB ECAD tools such as Altium.

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

  • Knowledge of typical performance metrics for RF communications systems.

  • Hands-on experience/coursework with antenna design and/or testing. Familiarity with 3D EM simulations tools such as Ansys HFSS.

  • RF amplifier and circuits tuning

  • 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 with RF test set-ups and calibrations.

  • Ability to analyze and interpret RF test data, and assess performance vs. design requirements.

  • Willing and able to travel to support off-site testing events as needed.

  • Self-starter attitude and proactive in seeing projects from design through implementation.

  • Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, cross-team collaborative environment.

  • Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work closely with multidisciplinary teams and external partners to achieve project goals.

  • 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).

Preferred Qualifications

  • 3 - 5 years of RF engineering experience

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

  • Knowledge/experience with GNSS systems.

  • Proven RF PCB and/or antenna designs from past work.

  • Implementation of passive or active RF sub-systems whether 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 ($170,000) is above 72% of the 2,034 Engineering (non-software) roles in California listed on this site; 30 others list the same floor. Their median floor is $146,200; the middle half runs from $124,000 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
Sr. RF Engineer (this listing)$170K - $200K
Sr. Electrical Engineer$170K - $200K
GNC Engineer, Advanced Modeling$170K - $200K
Sr. GNC Orbit Controls Engineer$170K - $210K
Senior Cloud Architect – Platforms Engineering$173K - $197K
Senior Materials & Processes Engineer$173K - $197K
Senior Mechanical Engineer$173K - $218K

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

Observed changes

  1. First observed on the employer's board
  2. Began meeting the published-salary criteria
Observed since
Employer-stated posting date
2026-05-19
Where this pay comes from

Location as the employer wrote it: Burlingame, California

USD 170,000 – 200,000 · 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.