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• Owns the link budget analysis process for wireless communication links. This position will lead the development to build the wireless link without precedence and based on their own expertise and knowledge. Define and optimize communication parameters, including data rate, transmit power, and antenna gain, to ensure robust performance for landed spacecraft instrument concept and prototype. Ensures wireless communication system needs are balanced against the overarching payload requirements for size, weight, and power. Recommends final communication systems designs to project leadership and stakeholders at other institutions such as NASA, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, Honeybee Engineering team, and Silicon Audio.
• Manages science requirements to encapsulate mission objectives and CONOPS, subsequently deriving system requirements and test plans to verify and validate requirements. Oversees the decomposition of system requirements to subsystem and component levels, while maintaining coherence and traceability. Proactively manage and refines requirements, ensuring they are up-to-date and accurately reflect project evolution while rigorously defending against any potential for redundancy and inter-requirement conflicts.
• Leads trade studies for communication system components such as antenna selection, frequency, and waveform. Develop communication system designs and models for prototypes that predict performance under various channel conditions. Additional knowledge and experience in other professional disciples are necessary including knowledge of orbital mechanics to establish how the communication link evolves in 6 spatial degrees of freedom and in time, experience in geophysical data, and knowledge of communications through solid media.
• Oversight of all engineering documentation, requirement changes and maintain historical records. Manage the revision process, ensuring that all changes are accurately dated and tracked for future reference.
• Leads peer reviews and requirement review meetings with science and engineering teams, ensuring interdisciplinary consensus and integration, to gather approval of requirements and designs. Science and Engineering teams include but are not limited to UA Research team, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, Honeybee and Silicon Audio.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge of orbital mechanics to establish how the communication link evolves in 6 spatial degrees of freedom and in time.
• Knowledge of communications through solid media will be considered a plus.
• Systems and Communications Engineering Expertise: Solid knowledge of systems engineering processes and communication systems design, including signal processing and wireless technology.
• Requirements Management and Documentation: Proficiency in developing, managing, and documenting system and communication requirements with attention to detail and clarity.
• Analytical and Critical Thinking: Strong analytical skills with the ability to approach complex engineering problems methodically and develop practical solutions.
• Collaboration and Communication: Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and articulate technical concepts to a varied audience.
• Technical Tool Proficiency: Experience with engineering software for system simulation and requirements management, such as MATLAB or specialized communication design tools.
• Expertise in aerospace systems engineering best practices and the ability to establish internal standards.
• Strong communication skills are required for influencing practices and representing an instrument team in multi-institutional settings.
• Duties include working independently, setting goals, and potentially supervising 1-2 support personnel.
  
  

• Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in systems and communication engineering.

• Experience with geophysical data is a plus but not required.