Senior Spectrum Engineer

Our mission is to provide real-time on-orbit connectivity for critical missions, enabling a new era of data-driven intelligence and innovation. With 33 satellites launched to date, Kepler operates the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time, continuous space communications while supporting advanced on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities. 

As a Senior Spectrum Engineer at Kepler, you will play a leading role in ensuring that our next-generation low-Earth orbit satellite communications systems are designed and operated in alignment with global spectrum regulations. You will integrate regulatory requirements, frequency-coordination considerations, and interference constraints into Kepler’s system architecture, analytical models, and resource-management capabilities.

Working under Regulatory and supporting cross-functional teams such as the Systems Engineering, RF, Antenna, Mission Design, and Software teams, you will translate complex International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regulations into practical system requirements and technical solutions. You will lead critical analyses, influence system-level design decisions, and provide technical guidance on spectrum strategy, compliance, and performance optimization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a technical authority on spectrum engineering, frequency coordination, and regulatory compliance for Kepler’s satellite systems
• Lead the development and maintenance of system models incorporating spectrum regulations, coordination requirements, interference constraints, and operational scenarios
• Define and implement spectrum-related functionality within satellite resource-management and mission-planning software
• Identify spectrum risks, constraints, and optimization opportunities
• Lead technical assessments involving emission masks, antenna characteristics, RF propagation, interference, link performance, and launch-to-operational-orbit mission profiles
• Conduct compatibility, sharing, and interference analyses involving NGSO, GSO, terrestrial, and other communications systems
• Support technical work related to frequency-coordination activities and regulatory submissions to the ITU and national administrations
• Develop, verify, and maintain software tools used to evaluate regulatory compliance and system performance
• Establish analysis methodologies, assumptions, validation practices, and documentation standards
• Identify spectrum-related technical and regulatory risks and develop mitigation strategies in partnership with internal stakeholders

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Systems Engineering, Space Engineering, or a related discipline
• At least seven years of relevant engineering experience, including substantial experience in spectrum engineering, satellite communications, RF systems, or frequency coordination
• Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, RF propagation, link analysis, digital communications, antenna systems, and interference modeling
• Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying ITU Radio Regulations, ITU-R Recommendations, or comparable spectrum regulations
• Familiarity with international spectrum regulatory frameworks
• Experience conducting interference, compatibility, and spectrum-sharing analyses for satellite or terrestrial communication systems
• Strong proficiency with programming languages such as C/C++, Python, or MATLAB
• Experience developing, validating, and maintaining technical software or system models
• Ability to lead complex technical investigations and translate findings into clear recommendations and system requirements
• Strong technical writing, presentation, and stakeholder-management skills
• Ability to work independently while providing technical leadership across multidisciplinary teams
• Demonstrates a willingness to adopt and effectively utilize AI-assisted engineering tools, applying sound judgment to improve productivity, quality, and innovation while continuously adapting to evolving technologies

Bonus Points:

• Master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline
• Direct experience with NGSO or LEO satellite constellation design and operations
• Experience preparing or supporting ITU filings, frequency-coordination agreements, or submissions to national regulatory authorities
• Experience with Systems Tool Kit (STK) or comparable mission-analysis software
• Familiarity with satellite resource-management, beam-planning, gateway-planning, or dynamic spectrum-allocation systems
• Experience with Git, automated testing, continuous integration, or formal software-release processes