Senior Optical Communication Engineer, Amazon Leo for Government
- US citizenship
- TS/SCI clearance
How this pay compares
This posting states $137k–$186k a year. Open RF engineer jobs in California post a median of $182k a year, the middle half $152k–$202k, across 135 jobs that state their pay, so this one is within the middle half of what they post.
RF and communications engineers in California: pay by town and employer
About the job
Amazon Leo is an initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world. The Amazon Leo for Government (ALG) Engineering team is a multi-disciplinary technology team involved in developing and delivering targeted and scalable solutions for custom satellite and ground applications.
The ALG Engineering team works closely with the core LEO team, and addresses the needs of specific customers (such as government agencies). The Senior Optical Communication Engineer will play a pivotal role in the team delivering innovative and fast-paced analysis and design for both space and ground optical systems and sub-systems.
As a Senior Optical Communications Engineer you will play a crucial role developing satellite communication systems, optical satellite links, digital signal processing and networking between both space-to-space and space-to-ground systems.
Working with a dynamic team of cross discipline engineers, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining optical communication devices with bus agnostic interfaces, space-to-ground capabilities, tunable modems, long range backhaul performance, and seamless integration of unique waveforms. We provide engineering solutions for achieving free space optical communication systems.
We work hand in hand with hardware, software, product and operations teams to deliver solutions that seek to extract more capability from our baseline and onboard new technologies into our next generation systems. The Senior Optical Communications Engineer will play a pivotal role on the Amazon Leo for Government Engineering team delivering innovative and fast-paced free space Optical Communication solutions.
Key job responsibilities - Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define optical communication system requirements and architecture for our satellite constellation. - Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define optical communication system requirements and architecture for our satellite constellation. - Develop and optimize optical communication system hardware and software components, for real time communication ensuring efficient resource utilization and reliable performance. - Implement and test product designs that demonstrate functional and performance capabilities - Contribute to system integration efforts, working closely with hardware engineer to ensure seamless interaction between software and hardware components. - Participate in reviews, identify areas for improvement, and maintain high standards to ensure optical communication system quality and reliability. - Debug and troubleshoot software and hardware integration issues, employing tools and techniques to identify and resolve anomalies. - Collaborate on designing and executing test plans to validate the functionality, performance, and security of optical communication systems - Keep up-to-date with industry trends and emerging technologies, and apply relevant advancements to enhance the performance and capabilities of Amazon Leo's optical communication systems.
Security Clearance: Candidates may be required to obtain and maintain a US Government security clearance of TS/SCI, so you must be a U.S. citizen for consideration. This position requires that the candidate selected be a U.S. Citizen in order to comply with U.S. government-imposed requirements related to the nature of the work and/or where it will be performed.
This position requires that the candidate selected be a US Citizen and candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a US Government security clearance of TS/SCI. A day in the life As a Senior Optical Communication Engineer you will be responsible for leading the design, development and implementation of unique solutions to integrate and interoperate with Amazon Leo products and customer terminals.
You will work in a collaborative environment with teams inside and outside of Amazon. You implement industry best practices while you guide the designs from requirements gathering through deployment. This role is hands on and will require an ability to build and test hardware and software optical communication systems.
You will need to be flexible and responsive to high priority issues ## Basic qualifications - Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or equivalent - 8+ years of experience designing and developing optical systems - 4+ years experience with free space optical communication systems ## Preferred qualifications - Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to execute product design from concept to production - Experience with the project management of technical projects - Master's degree or above in engineering, physics, or equivalent - 8+ years working on free space optical communication systems - 4+ years system engineering experience Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies.
Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position.
These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation.
Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers.
If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner. The base salary range for this position is listed below.
Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location.
Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits .
USA, CA, NORTHRIDGE - 137,300.00 - 185,700.00 USD annually USA, WA, Redmond - 137,300.00 - 185,700.00 USD annually
From Amazon Leo's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.
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About Amazon Leo
Amazon's satellite internet constellation, formerly Project Kuiper: satellites, launches, ground stations and the terminals customers use.
Pay on its listings: 93.1% of its open jobs state an hourly rate
How it pays: Paid as an employee on Amazon's own payroll (salaried or hourly, as each posting states).
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