Skip to content

RF & Payloads

Satellite Communications Engineer

Leidos logoLeidos$131,300–$237,350/yrChantilly, VA, United StatesFull timePosted 4mo ago
  • TS/SCI clearance

How this pay compares

This posting states $131k–$237k a year. Open RF engineer jobs in Virginia post a median of $185k a year, the middle half $159k–$205k, across 13 jobs that state their pay, so this one is within the middle half of what they post.

RF and communications engineers in Virginia: pay by town and employer

About the job

## JOB DESCRIPTION We’re seeking a communications engineer to support mission-critical communications for national security and intelligence operations.

You will conduct research, develop innovative solutions, and analyze advanced satellite communication systems to enable design, development, and integration for secure, reliable data, voice, or video transmissions. ## Required - Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, telecommunications, aerospace engineering, or related field. - At least 12 or more years of experience in satellite communications engineering, preferably supporting defense or intelligence programs. - Lead research and development of novel satellite communication technologies for national security applications. - Perform system-level analysis, link budget calculations, and simulations to optimize performance under operational constraints. - Integrate satellite communications with ground stations, mobile platforms, and other defense assets. - Analyze and resolve technical issues in deployed systems, including RF interference and encryption challenges. - Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including government and contractor personnel, to ensure mission success. - Prepare and maintain technical documentation, system architectures, and compliance records. - Support field testing, validation, and operational deployment of satellite communications hardware and software. - Provide technical briefings and training to stakeholders and end-users. - An active TS/SCI with a polygraph security clearance is required to be considered for this position.

This position does not offer clearance sponsorship. ## Desired - Master’s degree in electrical engineering, satellite communications, or related discipline. - Expertise in RF and microwave system design, signal processing, and satellite network engineering. - Experience in investigating and documenting existing system architectures for defense platforms. - Subject matter expertise in advanced system concepts related to aerospace, spacecraft, or military communications. - Experience with DoD acquisition processes and documentation.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares. ## Original Posting July 6, 2026 For U.S.

Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. ## Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary.

Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

From Leidos's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.

Selected agencies hiring now

These agencies and apps pay SpaceJobs.Now a referral fee when someone we introduce is placed or signs up. It costs you nothing and never changes your pay. Employers' own jobs below keep their own order.

Sponsored

Sponsored jobs from job networks, which pay SpaceJobs.Now when you click one.

Free tools for this application: check your resume against this job, answer the application's questions or see every free tool.

New RF, communications and payload jobs in space in Virginia, by email

One email a week with the newest ones, straight from the employers' own careers sites, with the pay each posting states. Free, stop anytime.

About Leidos

Leidos's space work: satellite and payload engineering for the Space Force and intelligence space programs, and support at NASA centers, from Huntsville to Kennedy Space Center.

Pay on its listings: 75.5% of its open jobs state an hourly rate

How it pays: Paid as an employee on Leidos's own payroll (salaried or hourly, as each posting states).

More open jobs at Leidos

More RF, communications and payload jobs in space

An RF or communications engineer?

One profile for every employer here. Space companies and their recruiters ask us for people with a specific degree, clearance, specialty or location: add yours once, and when a job fits, we introduce you, only with your yes. Free.

Create my profile

Leidos openings, sent to you weekly

Each week we send the newest postings from Leidos's own careers site, along with similar openings at other space employers. It costs nothing and you can stop anytime.