49 OPEN
SALARIES · RF / COMMS ENGINEER
RF / Comms Engineer [YoY +8%]
Median total compensation for rf / comms engineer roles in space. Open roles by salary, direct from each employer.
[ SENIOR COMPENSATION · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$195,000 – $245,000USD
§ 01Compensation by level
[ MID ]
$145K
[ SENIOR ]
$195K
[ STAFF ]
$245K
[ PRINCIPAL ]
$310K
§ 02Top-paid open roles
- 01
Principal RF Engineer (Starshield)SpaceX·Hawthorne, CA$210K–$300K - 02Principal Antenna Engineer (Starshield)SpaceX·Hawthorne, CA$200K–$285K
- 03KPrincipal RF Antenna EngineerK2 Space·Los Angeles, CA$200K–$270K
- 04
Staff RF Antenna Engineer, Electronic WarfareAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States$191K–$253K - 05VSenior RF Systems EngineerVast·Long Beach, California, United States$148K–$249K
- 06Sr. RF Engineer (Starshield)SpaceX·Hawthorne, CA$165K–$230K
- 07Sr. Antenna Engineer, Satellites (Starlink)SpaceX·Redmond, WA$160K–$225K
- 08Sr. Antenna Engineer (Starshield)SpaceX·Hawthorne, CA$160K–$225K
- 09Sr. Antenna Engineer (Starship)SpaceX·Hawthorne, CA$160K–$225K
- 10ISenior RF EngineerIcarus Industries·El Segundo$120K–$220K
§ 03Top employers hiring rf / comms engineers
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | 22 | $150K |
| Rocket Lab | 6 | $156K |
| Spire Global | 4 | $166K |
| Vast | 3 | $165K |
| Xona Space Systems | 3 | $175K |
| Anduril Industries | 2 | $207K |
| Albedo Space | 1 | $160K |
| Sierra Space | 1 | $163K |
§ 04Top cities hiring rf / comms engineers
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Hawthorne | 10 | $171K |
| Long Beach | 8 | $165K |
| Redmond | 5 | $150K |
| Bastrop | 5 | — |
| Burlingame | 3 | $175K |
| Auckland | 2 | — |
| Glasgow | 2 | — |
| Washington | 2 | $168K |
§ 05FAQ
- How much do rf / comms engineers make in the space industry?
- Senior rf / comms engineers in the space industry typically earn $195K base salary at top employers. Staff-level roles run $245K and principal-level reach $310K. Numbers are median base salary across 94 data points; total compensation including equity is typically 15-30% higher at private space companies.
- Who is hiring the most rf / comms engineers right now?
- SpaceX (22 open roles), Rocket Lab (6 open roles), and Spire Global (4 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 49 open rf / comms engineer roles sorted by recency.
- Where are most rf / comms engineer jobs located?
- The top space industry hubs for rf / comms engineer roles right now are Hawthorne, Long Beach, and Redmond. Defense space tends to concentrate in DC/Northern Virginia and Colorado Springs (clearance-required roles), while commercial launch is heaviest in LA basin and Florida's Space Coast.
- Do rf / comms engineer roles in space require security clearance?
- Many do. Defense space programs at Anduril, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, and the US Space Force require Secret or TS/SCI clearance. Commercial-space roles at SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Vast, and Astranis generally do not, though some specific government contracts may. ITAR registration is more common than clearance — most rocket roles require it.
§ 06See all open roles
Browse every rf / comms engineer role