RF Engineer Intern in Seal Beach, California at AstroForge

About AstroForgeAt AstroForge, our mission is to make space resources accessible on Earth. We mine asteroids to extract valuable minerals in space at a lower cost and smaller carbon footprint than current terrestrial mining methods. By joining the team at AF you’ll have the opportunity to work side by side with our amazing engineer and science teams. This position will provide you with valuable skills, experience, and mentorship necessary to become a leading professional in your field. We offer a unique opportunity to join an exciting team looking to expand humanity’s capabilities in space.
Job DescriptionAs an RF Engineering Intern, you will contribute to the design, prototyping, and testing of the communication systems for AstroForge’s asteroid mining missions. You’ll work with S-band and X-band radio frequencies and assist in evaluating system performance through hands-on lab testing, simulation, and link budget analysis. This role is perfect for a student interested in space communications, high-frequency electronics, or microwave engineering.
Basic Qualifications

• Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Enrollment in an accredited college or university, with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Must be a rising senior if undergraduate.
• Must not be otherwise employed for the duration of the internship.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• Proof of US Citizenship or Permanent Residency.

Responsibilities

• Support RF subsystem development for satellite-to-ground communication, particularly in S-band and X-band.
• Assist in board-level RF design and test setup for communication hardware.
• Operate RF test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and network analyzers.
• Help perform link budget calculations and evaluate performance trade-offs.
• Contribute to test campaigns including RF compatibility testing and over-the-air validation.
• Collaborate with avionics and flight software engineers to support integration efforts.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Familiarity with RF hardware fundamentals and microwave circuit design.
• Experience operating test equipment such as VNAs, spectrum analyzers, and signal generators.
• Knowledge of modulation and coding techniques used in space communications.
• Strong foundation in electromagnetics, signals, and systems.
• Effective communicator with strong documentation and teamwork skills.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with Software Defined Radio (SDR) development or frameworks.
• Hands-on experience with antennas, LNAs, PAs, or RF front-end hardware.
• Coursework or personal projects related to satellite communications or radio link analysis.
• Familiarity with tools like MATLAB, GNU Radio, or CST/HFSS is a plus.

Location: Onsite in Seal BeachPay Rate: $30.00 per hourDuration: 10 weeks
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S.,protected individual as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.