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Ground & Payload Engineer, 53 SOPS

Department of the Air Force
United States Space Force Forces
United States Space Force / Combat Force Command / 53 Space Operations Squadron

Summary

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Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/30/2026 to 05/07/2026
Salary
$90,961 - $140,616 per year
Pay scale & grade
NH 3
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Colorado Springs, CO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
SF-FY26-6F-NH-0855-3-SPLASH
Control number
867441700

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Duties

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The United States Space Force (USSF) at Schriever SFB, Colorado Springs, CO is searching for a Ground & Payload Engineer to support 53 SOPS (NH-0855-03, GS 12/13 equivalent).

Description:
Serves as an Electronics Engineer providing communications support on SATCOM systems. Provides expert technical advice and analysis concerning satellite Radio Frequency (RF) characteristics, development, and evaluation programs for emerging constellations, terminals, and modems. Exercises knowledge of a broad spectrum of mechanical, electrical and physical components of satellite systems and employs engineering expertise to apply and integrate such multi-disciplinary knowledge in the DoD operational community. Provides assistance, guidance, and direction within the activity, higher echelons, and other Department of War (DOW) activities and non-governmental organizations in planning agency and inter agency programs for testing new satellites and related ground control and planning tools and data collection.

Ideal Candidate:
Education: Mandatory bachelor's degree or higher degree in engineering (preferably Electrical Engineering) from a school of engineering accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Experience: Design and/or analysis of Radio Frequency systems. Applied Electromagnetics, digital design techniques, electronic design techniques desired. Experience with MATLAB desired. Experience with computer programming helpful.
Background: Experience in satellite communications (SATCOM) field


Key Skills and Abilities:
1. Expert knowledge of the principles and practices involved in the variety of professional, technical, and specialty fields based on professional training in electronics engineering and extensive experience in research and development. For education to be acceptable, the program must lead to a Bachelor's degree from a school of engineering accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
2. Expert technical knowledge of advanced concepts, principles, and practices of electronics engineering that enables the incumbent to serve as an expert in satellite Radio Frequency (RF) and in the test and evaluation and research and development of evaluation programs for emerging constellations.
3. Experience in testing and evaluation in electronics engineering to make recommendations which result in significant changes to important areas of the test and evaluation programs.
4. Skill in applying advanced electronic engineering concepts, so as to be able to serve as an expert to resolve difficult/novel engineering problems and issues, and plan, design, monitor and evaluate complex engineering programs and projects.
5. Ability to ensure the latest and most desirable developments in RF electronics and related engineering fields, technology, and threats are applied to support testing and training.
6. Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships and to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
7. Ability to organize work, set priorities, and determine resource requirements; determine goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinate with other organizations; monitor progress, and evaluate outcomes.
8. Ability to identify problems and use sound judgment and decisions to generate and evaluate alternatives and make recommendations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S Citizen.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret / SCI security clearance.
  • PCS / Incentive funding is authorized.
  • Required to handle and safeguard sensitive and/or classified information in accordance with regulations to reduce potential compromise.
  • May be required to travel by military or commercial aircraft in the performance of temporary duty assignments.
  • May be required to work overtime on an unscheduled or emergency basis.
  • Eligible for situational telework only, including Emergency and OPM prescribed “Unscheduled Telework”.
  • Subject to Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY): Approximately 65 days per year.
  • This position will close after 5 business days or 75 applications, whichever comes first.
  • Position requires a professional engineering degree at the bachelor's level from an ABET accredited institution is required. Advanced degrees are preferred.

Qualifications

The 0855 series has an individual occupational requirement that must be met and can be viewed here. In addition to the above requirements you can view the experience level requirements here. Please scroll down to the 4th section titled Professional and Scientific Positions.

Additional information

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here:

Interviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position.

United States Space Force Forces

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA) will be used to form a pool of qualified applicants who will be considered for direct hire vacancies as they become available.

To learn more about the United States Space Force Mission click here

Agency contact information

US Space Force Enterprise Talent Management
Email
HQ.USSF.TalentAcquisition@spaceforce.mil
Address
USSF - United States Space Force Forces
1670 Space Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330
US

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