Amazon Leo is Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite constellation initiative designed to bring fast, affordable broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world. We are building a next-generation satellite system from the ground up — designing everything from the spacecraft and payload to the ground infrastructure and customer terminals. This is a rare opportunity to join a team that is shaping the future of global connectivity at scale.
We are looking for a Broadband Phased Array Architect to join the Payload Architecture team in San Diego. You will be a key technical contributor to the architecture of our broadband satellite payload — a Ka-band multi-beam phased array system that delivers high-throughput connectivity to proprietary customer terminals on the ground. You will work alongside experienced architects and engineers, helping shape the broadband phased array architecture as it evolves through current and future satellite generations.
This role uniquely spans both RF and digital domains. You will need depth in digital beamforming architectures including FPGA and ASIC platforms, high-speed serial interconnects, beamforming algorithm implementation, and capacity mode management. You will also need Ka-band RF front-end experience and understanding of multi-beam satellite link design.
You will define phased array requirements and work with the verification team to validate them through test. You will collaborate with systems, HW design, silicon, antenna, modem, calibration, thermal, power, mechanical, reliability, communication systems, regulatory, and verification teams to ensure architecture and requirements are achievable.
Beyond the current payload, you will evaluate emerging technologies and contribute to the architecture roadmap for future satellite generations — including new digital beamforming approaches, advanced interconnects, and next-generation semiconductor processes. This is a hands-on role — you will be in the lab, in the data, and on call when satellites are live. If you have experience with multi-beam satellite payloads or Ka-band phased arrays, we want to hear from you.
Export Control Requirement:
Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Key job responsibilities
● Translate high-level throughput and coverage requirements into broadband payload requirements — accounting for thermal, power, mechanical, reliability, and mass constraints
● Propose and own the broadband phased array architecture spanning the full signal chain from Ka-band antenna element through RF front-end through digital beamforming backbone to modem interface
● Work with systems, HW design, antenna, silicon, and calibration teams to realize the architecture
● Contribute to customer link performance — working with systems and customer terminal teams to meet end-to-end link requirements
● Define phased array requirements that flow from system-level needs down to subsystem and component specifications
● Work with the verification team to develop test plans that validate those requirements
● Define signal integrity requirements for high-speed serial links based on SerDes technology selection, and review analysis performed by the SI team
● Support Ka-band RF front-end architecture trade studies across multiple semiconductor process technologies
● Drive capacity mode management architecture — how the payload scales beams and reconfigures resources based on demand
● Evaluate emerging technologies to inform the next generation architecture roadmap
● Support production and on-orbit debug — this role is hands-on and on-call
A day in the life
You split your time between the current program and next generation. On any given day you might translate throughput requirements into payload requirements, review beamforming simulations, define signal integrity requirements for serial links, run capacity mode trade studies, or refine requirements based on verification testability. You contribute to customer link analysis and work across HW design, antenna, silicon, and calibration teams to realize the architecture. Some weeks you evaluate new digital beamforming approaches and define the architecture roadmap for future satellites. Other days you are in the lab checking results or supporting production debug.
About the team
The Payload Architecture team is part of the Antenna organization at Amazon Leo. We are a small group of senior architects responsible for the phased array architecture across Amazon Leo’s satellite programs. We define the architecture, drive requirements, run trade studies, and make sure everything works from prototype through orbit. Our scope extends to customer link performance — working with systems and customer terminal teams to close end-to-end link budgets. We work closely with every engineering team on the payload and pride ourselves on being hands-on problem solvers. We are based in San Diego.
