Spectrum Management and Analysis Specialist
AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.
Position Overview
This role leads spectrum‑cleanliness monitoring and interference analysis across satellite gateway sites and cellular beams, safeguarding spectrum integrity and service quality. You will own continuous RF‑environment assessment—including noise‑floor baselining, interference triage, spectrum‑occupancy evaluation, and field‑of‑view (FoV) availability—to ensure AST SpaceMobile gateways, terminals, and partner networks operate within expected RF conditions.
Through continuous scans, automated baselining, and structured FoV assessments, the role provides acceptance and operations teams with clear, actionable visibility into spectrum risks. By developing and publishing dashboards, thresholds, and response playbooks, this function enables proactive mitigation, supports regulatory alignment, and protects persistence, availability, and service‑quality targets across all markets.
Key Responsibilities
Spectrum Monitoring & Noise‑Floor Baselines
- Operate routine spectrum scans on satellite gateways, cells, and test beds.
- Establish and maintain noise‑floor and FoV availability baselines for all markets.
- Detect anomalies, transient interference, and abnormal uplink conditions.
Interference Analysis & RCA
- Identify, triage, and characterize interference sources (in‑band, OOB, PIM, passive vs. active).
- Develop Root‑Cause Analysis (RCA) inputs and provide remediation recommendations.
- Support live troubleshooting for NOC, labs, and field/acceptance teams.
Spectrum Dashboards & Reporting
- Publish spectrum‑health dashboards, KPIs, and occupancy reports.
- Define RF health thresholds and alerting rules for gateways and service beams.
- Maintain playbooks and interference‑response guides for operational teams.
Regulatory Coordination & Market Support
- Collaborate with regulatory teams on spectrum use, licensing compliance, and interference notifications.
- Support cross‑market regulatory engagements, especially for shared bands and cross‑border interference.
- Coordinate with partners, operators, and vendors on RF cleanliness and mitigation requirements.
Cross‑Team Technical Support
- Provide RF environment insights to NOC, performance, lab, field engineering, and acceptance teams.
- Feed spectrum data into acceptance testing, gateway commissioning, and network optimization.
- Participate in FoV modelling, coverage planning inputs, and beam‑availability analysis.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, RF Engineering, or related field
- 4+ years in spectrum monitoring, RF analysis, spectrum management, or interference engineering in telecom, satellite, defense, or wireless networks.
- Hands‑on experience with spectrum analyzers, scanning receivers, drive‑test tools, or automated RF monitoring systems.
- Experience working with regulatory frameworks (FCC, ITU, regional regulators) preferred.
Preferred
- Satellite or gateway spectrum management experience.
- Familiarity with 3GPP air‑interface fundamentals (uplink channels, interference impact, RF behavior).
- Experience with interference hunting (TSC, IMD/PIM, rogue emitters, external interference).
- Experience with spectrum automation, RF data visualization, or spectrum‑intelligence platforms.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong knowledge of RF engineering and RF diagnostic skills and understanding of interference mechanisms.
- Ability to analyze spectral data at scale and produce actionable insights.
- Hands‑on use of RF scanning, monitoring, and analysis tools.
- Clear communicator across engineering, NOC, labs, and regulatory teams.
- Strong problem‑solving and structured RCA abilities.
- Experience documenting and presenting RF findings clearly and concisely.
Cross‑Functional Interfaces
- Internal: RF Engineering, NOC/Operations, Satellite Systems, Network Performance, Labs & Test, Regulatory, Market Enablement, Program/Project Management.
- External: Spectrum regulators, telecom operators, equipment vendors, monitoring‑tool providers, and partner gateway operators.
Tools / Standards / Methods
- Spectrum analyzers, scanning receivers, automated RF‑monitoring platforms.
- Noise‑floor trending, occupancy analysis, FFT‑based diagnostics.
- ITU/FCC/global regulatory guidelines.
- Standard interference‑hunting methods (drive scans, directional analysis, isolation tests).
- Visualization/analytics tools for spectrum reporting and dashboards.
Performance Metrics
Success measured by:
- Gateway RF health KPIs and spectrum‑cleanliness stability.
- Reduction of interference events and faster RCA/mitigation cycles.
- Accuracy and completeness of spectrum dashboards and reports.
- Regulatory compliance adherence and successful partner coordination.
- Cross‑team satisfaction with spectrum insights and responsiveness.
Physical Requirements
- Role based in US and can be done remotely
- Ability to work in lab environments and occasional field locations.
- Travel to gateway sites, markets, and partners (~20–30%).
- Flexibility for operational escalations outside normal hours.
This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.
AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.