Internship / Job

Mission Planner: Radio Amateur Payloads

Company
Estonian Student Satellite
Position address
Tallinn / Tartu/ online
Required languages
English

Details about the role

Team status: Looking for member who love to find the purpose of the satellite

Radio amateur payloads give our teams an opportunity to use the radio amateur frequencies for the communication with the satellite and community involvement. You are responsible for ensuring our satellite "speaks" a language that ground stations can understand and that we have the legal and technical right to use those airwaves. You will be the architect of our communication strategy, from the hardware on the satellite to the antennas on the ground.

Expectations for the candidate

Whether you’re a licensed "ham" or just fascinated by wireless technology, we need someone who is persistent, detail-oriented, and willing to learn various radio-related terminology.

We expect:
- A proactive attitude toward researching international radio regulations and technical standards.
- Strong networking skills to build relationships with ground station operators around the world.
- An interest in RF (Radio Frequency) basics, such as link budgets, modulation, and antenna patterns.
- The ability to translate complex technical requirements into clear coordination documents.

Opportunities

You will lead the effort to integrate a meaningful radio amateur payload into our mission.

Your responsibilities include:
- Analyze previous successful amateur radio missions (like OSCAR satellites) to propose innovative payloads for our mission.
- Navigate the complex world of international regulations to secure frequency assignments, working with organizations like the IARU.
- Coordinate and link up with ground stations both locally (such as Tartu Observatory and Mektory) and with our international partners.
- Ensure our radio systems meet amateur radio standards, allowing the global community to track our satellite and decode its telemetry.
- Act as the liaison between the project and the amateur radio community, providing them with the info they need to interact with our satellite.

Resources for Amateur Radio Missions:
AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation): The gold standard for amateur satellite info.
IARU Satellite Coordination: Guidelines on how to get your satellite’s frequencies approved.
SatNOGS: An open-source network of satellite ground stations you’ll likely work with.

Keywords: IARU, ITU, Ham Radio, Ground Station, Link Budget, VHF/UHF/S-Band, Telemetry, SatNOGS, AX.25

Applying for a job

One can apply until a suitable candidate is found or until the end of the application period.

Application period
25.03.2026 - 31.05.2026
To apply, send us an e-mail