Research Innovations
Principal Radio Frequency Engineer
$133K–$196K
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD · On-site · Principal · Full-time · Posted Mar 19, 2026
- Experience
- 6+ years designing, building, and testing RF signal collection systems; 3+ years in SIGINT or related fields.
About the job
Designs, prototypes, and sustains RF signal-collection systems for EW/SIGINT missions, supporting operational capabilities onsite at Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
What you'll do
- Design and optimize RF systems, including antenna selection, placement, integration, link budgets, and propagation modeling.
- Develop and prototype solutions in laboratory and field environments; support and sustain deployed operational systems.
- Document RF components and system architectures, review engineering materials, resolve change requests, and conduct reliability and safety assessments.
What they ask for
- 6+ years of hands-on experience designing, building, and testing RF signal collection systems.
- 3+ years of experience in SIGINT or related fields (DoD, IC, or defense contractors).
- Strong understanding of RF fundamentals, including signal propagation, antenna theory, and link budget analysis.
- Experience in Agile environments using tools such as Jira and Confluence; proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Project and Visio.
Nice to have
- Experience with MATLAB or STK; familiarity with DOORS Next Gen.
- Experience supporting QRC programs or field testing/deployed RF/SIGINT systems.
Pay
USD 132,800–196,000 per year (base salary)
Tools
Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Office, Project, Visio, MATLAB, STK, DOORS Next Gen
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative