Senior Principal RF Engineer

Role Overview

CHAOS is seeking a Sr. Principal RF Engineer with deep expertise in RF circuit design to serve as a technical authority for high-reliability RF and microwave electronics used in aerospace and defense applications. This role spans the full product lifecycle, from early architecture and requirements shaping through detailed design, simulation, verification, production support, and fielded system sustainment.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, analysis, prototyping, and tuning of complex RF circuit boards incorporating catalog MMICs, including LNAs, power amplifiers, baluns, filters, mixers, and associated bias and matching networks
• Lead architecture development and component trade studies to meet system-level RF performance requirements across programs or product lines
• Set direction for schematics, layouts, and design documentation in accordance with customer requirements, aerospace standards, and internal design practices
• Guide PCB layout (Altium) and RF stack-up definition, including impedance control, grounding, shielding, and isolation techniques
• Lead RF testing and characterization, including integration and troubleshooting at the board, module, and subsystem levels
• Set direction for the design and specification of RF test equipment, fixtures, and automation
• Mentor engineers and drive cross-disciplinary technical alignment across systems, power, digital, mechanical, and software teams to ensure RF designs integrate cleanly within larger systems
• Set technical direction from development through production and post-production, including failure analysis and field support

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with 15+ years of progressively responsible RF engineering experience
• Demonstrated technical leadership developing RF hardware for aerospace, defense, avionics, radar, EW, communications, or space systems
• Expert understanding of RF fundamentals, including gain, noise figure, linearity, phase noise, stability, and impedance matching
• Hands-on experience leading RF test activities using RF test equipment (e.g., VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters)
• Strong attention to detail and ability to set technical direction in fast-paced, development-focused environments
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

Preferred Requirements

• Advanced Degree (MS or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or related discipline
• Recognized expertise with power amplifier design, analysis, and integration
• Expertise with EMI/EMC considerations for RF systems and compliance with applicable aerospace standards
• Experience setting direction for mixed-signal or RF/digital interfaces
• Knowledge of manufacturing considerations for RF hardware, including tolerance analysis and yield drivers
• Experience leading support for production hardware and fielded systems
• Experience setting RF PCB layout best practices and design-for-manufacturing considerations
• Familiarity with DO-160, MIL-STD-461, or similar aerospace/defense standards
• Familiarity with RF antenna design principles