Senior RF System Engineer | UAV & Telecommunications

I’m working with an innovative engineering business developing advanced RF and telecommunications systems, and they’re looking for a Senior RF System Engineer to join their team. This role spans the full product lifecycle, from requirements and design through to testing and manufacturing, for systems that may include GNSS receivers, wideband radio transceivers, and ground or air units with capabilities such as multi-channel aggregation, anti-jamming, anti-spoofing, ciphering and jamming detection.

What you’ll be doing

• Defining system-level technical requirements from business needs or case studies
• Designing and developing system architectures, optimised for challenging operational conditions
• Performing communication link budget analyses and optimisations, accounting for transmit power, antenna gains, propagation losses, noise figures, and required signal-to-noise ratios
• Validating RF performance through testing and measurement, including laboratory and field tests, and analysing results to ensure compliance
• Designing and simulating wave propagation models to predict signal coverage in dynamic UAV operating environments
• Maintaining project documentation under version control
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to resolve trade-offs and meet project objectives

What they’re looking for

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering or a closely related discipline
• 5+ years’ experience designing and developing RF systems
• Strong knowledge and experience in antenna design and optimisation
• Solid understanding of wireless communications, modulation/demodulation techniques and SDR concepts
• Strong knowledge of digital, mixed-signal and power circuits, as well as EMC/EMI control at layout and system level
• Knowledge of PCB-defined antennas, waveguides, RF filters and antenna theory
• Familiarity with FPGA and DSP concepts at the system level
• Experience with ECAD tools is advantageous
• Understanding of version control systems (e.g. GIT) and managing project data
• Practical experience building prototypes and debugging with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers, VNAs
• Ability to lead projects and work collaboratively with mechanical, PCB and software engineering teams
• English language proficiency – Upper Intermediate or higher