Advanced Lead Engineer - RF Microsystems - GE Aerospace Research

GE Aerospace•Elgin Township, IL

2d•$112,000 - $186,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Microsystems team at GE Aerospace Research is seeking an Advanced Lead Engineer to research and develop RF Microsystems and integrate them into aerospace products. The primary focus is designing and testing RF Microsystem solutions for harsh-environment RF sensing, with additional work in mmWave communications and THz spectroscopy. The role works with a multidisciplinary team to develop low size, weight, and power (SWaP) solutions, communicate with stakeholders, collaborate with external partners, and develop solutions tailored to customer needs. The posting also contains extensive responsibilities and qualifications for a senior robotics and autonomy research leadership role, including ownership of long-range research portfolios, robotics and autonomy program strategy, external funding, talent development, and advancement of GE Aerospace Research’s operating model. These details appear alongside the RF Microsystems description in the supplied posting. The role requires work from GE Aerospace Research’s office in Niskayuna, New York, and access to U.S. export-controlled information. Employment requires qualifying U.S. Person status and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance. The listed base pay range is $112,000–$186,000 annually, with eligibility for an annual discretionary bonus. The posting is expected to close December 30, 2026. Relocation assistance is provided.

Requirements

PhD in a relevant engineering discipline with at least 3 years of related experience, or an MS in a relevant engineering discipline with at least 5 years of related experience.
Demonstrated experience designing and testing active and passive RF electronic structures and devices.
Demonstrated ability to design, simulate, fabricate, and test RF circuits.
Experience with RF simulation tools such as Ansys HFSS, CST Studio Suite, ADS, Sonnet, and Momentum.
Willingness to work from the Niskayuna, New York office.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance; U.S. citizenship is a prerequisite for clearance.
PhD in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
At least 15 years of progressive research and technical leadership experience across autonomous systems, robotics, machine learning, and/or human-machine teaming, with applied work translating research into demonstrated business or operational impact.
Record of shaping and owning outcomes across R&D portfolios, including business framing, technical execution, team formation, capital and lab investment planning, and stage-gated decisions.
Track record of moving robotics or autonomy technology from research into demonstration or deployment in an operational setting, creating measurable value.
Demonstrated success securing external research funding from public or private sources.
Strong technical depth in at least two of the following areas: collaborative autonomy and human-robot collaboration; machine learning, including deep learning, reinforcement learning, and LLM-based agents; cognitive and intelligent systems; computer vision and multimodal perception; task and motion planning; or assurance and safety for autonomous systems.
Legal authorization to work in the United States; employment visas will not be sponsored for this opening.
Ability to attain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance and meet U.S. Person status requirements for access to export-controlled information.
Demonstrates ownership of outcomes and actively works to secure needed support.
Communicates clearly, listens to input, and seeks clarification with curiosity.
Collaborates effectively across technical domains, business units, and external partners.
Can work through ambiguity by developing hypotheses, decisions, and progress toward business outcomes.
Coaches and mentors others and develops future technical leaders.
Demonstrates curiosity, ongoing learning, and openness to challenge.

Nice To Haves

Expertise designing and characterizing RF systems with connectorized and free-space interfaces.
Experience evaluating RF sensor performance against simulation.
Exposure to precision analog circuits, such as amplifiers, ADC/DAC interfaces, or sensor front ends.
Exposure to embedded system design involving FPGA, DSP, and microcontrollers.
Ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Proficiency with statistical tools and statistical analysis.
Experience using AI tools to improve productivity.
Strong presentation, speaking, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail.
Familiarity with RF circuit fabrication and integration techniques.
Ability to adapt to change and work flexibly in a global team environment.
Recognized thought leader in robotics, autonomy, or applied AI with sustained external visibility.
Strong publication and patent record in robotics, autonomy, or AI, with peer-reviewed contributions to leading journals or conferences.
Experience leading a research lab or discipline in a corporate research center or comparable organization, including staffing, capital planning, and roadmap ownership.
Experience leading or serving as principal investigator on an ARM Institute, NSF I/UCRC, DARPA, or equivalent consortium-style program.
Established relationships across robotics academia, national laboratories, robot platform companies, and startups.
Working knowledge of GE Aerospace manufacturing and MRO operations, or comparable high-consequence industrial operations.
Experience allocating internal research seed funding and defending stop, pivot, or scale decisions on high-visibility programs.

Responsibilities

Work with scientists, engineers, and technicians to develop state-of-the-art Microsystems enabling low size, weight, and power solutions.
Communicate status updates to key stakeholders within and outside GE Aerospace Research.
Design and test RF Microsystems using simulation software and wafer-level and module-level test capabilities.
Collaborate with industrial, Department of Defense, and academic partners on system-level solutions.
Work directly with customers to understand their needs and identify future opportunities.
Build RF Microsystem solutions tailored to customer needs.
Ensure the safety of people engaged in the technical scope of the work, including people working alongside robotic and autonomous systems.
Scan and interpret external developments in academia, national laboratories, startups, competitors, and adjacent industries, and translate them into long-range technology perspectives.
Discover and drive technological advancements in robotics, autonomy, and human-machine teaming toward long-term business outcomes.
Define and own program outcomes, including the business thesis, risk retirement, milestones, operations, quality, and delivery.
Integrate multidisciplinary capabilities across GE Aerospace Research and external organizations.
Identify opportunities for robotics and autonomy across manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul, services, products, and emerging domains.
Use technology strategy, roadmaps, scouting, and portfolio choices to pursue competitive advantage and business outcomes.
Make transparent go, no-go, and pivot decisions at stage gates, and discontinue work that no longer meets its business-value hypothesis.
Shape strategic partnerships with robotics platform companies, academia, and national laboratories.
Develop and win externally funded programs and coach principal investigators on technical framing, program capture, and reviews.
Use internal research and development funding as seed capital to prove high-upside concepts, retire risk, and position the organization for further funding and business commitments.
Build relationships with GE Aerospace product, engineering, manufacturing, MRO, and services leaders to understand business priorities and future needs.
Recruit, mentor, and develop technical talent across the robotics and autonomy community.
Represent GE Aerospace externally through keynotes, university engagements, workshops, and strategic partnerships.
Help shape and improve the ARO operating model and its processes for selecting, executing, and transitioning advanced research.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
Health Coach access and Employee Assistance Program.
GE Aerospace Retirement Savings Plan with 401(k) matching and company retirement contributions.
Fidelity resources and planning consultants.
Tuition assistance.
Adoption assistance.
Paid parental leave.
Disability insurance.
Life insurance.
Paid time off for vacation or illness.
Annual discretionary bonus eligibility.
Relocation assistance.
Professional development opportunities.