Principal RF Engineer, EW

Anduril•Costa Mesa, CA

About The Position

Anduril's Electronic Warfare (EW) division builds next-generation electronic warfare platforms — hardware-enabled, software-defined systems that are fielded, operational, and scaling fast. The EW team operates at a tempo the defense industry isn't used to: delivering novel system configurations into active operations in days, not months, securing major contract awards in under 24 hours, and earning unanimous fielding recommendations from government evaluators. Production is scaling from hundreds to thousands of units across multiple product variants, and the release and delivery challenges are scaling with it.

Requirements

B.S. Electrical Engineering or equivalent
7+ years experience
Experience designing complete RF receiver and/or transmitter signal chains using common architectures (direct conversion, zero-IF, single-IF, dual-IF, clock-chains), including cascade analyses and architecture trade-off studies.
Experience with off the shelf discrete RF components like LNAs, filters, mixers, PLLs / synthesizers, oscillators, amplifiers, variable attenuators, switches, power detectors, and limiters.
Experience with high-speed data converters (ADC/DAC), including selection, characterization, integration, and associated anti-alias / reconstruction filter design.
Experience with synthesizer and LO design including PLL loop filter optimization, phase noise analysis, and spur management.
Experience with schematic capture, board bring up, test, and optimization.
Experience with circuit modeling and simulation using tools like Ansys Electronics Desktop (Nexxim, SiWave) and Cadence AWR Microwave Office.
Proficient with RF test equipment including VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, and oscilloscopes.
Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Secret security clearance

Nice To Haves

Experience with 3D EM modeling and simulation (Ansys HFSS, CST, Feko) and nonlinear circuit simulation (harmonic balance, envelope) using tools like AWR Microwave Office.
Familiar with matching circuit, RF filter design, and feedback / control loop design (AGC, ALC, power control).
Experience with RF shielding, cavity design, and isolation techniques for leakage mitigation.
Experience with NPI, manufacturing test development, and production transitions.
Familiar with FPGA or digital backend integration with RF front ends.
Experience with PCB design / layout and guiding layout engineers.
Familiar with programming languages like Python for analysis and test automation.
Familiar with embedded Linux.

Responsibilities

Design and develop complete RF radio architectures (receivers, transmitters, transceivers) from requirements through production.
Architect and design RF up-conversion and down-conversion signal chains, optimizing between noise, distortion, and dynamic range trade-offs.
Modeling, simulation, analysis, design, test, and optimization of active and passive RF and/or mixed signal circuits.
Select, characterize, and integrate high-speed data converters (ADCs and DACs) and associated baseband driving, filtering, and interface circuits.
Design and optimize clock trees, reference oscillators, and LO/synthesizer architectures (DDS, PLL, VCO-based) with emphasis on phase noise, spurious, and settling time.
Perform system-level spur analyses (mixer spurs, synthesizer harmonics, clock coupling, image rejection) and develop mitigation strategies.
Own radio PCBA design and test through the full lifecycle: analysis (harmonic, spur, etc.), component selection (ADC/DAC, mixer, filters, etc.), technical data package (schematic/layout), board bring up, test, DVT/ATP, and new product introduction to manufacturing.
Assist with feasibility studies, requirements definition, and system integration as needed.