Principal RF Test Engineer

Intellisense Systems Inc•Torrance, CA

21h•$137,000 - $175,000•Onsite

About The Position

Intellisense Systems, Inc. is seeking a highly experienced Principal RF Test Engineer to lead the development, execution, and improvement of RF test strategies for advanced aerospace and defense systems. This role requires deep technical expertise in RF and microwave testing, strong system-level troubleshooting skills, and the ability to lead test activities from development through qualification, production, and customer acceptance. The Principal RF Test Engineer will work closely with RF, electrical, systems, software, manufacturing, teams to ensure products meet performance, reliability, and contractual requirements. The successful candidate will be a hands-on technical leader capable of solving complex RF issues, developing robust automated test solutions, mentoring engineers, and driving test discipline across multiple programs.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, RF/Microwave Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
Typically 10+ years of relevant RF, microwave, or system test engineering experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Extensive hands-on experience testing RF and microwave hardware and systems.
Strong understanding of RF fundamentals including S-parameters, impedance matching, gain, noise figure, compression, intermodulation, harmonics, phase noise, sensitivity, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio.
Strong experience using RF test equipment such as: Vector Network Analyzers, Spectrum Analyzers, RF/Microwave Signal Generators, Power Meters, Oscilloscopes, Noise Figure Analyzers.
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex RF systems down to the assembly, board, or component level.
Experience developing test plans, procedures, verification methods, and formal test reports.
Experience with automated test development using Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, C/C++, or similar tools.
Experience interfacing laboratory instrumentation using protocols such as GPIB, Ethernet/LAN, USB, or serial interfaces.
Strong understanding of calibration, measurement accuracy, uncertainty, repeatability, and test equipment limitations.
Experience supporting engineering development as well as production test environments.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate complex technical issues to engineering teams, program leadership, customers, and suppliers.
Demonstrated technical leadership and ability to independently lead complex engineering test activities.

Nice To Haves

Experience with aerospace, defense, radar, electronic warfare, communications, SIGINT, RF sensing, or mission-system applications.
Experience testing receivers, transmitters, transceivers, antennas, amplifiers, filters, frequency converters, or other RF subsystems.
Experience with environmental qualification testing and military/aerospace standards.
Experience with EMI/EMC testing and standards such as MIL-STD-461.
Familiarity with MIL-STD-810 environmental testing.
Experience working on ruggedized, low-SWaP-C embedded RF systems.
Experience with requirements management, verification matrices, and configuration-controlled development environments.
Experience supporting qualification, First Article Testing, Acceptance Test Procedures, and production readiness.
Experience developing automated production test stations and improving manufacturing test yield.

Responsibilities

Lead RF and microwave test activities for development, integration, qualification, verification, and production programs.
Develop comprehensive test plans, procedures, test methods, and acceptance criteria based on system and subsystem requirements.
Design, develop, and validate RF test setups for modules, assemblies, and integrated systems.
Perform testing and characterization of RF systems across parameters such as gain, noise figure, frequency response, output power, linearity, harmonics, spurious emissions, sensitivity, phase, and signal integrity.
Operate and configure RF laboratory equipment including vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, power meters, noise-figure analyzers, and related instrumentation.
Lead troubleshooting and root-cause investigation of complex RF hardware, system, and test failures.
Analyze test data, identify trends and anomalies, and provide clear technical conclusions and corrective-action recommendations.
Develop and improve automated RF test systems and test software to increase repeatability, efficiency, coverage, and production throughput.
Establish test requirements, test architecture, instrumentation needs, fixtures, calibration requirements, and measurement uncertainty expectations.
Support environmental and qualification testing, including temperature, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC, and other applicable qualification activities.
Support design reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and other customer or internal technical reviews.
Participate in requirements verification and traceability to ensure test coverage satisfies contractual and system requirements.
Work closely with design engineering to improve design-for-testability and identify potential performance or manufacturing issues early in the development lifecycle.
Support manufacturing and production teams with test station development, troubleshooting, yield improvement, failure analysis, and transition from engineering to production.
Develop and maintain test documentation, test reports, verification evidence, and configuration-controlled test artifacts.
Interface with customers, suppliers, and external test facilities as the RF test technical lead when required.
Mentor junior and senior engineers and provide technical guidance on RF measurement techniques, troubleshooting, and test methodology.
Drive continuous improvement of RF test processes, tools, automation, and engineering best practices.
Support proposal activities by developing test approaches, labor estimates, schedules, equipment requirements, technical content, and risk assessments.