Radio Frequency PCB Design Engineer

Orion Edge Group • Town "n" Country, FL

2d • $95,000 - $115,000

About The Position

As an RF PCB Design Engineer at Orion Edge, you will own the physical realization of our radio frequency hardware. Every emitter, receiver, and signal chain we field begins as a schematic and a set of simulated geometries, and you are the engineer who turns those into manufacturable, high-performance boards that survive contact with the real world. In this role, you will lead complex layer stack-ups, route controlled-impedance transmission lines, and enforce the layout discipline that separates a design that works in simulation from a design that works in the field. You will partner directly with our RF Design & Simulations Engineers to preserve modeled performance through fabrication, and with our board houses to get exotic substrates built correctly the first time. If you want your boards flying, driving, and swimming on real missions within months rather than years, you are the ideal fit for this team.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience performing RF/microwave or high-speed digital PCB layout in a product development environment.
• Demonstrated experience using Altium Designer specifically for RF/microwave or high-speed digital PCB layout, including constraint-driven routing, rules management, and library discipline.
• Proven ability to design and route controlled-impedance structures - microstrip, stripline, grounded coplanar waveguide - and to execute clean launches, transitions, and connector interfaces.
• Strong understanding of RF laminates and substrates, dielectric constants, loss tangents, copper roughness, and how real fabrication tolerances impact RF performance.
• Familiarity with interpreting RF schematics and a working understanding of core RF concepts, including S-parameters, wavelength scaling, impedance matching, and return path behavior.
• Demonstrated command of grounding strategy, shielding, compartmentalization, and layout-driven mitigation of coupling, leakage, and spurious paths.
• Hands-on experience generating and releasing complete fabrication and assembly data packages, and working directly with board houses on DFM and DFA feedback.
• Working familiarity with IPC standards applicable to design and fabrication (e.g., IPC-2221, IPC-2141, IPC-6012 Class 2/3).
• Must be a U.S. citizen and must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. This position requires access to export-controlled technical data under ITAR and EAR.

Nice To Haves

• Prior RF layout work on electronic warfare, SIGINT, radar, counter-UAS, or tactical communications hardware.
• Hands-on experience with Rogers, Taconic, Isola, and PTFE-based laminates, hybrid stack-ups, and bonded multi-material constructions.
• Demonstrated layout experience spanning HF through Ka-band, particularly designs above 6 GHz.
• Experience running or interpreting EM extraction and co-simulation results (Ansys HFSS, Keysight ADS Momentum/RFPro, or similar) to validate layout geometry before release.
• Experience laying out printed wire assemblies for high-power transmit chains, including thermal relief, copper coin or heavy copper construction, and coupled thermal/RF trade-offs.
• Comfort working in ECAD/MCAD co-design flows and collaborating with mechanical engineers on enclosure, connector, and thermal integration.
• Familiarity with designing hardware intended to pass MIL-STD-810 environmental and MIL-STD-461 EMI/EMC qualification.
• IPC Certified Interconnect Designer (CID or CID+).
• Experience with flex and rigid-flex construction in space-constrained assemblies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the physical layout of RF, microwave, and mixed-signal printed circuit boards using Altium Designer, from floor-planning through manufacturing release.
• Manage complex multi-layer stack-ups and route controlled-impedance traces - microstrip, stripline, and grounded coplanar waveguide - to hold strict signal integrity across targeted frequency bands.
• Implement RF layout best practices including via stitching and via fencing, shielding and compartmentalization, ground pour management, and isolation techniques that minimize crosstalk, EMI, and parasitic capacitance and inductance.
• Work closely with RF Design Engineers to translate schematic requirements and simulated geometries into highly accurate physical layouts, preserving modeled performance from EM tool to fabricated board.
• Prepare complete manufacturing packages - Gerbers, ODB++, drill files, fabrication and assembly drawings, and stack-up documentation - and collaborate with board houses and assembly partners on specialized RF substrates and process tolerances.
• Partition and route boards that combine RF front ends with high-speed digital, SDR/FPGA interfaces, and sensitive analog and power sections without compromising any of them.
• Support lab bring-up and characterization alongside design and test engineers, using measured results to close the loop on layout decisions and improve the next spin.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level