RF Design Engineer - Computational Electromagnetics

Battelle • Columbus, OH

9d • Hybrid

About The Position

Battelle is seeking a Radio Frequency (RF) Microwave Design Engineer for the Electronic Warfare group within the Advanced Microsystem Solutions Business Line, based at Battelle Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Travel may be required. The Mid-Level engineer will lead tasks in developing complex RF/microwave transceiver systems, designing and modeling antennas and multilayer PCBs with transmit/receive components for communications, cyber, and electronic warfare solutions.

The role requires substantial microwave/RF design experience, including impedance matching with Smith charts, electromagnetic simulation, and validation using microwave test equipment. The engineer will work closely with antenna engineers on phased-array antennas and apply foundational antenna theory and knowledge of electronic beam steering and direction finding. The position provides technical leadership and subject-matter expertise while performing design, prototyping, analysis, testing, fabrication, and integration of RF/microwave systems, cards, and components into multidisciplinary solutions. The engineer will also present technical material to peers, program leadership, and customers and contribute to new business development.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field and 8 or more years of experience; or a master’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field and 5 or more years of experience; or a PhD in electrical engineering or a related field and 2 or more years of experience.
• Experience analyzing, designing, prototyping, and integrating microwave/RF systems, subsystems, and components.
• ECAD design experience using software such as Mentor Xpedition and PADS, Cadence Virtuoso and Allegro, or Altium Designer.
• Knowledge of antenna fundamentals and radiation theory, including Smith charts, impedance matching, and radiation patterns.
• Knowledge of microwave/RF circuits and transmission-line theory, including design of single- or multilayer boards using CPW, microstrip, or stripline and impedance-matching techniques.
• Experience using computational electromagnetics software such as HFSS and ADS (Momentum, FEM, etc.) to create models from concept through final board layout.
• Experience validating and debugging discrepancies between models or simulations and measurements of the final product.
• Experience modeling off-the-shelf components such as power combiners/splitters, power amplifiers, LNAs, baluns, and phase shifters in board designs.
• Experience testing with standard electrical and RF/microwave equipment, including vector network analyzers, power meters, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, noise sources, multimeters, and signal sources.
• Hands-on design experience with electromagnetic simulation and modeling tools such as HFSS, CST, ADS, Genesys, and/or AWR.
• Experience with technical writing for proposals, white papers, test plans, and reports.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Experience designing RF/microwave printed circuit boards (PCBs) and card carrier assemblies (CCAs).
• Experience designing RF/microwave features such as frequency conversion, automatic gain control, custom amplification circuits, matching networks, and filters.
• Experience integrating high-frequency electronics into packages using CCAs and/or chip-and-wire technology.
• Experience using MATLAB for modeling, analysis, and design of free-space RF links, electronic beam steering patterns, digital signal processing, or related subject matter.
• Experience creating or working with RF/microwave link budgets to drive system requirements.
• Experience working with software-defined radios (SDRs), including using them in RF system cascades and writing software for them.
• Familiarity with board layout tools, specifically Mentor PADS Pro for ECAD design.
• Experience designing, testing, and integrating active electronically steered antennas (AESAs).
• Familiarity with the setup and operation of military communications and electronic warfare equipment.
• Current U.S. government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Work independently and direct or coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams to support successful development of RF systems and assemblies.
• Participate in and foster a collaborative RF design culture through iterative modeling, simulation, and measurement.
• Mentor and train junior engineers.
• Develop and mature engineering design processes.
• Coordinate with customers and subcontractors.
• Lead creation of technical content for proposals and white papers.
• Create technical documentation, test plans, and reports.
• Conduct experiments and testing in laboratory and field environments.
• Provide technical leadership and individual execution in the design, prototyping, analysis, testing, fabrication, and integration of RF/microwave systems, cards, and components.

Benefits

• Flexible, compressed work schedule with every other Friday off for most team members.
• Hybrid work arrangement, typically 60% in-office and 40% remote, subject to team and position needs.
• Paid time off.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage, wellness incentives and benefits, and optional supplemental benefits.
• Coverage and support for partners, gender-affirming care, and family formation.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, with a 5% employer contribution for most employees and matching contributions.
• Tuition assistance for higher education.

What This Job Offers

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