RF Design Engineer

Ultralife Corporation•Village of Newark, NY

2h•$100,000 - $125,000

About The Position

Ultralife is seeking a hands-on RF Design Engineer to support development of military-focused RF power-amplifier and electronic systems operating from approximately 30 MHz through 6 GHz. The role covers a broad range of RF disciplines, including broadband matching networks and custom magnetics at lower frequencies and microwave circuit design, PCB layout, simulation, and testing at higher frequencies. The successful candidate will contribute technical work while developing capability to take on increasingly complex design responsibilities. The engineer will design, simulate, lay out, prototype, validate, and improve RF power amplifiers, filters, matching networks, and related subsystems. The work combines disciplined laboratory experimentation and hardware troubleshooting with collaboration across mechanical, electrical, embedded-software, manufacturing, and test teams. The position also supports integration, design transfer, production troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of released RF products.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline, with coursework or practical experience in RF, microwave, electromagnetics, or communication electronics.
Approximately 3 to 5 years of practical RF or microwave circuit-development experience is preferred; candidates with different experience levels may be considered based on demonstrated hands-on capability and growth potential.
Experience designing, testing, or troubleshooting RF amplifiers, matching networks, filters, or similar RF circuits.
Working knowledge of RF fundamentals, including impedance matching, S-parameters, gain, noise, stability, harmonics, linearity, and transmission-line behavior.
Experience operating common RF laboratory instrumentation and interpreting measured results.
Experience with RF simulation and ECAD tools.
Ability to perform prototype assembly, soldering, rework, tuning, and component-level troubleshooting.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and technical-documentation skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.
Curiosity, persistence, adaptability, and willingness to build, measure, troubleshoot, modify, and retest hardware until technical objectives are achieved.
Current U.S. Government Secret security clearance or ability to obtain and maintain one.

Nice To Haves

RF power-amplifier design or test experience.
Experience with broadband RF designs covering VHF, UHF, L-band, S-band, or C-band frequencies.
Experience with broadband transformers, baluns, combiners, transmission-line structures, or custom magnetics.
Experience with high-power RF characterization, thermal management, stability analysis, harmonic filtering, or load-mismatch testing.
Familiarity with military, rugged, or high-reliability electronic systems.
Exposure to embedded control devices, including microcontrollers, CPLDs, or FPGAs.
Familiarity with digital interfaces such as I2C, SPI, and RS-232.

Responsibilities

Design, simulate, prototype, and test RF and microwave circuits from approximately 30 MHz to 6 GHz, including power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, filters, matching networks, and related components.
Develop and optimize RF power-amplifier designs with output power generally ranging from 20 to 100 watts.
Design and evaluate broadband impedance-matching structures, transformers, baluns, combiners, filters, and custom magnetic components where applicable.
Perform RF circuit and electromagnetic simulation using Keysight ADS, AWR, HFSS, or comparable tools.
Create and review schematics and RF-sensitive PCB layout features, including component placement, controlled-impedance routing, grounding, and shielding.
Assemble, modify, tune, and troubleshoot prototypes using RF laboratory instrumentation and related equipment.
Evaluate gain, efficiency, linearity, harmonics, spurious response, stability, thermal performance, and tolerance to load mismatch where applicable.
Use measured data to identify design deficiencies, develop technical hypotheses, conduct controlled experiments, and implement improvements.
Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, embedded-software, manufacturing, and test personnel to integrate RF designs into complete systems.
Support design and integration of DC power supplies, bias circuits, protection circuits, thermal-management features, and embedded control functions for RF subsystems.
Prepare design documentation, analyses, test results, design-review materials, and engineering change information.
Support design transfer, production troubleshooting, component substitutions, and continuous improvement of released RF products.