RF Test Engineer

ALGEBRAIT•El Cajon, CA

1d•$50 - $60•Onsite

About The Position

The RF Test Engineer will be responsible for configuring, calibrating, and operating multi-axis OTA anechoic test chambers for FR1 and FR2 frequency ranges. This role involves performing comprehensive radiated measurements, validating satellite positioning performance, and conducting RF Desensitization investigations. The engineer will also ensure test plan compliance with CTIA, 3GPP, and operator requirements, analyze test data, and interface with TCB teams for regulatory submissions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, or a highly related technical discipline.
2 to 5+ years of direct, hands-on experience in an RF laboratory environment specifically executing OTA testing.
Deep familiarity with conical-cut and great-circle-cut anechoic chamber testing geometries.
Solid baseline knowledge of 5G NR (SA/NSA), LTE Advanced, Wi-Fi 7 / 6E (802.11be/ax), Bluetooth, and UWB physical layer parameters.
Hands-on operational mastery of network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, and radio communication testers (e.g., Keysight UXM 5G, Rohde & Schwarz CMX500 / CMW500, Anritsu MT8000A).
Experience utilizing automated lab software suites (e.g., ETS-Lindgren EMQuest, R&S AMS32).
Solid grasp of Smith charts, impedance matching, polarization alignment, Friis transmission equations, and measurement uncertainty calculations.
A methodical approach to isolating variables when troubleshooting system anomalies or uncharacteristic device failures inside the chamber.
Strong attention to detail when logging hardware configurations, test settings, and EUT (Equipment Under Test) software build versions.
Ability to clearly explain complex radiated failures and spatial pattern nulls to non-RF internal partners.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree with an RF/Electromagnetics focus preferred.
Proficiency in Python for parsing .csv data files and interfacing with instrument APIs is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Configure, calibrate, and operate multi-axis OTA anechoic test chambers (e.g., ETS-Lindgren AMS systems) across FR1 (Sub-6 GHz) and FR2 (mmWave) frequency ranges.
Perform comprehensive radiated measurements including TRP, TIS, EIRP, EIS, and MIMO OTA throughput testing.
Validate satellite positioning performance by executing A-GNSS (GPS/Glonass/Galileo) OTA sensitivity evaluations.
Conduct systematic RF Desensitization (Desense) investigations to isolate internal platform noise (e.g., from display panels, high-speed digital buses, or power supplies) degrading receiver performance.
Maintain chamber verification logs, performing routine range calibrations (path loss measurements using standard gain horn antennas) to ensure measurement repeatability and system accuracy.
Execute testing matrices in strict accordance with CTIA Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance, 3GPP Technical Specifications (TS 38.521 / 38.151), and specific North American wireless operator requirements.
Analyze test data against strict regulatory and carrier acceptance limits, identifying and logging edge-case failures.
Interface directly with the Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB) team and project managers to package validation data for formal regulatory submissions (FCC, CE, ISED).