Senior RF Engineer

CHAOS Industries•El Segundo, CA

13h•Onsite

About The Position

CHAOS is seeking a Senior RF Engineer to support the design, analysis, integration, and verification of high-reliability RF and microwave electronics for aerospace and defense applications. This role works as part of a cross-functional, agile development team and spans the full product lifecycle, from early architecture and component trade studies through detailed design, testing, production support, and post-production sustainment of mission-critical systems. This is a hands-on hardware role focused on translating system requirements into robust RF implementations, integrating and troubleshooting prototype hardware, and validating performance through lab and field experimentation. The ideal candidate is comfortable using simulation tools to guide decisions, but is strongest when working with real hardware, real measurements, and real system tradeoffs.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with 7+ years of progressively responsible RF engineering experience, or a Masters with 5+ years, or a PhD with 2+ years of relevant experience
Experience developing RF hardware for aerospace, defense, avionics, radar, EW, communications, or space systems
Strong understanding of RF fundamentals and how they add to system-level performance, including gain, noise figure, linearity, phase noise, stability, and impedance matching
Hands-on experience with RF test equipment (e.g., VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters)
Demonstrated ability to analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve complex RF circuit performance issues
Strong attention to detail and ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, development-focused environments
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

Nice To Haves

Experience with radar, EW, remote sensing, or communications subsystem architecture and performance analysis.
Experience planning and executing lab and field experiments, including test planning, data collection, and measurement correlation.
Experience with RF front-end prototyping and integration, including LNAs, PAs, filters, mixers, frequency conversion chains, and antenna interfaces.
Familiarity with antenna/system integration, EMI/EMC, environmental constraints, and applicable aerospace/defense standards.
Experience correlating simulation, analysis, and measured data to refine designs and retire technical risk.
Experience supporting design reviews, customer interactions, verification planning, and transition from development into production.
Active U.S. security clearance.
Experience with power amplifier design, analysis, and integration
Familiarity with EMI/EMC considerations for RF systems and compliance with applicable aerospace standards
Experience with mixed-signal or RF/digital interfaces
Knowledge of manufacturing considerations for RF hardware, including tolerance analysis and yield drivers
Experience supporting production hardware and fielded systems
Experience with RF PCB layout best practices and design-for-manufacturing considerations
Familiarity with DO-160, MIL-STD-461, or similar aerospace/defense standards

Responsibilities

Design, analyze, prototype, and tune RF circuit boards incorporating catalog MMICs, including LNAs, power amplifiers, baluns, filters, mixers, and associated bias and matching networks
Perform architecture development and component trade studies to meet system-level RF performance requirements
Plan and execute RF testing and characterization, including integration and troubleshooting at the board, module, and subsystem levels
Contribute to the design and specification of RF test equipment, fixtures, and automation
Collaborate with systems, power, digital, mechanical, and software engineers to ensure RF designs integrate cleanly within larger systems
Serve as a technical contributor from development through production and post-production, including failure analysis and field support
Support linear, nonlinear, and electromagnetic simulations using industry-standard tools (e.g., HFSS, ADS, AWR, or equivalent)
Support design, analyze, prototype, and tune RF circuit boards incorporating catalog MMICs, including LNAs, power amplifiers, baluns, filters, mixers, and associated bias and matching networks
Support PCB layout (Altium) and RF stack-up definition, including impedance control, grounding, shielding, and isolation techniques