Senior Specialist, RF Test Engineer

L3Harris•San Diego, CA

About The Position

L3Harris is seeking an experienced RF Test Engineer to support the design verification, characterization, and integration of automated RF test systems and subsystems (ATS). The role contributes to validation of RF hardware during development, qualification, and manufacturing phases. The engineer works with cross-functional engineering teams and manages projects as an IPT with minimal supervision. The position involves designing production automated test systems with multi-unit capabilities, automated fault detection, and test reporting; creating and executing test plans and procedures; performing RF measurements; troubleshooting hardware; analyzing test data; and supporting design verification, qualification, compliance testing, and transitions from development into manufacturing or production. The role is located in San Diego and follows a 9/80 first-shift schedule. Ability to obtain a Secret Security Clearance is required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline and at least 6 years of experience in RF test, RF integration, or related engineering roles; or a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field and at least 4 years of relevant experience.
Ability to obtain a Secret Security Clearance.
Hands-on experience with RF measurements, automated test solutions, troubleshooting complex hardware issues, and working in cross-functional engineering environments.

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of RF/microwave principles, including S-parameters (gain/loss/VSWR/return loss), gain compression, noise figure, linearity, phase noise, frequency response, and harmonics/spurs.
Experience integrating and testing RF hardware across development or production environments, including filters, amplifiers, attenuators, diplexers, couplers, circulators, mixers, splitters, switches, and limiters.
Experience with digital modulation analysis and communications measurements.
Hands-on proficiency with common RF lab instrumentation.
Experience interpreting schematics, block diagrams, interface control documents, and test requirements.
Ability to troubleshoot and identify root causes of hardware and measurement issues.
Experience with encryption/decryption devices and systems.
Experience with test automation and data analysis tools.
Experience with schematic capture and PWB design.
Experience with wireless communications, telemetry, radar, EW, SATCOM, or aerospace/defense RF systems.
Experience with automated test equipment architecture and script-based test development.
Experience with LabVIEW, TestStand, Python, and other tools.
Knowledge of environmental and qualification testing for ruggedized hardware.
Experience with Linux, VHDL, and general development board platforms such as ZYNQs, Zed Boards, and Arty Boards.
Experience supporting design-to-production transitions.
Experience generating and deriving system requirements from product specifications, RVTMs, and VCRMs, and translating them into validation plans.

Responsibilities

Design automated test systems for production testing, including multi-unit capabilities, automated fault detection, and test reporting.
Develop, execute, and document test plans, procedures, and reports for components, subsystems, and full system assemblies.
Design and perform RF measurements, including gain, noise figure, phase noise, power output, spurious response, sensitivity, intermodulation, EVM, BER, and spectral emissions.
Set up and operate RF test equipment, including spectrum analyzers, signal generators, vector network analyzers, power meters, and oscilloscopes.
Troubleshoot and isolate RF performance issues at the board, module, and system levels.
Manage projects as an IPT with minimal supervision.
Support design verification and validation testing for transmitters, receivers, synthesizers, converters, filters, and amplifiers.
Develop automated test solutions using LabVIEW and TestStand.
Analyze test data and provide technical conclusions and recommendations to design teams and program leadership.
Collaborate with design, systems, manufacturing, quality, and production teams to resolve technical issues.
Support environmental, qualification, and compliance testing as needed.
Create and maintain test documentation, calibration requirements, and configuration-controlled records.
Assist in transitioning test methods from development into manufacturing or production environments.