RF Antena Engineer (Al Genders)

STARK; München; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

STARK seeks a seasoned RF/antenna engineer to join the Minerva team in Europe. You will design, test, and integrate antenna systems for drones, Ground Control Stations, vehicles, and maritime platforms, ensuring robust RF performance across mission profiles.

You will work hands-on in workshops, labs, and field ranges, performing RF measurements, prototype development, and integration with radios and hardware. Security clearance eligibility is required.

Qualifications

• Around 5 years of professional experience in RF/antenna engineering or related technical environment.
• Strong practical understanding of antenna types, gain, polarization, impedance matching.
• Experience using RF measurement equipment such as spectrum analyzers and VNAs.
• Hands-on ability to build, adapt, install, test, and troubleshoot antenna setups on hardware.
• Basic understanding of radio links, bandwidth, interference, and RF constraints.
• Ability to obtain security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Antenna Selection & Design for drone platforms, Ground Control Stations, vehicle-based systems, handheld setups, boat configurations.
• RF Integration with radios, GCS hardware, mounting, cables and power systems.
• Prototype Development and iteration for different platforms.
• Plan and conduct RF measurements, range tests, and field trials.
• Optimize link performance by analyzing gain, polarization, placement, and losses.
• Support platform/GCS adaptation for mobile variants.
• Troubleshooting RF performance issues with teams.
• Document antenna setups, measurements, and configurations.
• Support repeatable antenna setups for production and operations.

Skills

Antenna Expertise

RF Measurement Skills

Hands-On Mentality

Communication Systems Understanding

Integration Mindset

Adaptability

Communication

Clearance

Tools

Spectrum analyzers

VNAs

Power meters

Signal generators

Test radios

Field measurement tools

Job description

At Stark, we forge the future of European and national security through cutting-edge, AI-driven technology and unmatched engineering precision. As a premier defence technology company, our mission is clear: to equip NATO Allies and their partners with next-generation autonomous defence platforms and advanced AI-driven software built to perform in the world’s most demanding environments.

We believe that true security stems from relentless innovation. By combining elite engineering talent with agile technology and an AI-native operational culture, Stark turns complex defence challenges into field-tested, multi-domain solutions.

WHY JOIN US

• The software and systems you work on directly protect personnel and defend European and national sovereignty.
• You will work alongside industry-leading minds on autonomous systems, advanced propulsion, and secure cyber platforms.
• We foster a fast-paced, collaborative environment where bold ideas are supported by serious R&D backing.

About The Team

Minerva is STARK's command and control software — the brain that connects operators to autonomous systems across multiple domains in real time. The Minerva team is a small, senior software group based in Berlin and Munich, working directly with our systems and hardware teams to build mission-critical C2 capabilities deployed in active operational environments.

We move fast, ship real software, and operate under constraints most engineers never encounter — low-bandwidth networks, air-gapped devices, high-stakes decision loops. There is no room for abstraction for its own sake. Everything we build ends up in the hands of real operators in the field.

Your Mission

Support the development, selection, integration, testing, and continuous improvement of antenna solutions for STARK’s unmanned systems, Ground Control Stations, and field-ready communication setups. You will work hands-on with antennas, radios, masts, vehicles, boats, handheld configurations, test equipment, and operational GCS environments to ensure reliable RF performance across different mission profiles. A key part of the role is to identify suitable antenna concepts, build or adapt prototypes, conduct RF measurements and field tests, and translate findings into robust and repeatable antenna setups for deployment. This role is strongly practical and includes regular work in workshops, laboratories, outdoor test ranges, and real integration environments.

Responsibilities

Antenna Selection & Design: Identify, evaluate, design, and adapt antenna solutions for drone platforms, Ground Control Stations, vehicle-based systems, handheld setups, boat-based configurations, and other mission-specific applications.

• RF Integration: Integrate antennas with radios, GCS hardware, networking equipment, masts, mounts, cables, connectors, and power systems to ensure stable and field-ready communication performance.
• Prototype Development: Build, modify, and iterate antenna prototypes, mounting concepts, cable routes, adapters, brackets, and practical integration solutions for different platforms and operational constraints.
• Measurement & Testing: Plan and conduct RF measurements, lab tests, range tests, and field trials to validate antenna performance, link quality, radiation behavior, installation effects, and operational suitability.
• Link Performance Optimization: Support the optimization of communication links by analyzing antenna gain, polarization, placement, cable losses, interference effects, line-of-sight constraints, and platform-specific installation impacts.
• Platform & GCS Adaptation: Support antenna integration for mobile GCS variants, vehicles, boats, handheld systems, portable masts, drone platforms, and other field configurations.
• Troubleshooting: Investigate RF performance issues, communication losses, degraded link behavior, installation problems, and integration conflicts together with radio, data link, GCS, and flight test teams.
• Documentation: Document antenna setups, measurement results, test configurations, installation constraints, cable dependencies, lessons learned, and recommended configurations in a clear and maintainable way.
• Production & Operational Readiness: Support repeatable antenna setups for production, supply chain, customer handover, and operational deployment.

Required Skills

Around 5 years of professional experience in RF engineering, antenna engineering, communications engineering, field testing, hardware integration, or a related technical environment.

• Antenna Expertise: Strong practical understanding of antenna types, antenna characteristics, gain, polarization, radiation patterns, impedance matching, cable losses, placement effects, and RF installation constraints.
• RF Measurement Skills: Experience using RF measurement and test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, VNAs, power meters, signal generators, test radios, field measurement tools, or comparable equipment.
• Hands-On Mentality: Strong practical mindset with the ability to build, adapt, install, test, and troubleshoot antenna setups directly on hardware, in workshops, on vehicles, on boats, or in field-testing environments.
• Communication Systems Understanding: Good understanding of radio communication links, link budgets, frequency bands, interference, line-of-sight behavior, data link performance, and operational RF constraints.
• Integration Mindset: Ability to work across antennas, radios, mechanical mounts, cabling, GCS hardware, unmanned platforms, and operational requirements to create robust system-level solutions.
• Adaptability: High level of adaptability and willingness to work in a dynamic, experimental, and continuously evolving engineering environment.
• Communication: Solid English skills are required. German skills for technical communication, suppliers, documentation, and test coordination are a plus.
• Clearance: Ability to obtain appropriate security clearance required for the position.

Nice-To-Have

Experience with military, defence, aerospace, UAV, robotics, marine, automotive, or other mission-critical communication environments.

• Experience with Ground Control Stations, unmanned systems, tactical radios, MANET radios, SATCOM, or professional RF communication systems.
• Experience with S-Band, C-Band, directional antennas, omni antennas, horn antennas, mast systems, mobile antenna installations, or ruggedized field setups.
• Experience with antenna integration into vehicles, boats, portable masts, handheld systems, mobile cases, or drone platforms.

SECURITY CLEARANCE

Due to the nature of our work in the defence sector, candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance required for this position. Details will be provided during the recruitment process.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.