Engineering Manager - RF / Antenna

Octagon Group; Leominster; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Octagon Group is seeking an Engineering Manager – RF/Antenna in the United Kingdom to lead a skilled team delivering advanced RF and antenna solutions for defence and communications. You will set engineering standards, drive delivery, and shape strategy alongside senior stakeholders.

You will oversee design, simulation, testing and verification activities, ensuring compliance with rigorous requirements and enabling successful product outcomes.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing an engineering team, including performance management and coaching.
• Strong RF and antenna engineering background with the credibility to review and challenge engineering decisions.
• Experience introducing structure, improving processes and supporting consistent engineering delivery.
• An understanding of EM simulation tools such as CST, HFSS or FEKO, alongside antenna measurement and verification methods.
• Clear communication skills and confidence working with customers, engineers and senior stakeholders.
• Ability to obtain SC clearance.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop a team of antenna engineers and a test and measurement engineer, setting clear objectives and supporting their progression.
• Establish priorities, coordinate workloads and align engineering activity with business and customer requirements.
• Strengthen engineering processes, design reviews and technical governance across product development.
• Provide oversight of antenna design, EM simulation, testing and verification, ensuring work meets agreed standards.
• Guide complex technical decisions, helping engineers resolve challenges and manage risk.
• Identify capability gaps and support recruitment, training and knowledge sharing.
• Work closely with customers and senior leaders to shape RF and antenna strategy.

Skills

People leadership

RF/antenna engineering

Stakeholder communication

Technical governance

Recruitment & development

Mentoring & coaching

Tools

CST

HFSS

FEKO

Job description

We’re recruiting an Engineering Manager – RF / Antenna for a specialist business developing antenna and RF technology for demanding defence and communications applications.

You’ll lead a team of six, providing the direction, structure and support they need to deliver successful products. With responsibility for people development, technical oversight and engineering processes, you’ll help strengthen the engineering function as the business grows.

Your RF and antenna expertise will underpin your ability to guide decisions, challenge technical proposals and support your team. The emphasis is on leading people, setting standards and improving engineering delivery.

What you’ll do

• Manage and develop a team of antenna engineers and a test and measurement engineer, setting clear objectives and supporting their progression.
• Establish priorities, coordinate workloads and align engineering activity with business and customer requirements.
• Strengthen engineering processes, design reviews and technical governance across product development.
• Provide oversight of antenna design, EM simulation, testing and verification, ensuring work meets agreed standards.
• Guide complex technical decisions, helping engineers resolve challenges and manage risk.
• Identify capability gaps and support recruitment, training and knowledge sharing.
• Work closely with customers and senior leaders to shape RF and antenna strategy.

What you’ll bring

• Experience managing an engineering team, including performance management, coaching and professional development.
• A strong technical background in RF and antenna engineering, with the credibility to review and challenge engineering decisions.
• Experience introducing structure, improving processes and supporting consistent engineering delivery.
• An understanding of EM simulation tools such as CST, HFSS or FEKO, alongside antenna measurement and verification methods.
• Clear communication skills and confidence working with customers, engineers and senior stakeholders.
• Ability to obtain SC clearance.

Experience in defence or another demanding RF environment would be useful. Above all, we’re looking for someone who enjoys developing people, building engineering capability and giving a team the direction to succeed.