Principal RF Hardware Engineer

rowdentech; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Rowden is expanding its RF hardware capability in Bristol to design and deliver advanced wireless sensing and communications systems across Research and Product.

As Principal RF Hardware Engineer, you will own analogue and mixed-signal hardware, work across the RF chain from antenna interfaces to SDR bring-up, and collaborate with RF, FPGA, embedded software and ML teams.

Qualifications

• Degree in electrical/RF engineering or related field.
• Experience in RF/mixed-signal hardware design.
• Eligibility for SC clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design analogue and mixed-signal hardware underpinning sensing and communications systems.
• Cover full RF signal chain from antenna interfaces to ADC/DAC and SDR bring-up.
• Collaborate with RF, FPGA, embedded software and ML engineers to translate requirements into hardware.
• Deliver reliable hardware for challenging environments and deployments.

Skills

RF hardware design

Analogue front-end design

ADC/DAC integration

SDR platforms

Education

Bachelors in Electrical/RF Engineering

Tools

FPGA

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

We’re building the UK's next generation engineering powerhouse, providing critical technology that strengthens national security and resilience.

We specialise in turning advances in sensing, AI, and communications into operational capability for the edge, where connectivity may be degraded or denied. Our work focuses on accelerating the deployment of technology, improving decision‑making for frontline teams, and protecting people and critical assets in demanding environments.

Headquartered in Bristol, Rowden employs around 200 people and operates over 20,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing facilities. We have a growing international footprint and are one of Europe’s fastest‑growing engineering businesses.

About the role

As part of this journey, we are expanding our RF hardware capability to design and deliver advanced wireless sensing and communication systems across Research and Product.

This function designs and delivers RF and mixed‑signal hardware platforms that enable sensing, communications, and signal processing in demanding environments. These systems combine analogue RF front‑end design, high‑speed data conversion, and software‑defined radio architectures to create adaptable and high‑performance sensing platforms.

As a Principal RF Hardware Engineer, you will design and deliver the analogue and mixed‑signal hardware that underpins these systems. You will work across the full RF signal chain, from antenna interfaces and RF front‑end design through to ADC/DAC integration and SDR platform bring‑up.

This is a hands‑on engineering role working closely with RF, FPGA, embedded software, and machine learning engineers to translate system requirements into robust hardware implementations. You will play a key role in developing RF systems that are reliable, efficient and deployable in complex operational environments.

While this role offers hybrid working options, it requires a minimum of 3 days per week on‑site at our Bristol HQ, with occasional travel to customer sites.

Relocation Assistance: A relocation support package is available for eligible candidates.

Candidates must be eligible for SC clearance.

More information about security clearance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels