RF Design Engineer - Rail

Captiv8 Resources Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

National Organisation is seeking a Telecommunications RF Design Engineer - Rail to join their expanding team. You will deliver high-quality distributed antenna solutions, conduct site surveys and work with site project engineers on site-specific designs prioritising quality and compliance.

You will own RF and site design activities across projects, build a reference library of proven solutions, and ensure equipment and methodologies meet build challenges while controlling costs.

Qualifications

• Strong RF fundamentals including interference, PIM, VSWR, and path loss.
• Proficiency with iBwave or equivalent RF design/modelling tools.
• Experience with MNO integration processes and KPI validation.
• Knowledge of Network Rail processes and access requirements is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of RF and site solution design activities from surveys to post-integration validation.
• Develop and maintain reference libraries of solutions and design guidance for station and tunnel environments.
• Assess and select structural, DAS, and RF hardware to balance performance, cost and practicality.
• Convert coverage requirements into robust, buildable RF designs.
• Prepare design packs and clearance submissions to quality standards; review supplier submissions.

Skills

RF design

DAS systems

Site surveys

iBwave

MNO integration

Network Rail processes

Education

BEng/MEng in Electronic Engineering or Telecommunications

Tools

iBwave Suite

Job description

A National Organisation is seeking a Telecommunications RF Design Engineer - Rail to join their growing business and work on some large indoor solutions projects. The successful Design Engineer will be responsible for delivering high quality distributed antenna solutions. Working across all company projects, the RF Design Engineer (Rail) will carry out site surveys and also work with the site project engineer to produce site specific designs placing emphasis on quality design outputs & compliance with internal quality standards.

RF Design (Rail)

• Take ownership of all RF and site solution design activities for Project Reach, from initial site surveys through to post-integration validation.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive reference library of proven solutions, products, and design guidance covering the full range of station and tunnel environments within Reach. Proactively assess and select appropriate equipment and design methodologies to address design and build challenges.
• Assess and select structural products, ancillary equipment, and hardware, including DAS and passive components, to suit individual site requirements while balancing performance, cost, and practicality.
• Convert high-level coverage requirements into robust, technically appropriate, and buildable RF designs.
• Embed value engineering throughout the design lifecycle, identifying practical solutions that satisfy requirements without introducing unnecessary cost or complexity, and promote this approach across the supply chain.
• Prepare MNO Design Packs, Network Rail Telecoms Clearance submissions, and Post-Integration Reports to the required quality and compliance standards.
• Review, challenge, and approve supplier design submissions throughout the project lifecycle, from Approval in Principle through to As-Built documentation and Handover Packs.
• Define and coordinate RF and physical site surveys, analysing the resulting data to develop, validate, and optimise designs.
• Apply extensive knowledge of RF principles, including interference, PIM, VSWR, and path loss, to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex RF issues.

Education and Knowledge

• Demonstrate a strong technical understanding of RF fundamentals, including interference, PIM, VSWR, path loss, and coverage prediction.
• Be proficient in iBwave, ideally with Level 2 certification, or equivalent RF design and modelling software.
• Have experience with MNO integration processes and KPI validation/sign-off.
• Have knowledge of Network Rail processes, standards, and access requirements; this would be advantageous but is not essential for candidates with relevant transferable experience.
• Hold a BEng or MEng in Electronic Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related discipline, or possess equivalent demonstrable technical experience.

Skills and Experience

• Significant professional experience in RF design, particularly within DAS and/or macro network delivery environments.
• Proven ability to select antennas and specify RF equipment across a variety of complex site environments.
• Experience working within the UK rail sector or other highly regulated and technically complex environments.
• Proven experience engaging directly with MNOs and/or Network Rail on technical design and delivery matters.
• Experience defining, coordinating, and overseeing RF testing, including post-integration validation and performance assessment.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound technical judgement, and make effective engineering decisions with minimal supervision