Senior RF Communications Engineer

SWITCH; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SWITCH is seeking a Senior RF Communications Engineer to own the performance of communication systems on unmanned aerial platforms. You will lead the design, integration, verification, and optimisation of reliable RF and data-link architectures, including telemetry, video and IP communications, using MIMO, SATCOM, and advanced RF tech.

You will evaluate RF environments, perform link analyses, and drive lab, field, and flight validation activities while maintaining thorough documentation and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, RF/Microwave Engineering or related.
• 5+ years of practical RF communications experience in safety- and mission-critical environments.
• Experience developing, integrating and validating RF communication systems from architecture to deployment.
• Strong RF fundamentals: link budgets, receiver sensitivity, noise figure, propagation, fading, antennas, transmission lines.
• Experience with antenna systems, MIMO, MANET, SATCOM or advanced wireless platforms.

Responsibilities

• Define communication solutions with primary, backup, contingency, and emergency paths.
• Convert operational requirements into technical specs covering range, bandwidth and latency.
• Perform RF link analysis, propagation modelling, interference evaluation, and margin calculations.
• Integrate and configure tactical radios, antennas, SATCOM, tracking systems and IP comms.
• Lead antenna integration activities and manage RF hardware requirements.
• Optimise parameters such as frequency selection, bandwidth, and transmit power.
• Analyse communication performance indicators and troubleshoot RF/network issues.
• Plan and execute laboratory, field, vehicle and flight validation activities.
• Maintain technical documentation and monitor emerging tech in tactical comms and SATCOM.

Skills

RF/Microwave

Link budgeting

Antenna integration

MIMO

SATCOM

Tactical networks

Lab & field testing

Documentation

RF front-end design

Propagation modelling

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering / Telecommunications / RF/Microwave Engineering / Applied Physics

Tools

MATLAB

RF test equipment

Antenna measurement gear

Job description

We are looking for a Senior RF Communications Engineer for our client to take ownership of communication system performance on unmanned aerial system platforms. In this role, you will lead the design, integration, verification, and optimisation of reliable communication solutions.

You will be responsible for developing reliable command-and-control, telemetry, video and data-link architectures while working with advanced RF technologies, tactical communication systems, MIMO and MANET networks, directional and electronically steered antenna solutions, and SATCOM.

Key responsibilities

• Define communication solutions using primary, backup, contingency and emergency communication paths.
• Convert operational requirements into technical specifications covering range, bandwidth, latency, reliability and degraded communication scenarios.
• Perform RF link analysis, propagation modelling, interference evaluation and system margin calculations.
• Integrate and configure tactical radios, antennas, SATCOM equipment, tracking systems and IP communication solutions.
• Lead antenna integration activities.
• Define and manage RF hardware requirements including cabling, connectors, filters, amplifiers, switches and protection elements.
• Optimise communication parameters such as frequency selection, bandwidth, transmit power.
• Analyse communication performance indicators.
• Investigate challenging RF environments including interference, coexistence issues, multipath effects, signal blockage, antenna shadowing, jamming and degraded network conditions.
• Plan and execute laboratory, field, vehicle and flight validation activities.
• Troubleshoot operational issues, identify root causes across RF and networking domains, and implement effective corrective solutions.
• Maintain technical documentation.
• Monitor emerging technologies in tactical communications, phased-array antennas, SATCOM and advanced RF systems, supporting future product development.

Your background

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, RF/Microwave Engineering, Applied Physics or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of practical experience in RF communications, tactical networks, aerospace, defence, robotics or other safety- and mission-critical environments.
• Demonstrated experience developing, integrating and validating RF communication systems from architecture definition through operational deployment.
• Strong understanding of RF fundamentals including link budgets, receiver sensitivity, noise figure, propagation, fading, antennas, transmission lines and RF front-end design.
• Experience with antenna systems, MIMO, MANET technologies, tactical radios, SATCOM or advanced wireless communication platforms.

*This role is located in the Netherlands; therefore, candidates should be open to relocation if currently based elsewhere.