Cellular Compliance Engineer

Actalent; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 103,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent seeks a Cellular Compliance Engineer to lead end‑to‑end cellular certification testing for wireless products across multiple carrier and regulatory programs. You will develop strategies, collaborate with labs and operators, and drive RF and protocol issues to resolution for global product launches.

You will coordinate with RF, antenna, electrical, software, and regulatory teams, manage test campaigns, and ensure readiness for production and market entry in a fast‑paced engineering

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Wireless Communications, Telecommunications, or closely related field.
• 5+ years of experience in cellular testing, certification, wireless validation, or cellular product development.
• Hands-on experience with regulatory cellular certification and associated cellular test requirements.
• Direct experience supporting carrier certification with major mobile network operators (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile preferred).

Responsibilities

• Lead and support cellular certification testing across regulatory and carrier programs.
• Develop certification plans, test strategies, schedules, and configurations.
• Collaborate with third-party labs, module vendors, and mobile operators to drive issues to resolution.
• Provide onsite support during testing, including setup, logs, debugging, and issue resolution.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure timely certification and product launch.

Skills

Cellular testing experience

Regulatory certification

Carrier certification

LTE/5G NR knowledge

Test equipment familiarity

Modem/log analysis

RF measurements

Troubleshooting

Communication

Fast-paced environment

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

CMW500/CMX500 (Rohde & Schwarz)

Job description

Job Title: Cellular Compliance EngineerJob Description

The Cellular Compliance Engineer leads and supports end‑to‑end cellular certification testing for innovative wireless products across multiple carrier and regulatory certification programs. This role develops certification strategies, collaborates closely with third‑party labs and mobile network operators, and drives complex RF and protocol issues to resolution to ensure successful product launch in global markets.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support cellular certification testing for new and existing products across regulatory and carrier certification programs.
• Develop comprehensive certification plans, test strategies, schedules, and test configurations based on product architecture and target carriers and markets.
• Work directly with third‑party certification laboratories to plan and execute regulatory and carrier test campaigns.
• Provide hands‑on onsite support during certification testing, including device setup, configuration, log collection, debugging, and issue resolution.
• Troubleshoot cellular certification failures and collaborate with internal engineering teams, module vendors, chipset vendors, labs, and carriers to identify root causes and define corrective actions.
• Configure and support cellular modems, including firmware, RF parameters, bands, power levels, and network settings required for certification testing.
• Analyze modem logs, signaling logs, RF measurements, and test reports to identify issues and drive them to closure.
• Track certification status, failures, retests, waivers, and open issues, and clearly communicate risks, progress, and timelines to cross‑functional teams.
• Partner closely with RF, antenna, electrical engineering, software, systems, regulatory, manufacturing, and program management teams throughout the certification lifecycle.
• Coordinate with cellular module vendors and chipset suppliers to resolve modem firmware, protocol, RF, and network interoperability issues.
• Interface with mobile network operators and certification labs to clarify test requirements, negotiate test approaches when needed, and ensure timely resolution of issues.
• Support pre‑certification testing and readiness reviews to identify potential issues before formal certification begins.
• Support cellular RF and over‑the‑air (OTA) validation related to certification, including conducted RF testing, TRP/TIS measurements, and antenna performance characterization.
• Review certification test reports to verify completeness and accuracy and ensure all required testing and documentation are in place for product launch.
• Develop, refine, and document internal cellular certification processes, test procedures, guidelines, and best practices to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Support products through the full certification journey from engineering validation through production readiness and market launch.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Wireless Communications, Telecommunications, or a closely related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in cellular testing, certification, wireless validation, or cellular product development.
• Hands‑on experience with regulatory cellular certification and associated cellular test requirements.
• Direct experience supporting carrier certification with major mobile network operators; experience with U.S. carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, and T‑Mobile is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of LTE and 5G NR technologies, including cellular bands, RF requirements, protocol behavior, network registration, and mobility.
• Experience supporting certification of products that use commercial cellular modules or modem platforms.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot cellular RF, protocol, modem firmware, and network interoperability issues.
• Familiarity with cellular certification test equipment and platforms such as Rohde & Schwarz CMW500/CMX500 or equivalent systems.
• Experience collecting and analyzing modem and protocol logs using chipset or module vendor diagnostic tools.
• Solid understanding of cellular RF measurements including transmit power, EVM, ACLR, sensitivity, throughput, and related conducted RF measurements.
• Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to independently drive complex certification failures to resolution.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple certification programs and test activities simultaneously.
• Ability to work comfortably in a fast‑paced product development environment and support time‑critical certification activities.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• FAA Part 107 certification is strongly encouraged within the first 60 days of employment and may be required for certain roles.
• Familiarity with OTA cellular performance testing, including TRP and TIS measurements, is preferred.
• Experience working directly with third‑party certification labs, cellular module vendors, chipset vendors, and mobile network operators.
• Experience with advanced RF test systems and tools comparable to leading industry platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams across RF, antenna, hardware, software, systems, regulatory, manufacturing, and program management.
• Ability to document and improve internal processes, test procedures, and best practices for cellular certification.

Work Environment

This role operates in a dynamic, fast‑paced product development environment that combines lab‑based RF and OTA testing with onsite support at third‑party certification facilities. You will work daily with advanced cellular test equipment and platforms, including systems comparable to Rohde & Schwarz CMW500/CMX500 and vendor diagnostic tools for modem and protocol log analysis. Collaboration with cross‑functional engineering teams, external labs, module and chipset vendors, and mobile network operators is a core part of the work, requiring clear communication and proactive coordination. The position involves managing multiple certification programs and time‑critical test activities in parallel, with a strong focus on technical rigor, documentation quality, and readiness for production and market launch. Attire is generally consistent with a professional engineering and lab environment, including appropriate safety and lab protocols when working with test equipment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of San Mateo, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $75.00 - $115.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job‑related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre‑tax and Roth post‑tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long‑term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in San Mateo,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 30, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News‑Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.