Entry Level- DSP Engineer (Onsite- Aberdeen, Maryland)

Fairwinds Technologies; Maryland; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Fairwinds Technologies in the United States seeks an entry-level Digital Signal Processing Engineer to turn DSP theory into practical radios, RF systems, and embedded test environments. You will collaborate with experienced DSP, FPGA, RF, software, and systems engineers to model, implement, and validate signal-processing capabilities across product development and customer projects.

Ideal candidates have a bachelor’s in ECE/CS or related field, hands-on coursework in DSP, and familiarity with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Applied Physics, Mathematics, or similar.
• Coursework or internship in digital signal processing, communications, radar, or related analytic field.
• Experience with MATLAB, Python, Simulink, or GNU Radio.
• Willingness to learn software/hardware interfaces for practical systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop, simulate, analyze, and test DSP algorithms for communications, sensing, RF test, and signal-conditioning applications.
• Model signals and evaluate algorithm performance using MATLAB, Python, Simulink, or similar tools.
• Assist translation of algorithms into embedded software or FPGA-oriented implementations.
• Contribute to test methods, reference models, and automated analysis workflows.

Skills

DSP concepts

MATLAB/Python

Collaborative engineering

Structured problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in ECE/CS

Hands-on DSP coursework

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

GNU Radio

Job description

ENTRY-LEVEL DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING ENGINEER

xG and Mixed Signal Product Development | Technical Services

Fairwinds Technologies is continuously looking for curious, hands-on early-career engineers who want to apply digital signal processing theory to real radios, RF systems, embedded platforms, and operationally relevant test environments. In this role, you may support either our xG or Mixed Signal product development team, or technical-services contracts aligned with those product areas.

ENTRY-LEVEL DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING ENGINEER

xG and Mixed Signal Product Development | Technical Services

About The Opportunity

Fairwinds Technologies is continuously looking for curious, hands-on early-career engineers who want to apply digital signal processing theory to real radios, RF systems, embedded platforms, and operationally relevant test environments. In this role, you may support either our xG or Mixed Signal product development team, or technical-services contracts aligned with those product areas. You will work alongside experienced DSP, FPGA, RF, software, systems, and test engineers to model, implement, integrate, measure, and improve signal-processing capabilities. Assignments may span internal product development and customer-funded research, integration, test, demonstration, and field-support activities. The position is designed to build practical engineering depth while giving an early-career engineer exposure to the full lifecycle from algorithm concept through measured performance.

What You Will Do

• Develop, simulate, analyze, and test digital signal processing algorithms for communications, sensing, RF test, and signal-conditioning applications.
• Use MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or comparable engineering tools to model signals, evaluate algorithm performance, visualize results, and automate analysis.
• Implement and validate filtering, modulation and demodulation, synchronization, channelization, resampling, spectral analysis, detection, estimation, and related DSP functions as assigned.
• Analyze time-domain and frequency-domain data from simulations, laboratory instruments, radios, channel emulators, and prototype hardware.
• Support translation of algorithms into embedded software or FPGA-oriented implementations in collaboration with software and FPGA engineers.
• Develop repeatable test methods, reference models, test vectors, acceptance criteria, and automated data-processing workflows.
• Assist with system integration involving radios, modems, data converters, RF front ends, coherent signal paths, networked test equipment, and embedded Linux platforms.
• Compare predicted and measured performance, investigate discrepancies, document root causes, and recommend corrective actions.
• Prepare clear technical documentation, test reports, plots, briefings, and configuration records for product and customer-funded activities.
• Participate in laboratory and field testing, demonstrations, design reviews, and multidisciplinary troubleshooting.

Technology and mission areas

• xG wireless systems, including 5G, non-terrestrial networking, software-defined radio, tactical communications, radio integration, and performance characterization.
• Mixed Signal products, including Global Link and EchoPhase-related capabilities, channel emulation, coherent combining, wideband signal processing, and FPGA/DSP hardware interfaces.
• Waveform analysis, RF frequency translation, channel effects, synchronization, calibration, signal quality, interference, and link-performance assessment.
• Ruggedized mission modules and edge systems that combine compute, networking, radio, RF, and signal-processing functions.
• Government-funded R&D and technical-services contracts involving algorithm development, integration, test, documentation, demonstrations, and field support.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Applied Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a closely related technical field, completed or expected before start date.
• Coursework, laboratory, internship, capstone, research, or personal-project experience in digital signal processing, communications, controls, image processing, acoustics, radar, or a related analytical discipline.
• Working knowledge of core DSP concepts such as sampling, aliasing, discrete-time systems, convolution, digital filtering, Fourier transforms, spectra, noise, and signal-to-noise ratio.
• Experience using MATLAB, Python, Simulink, GNU Radio, or another numerical modeling and analysis environment.
• Basic programming ability and willingness to learn the software and hardware interfaces needed to move algorithms into practical systems.
• Ability to apply structured problem solving, interpret measured data, communicate assumptions, and document results clearly.
• Ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary engineering environment and satisfy customer, site-access, export-control, and security requirements associated with assigned work.

Preferred, Not Required

• Exposure to digital communications topics such as modulation, coding, synchronization, equalization, channel estimation, link budgets, or error-rate analysis.
• Experience with software-defined radio platforms, GNU Radio, RF laboratory equipment, data-acquisition systems, or recorded in-phase and quadrature data.
• Familiarity with fixed-point arithmetic, real-time processing, FPGA development concepts, HDL, embedded C or C++, or hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Coursework or project experience in wireless communications, 5G/LTE, non-terrestrial networks, radar, electronic warfare, satellite communications, coherent systems, or RF test and measurement.
• Exposure to Git, Linux, automated testing, CI/CD, technical plotting, report generation, or reproducible analysis workflows.

What Success Looks Like

• First 90 days: learn the assigned product or program, modeling environment, laboratory workflow, signal chain, and performance objectives; complete scoped analysis and test tasks with mentoring.
• First 6 months: independently build or modify a reference model, analyze measured data, automate a repeatable workflow, and communicate conclusions through clear plots and documentation.
• First year: own a defined DSP algorithm, analysis capability, performance model, or verification activity and become a dependable contributor across algorithm, software, FPGA, RF, and test boundaries.

Why join Fairwinds Technologies

• Work on products and customer-funded R&D activities within the same technical domain, connecting analytical concepts with hardware, measured data, and operational use cases.
• Gain broad exposure to wireless systems, RF hardware, software-defined radios, channel emulation, coherent systems, FPGA interfaces, embedded computing, laboratory integration, and field testing.
• Learn from experienced multidisciplinary engineers while receiving meaningful modeling, implementation, and test responsibilities early in your career.
• Join a growing technology organization expanding its xG and Mixed Signal portfolios and strengthening repeatable product-development practices.

Compensation- Salary

At Fairwinds, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location and experience. Additional incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full time, exempt position.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance

Must be eligible to work in the US.

AAP/EEO Statement

Fairwinds Technologies, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer – M/F/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

EVERGREEN RECRUITING NOTICE

This posting supports continuous recruiting for anticipated entry-level needs. Applications may be reviewed as positions and program requirements become available. Submission does not guarantee an immediate opening or interview.