Junior RF Test Engineer for Aerospace

Lever, Inc.; Seattle, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI invites new-graduate RF Hardware Test Engineer to verify RF modules, assemblies, and interfaces used in airborne and ground systems. You will gain hands-on experience with RF measurements, instrument automation, data analysis, and troubleshooting in a collaborative lab environment.

This Engineer I role targets candidates completing an undergraduate or graduate degree or starting their professional careers. On-site work in Seattle is expected with mentorship and growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related technical field, completed or expected within 12 months of the anticipated start date.
• Coursework, research, project, or internship experience in RF or microwave engineering, communications, electromagnetics, analog circuits, or electronic hardware testing.
• Fundamental understanding of S-parameters, impedance, transmission lines, gain and loss, noise, power, spectral content, and frequency response.
• Hands-on laboratory experience gained through coursework, research, an internship, a student organization, or a personal project.
• Basic programming and data-analysis skills in Python, MATLAB, or a similar environment.
• Ability to follow test procedures, document setups and results accurately, recognize uncertainty, and ask for guidance when needed.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work constructively in a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to work on-site in a laboratory and hardware-development environment.

Responsibilities

• Execute documented RF test plans and procedures with mentorship, record test configurations, and produce clear, traceable results.
• Characterize RF modules and assemblies for S-parameters, gain and loss, output power, compression, harmonics and spurious emissions, isolation, rejection, noise figure, and receiver sensitivity as applicable.
• Set up and operate vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, oscilloscopes, noise-figure equipment, programmable power supplies, and related laboratory instruments.
• Calibrate measurement setups and characterize cables, adapters, attenuators, fixtures, and other sources of measurement error.
• Develop simple test fixtures, harnesses, interface adapters, and monitoring circuits; perform basic soldering and hardware rework when appropriate.
• Automate instrument control, data collection, analysis, and plotting using Python, MATLAB, or comparable tools.
• Compare measured performance with requirements, identify unexpected behavior, and summarize conclusions in engineering reports and reviews.
• Troubleshoot test anomalies with senior engineers and learn to distinguish device behavior from setup, calibration, software, or environmental artifacts.
• Support EMI/EMC pre-compliance and MIL-STD-461 qualification testing, environmental testing, hardware integration, and ground or flight test activities as needed.
• Maintain safe, organized laboratory practices and follow equipment calibration, configuration-control, and data-management processes.
• Collaborate with RF, electrical, mechanical, systems, software, manufacturing, and supplier teams.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

RF hardware test

Test automation

Python

MATLAB

S-parameters

VNA usage

Lab equipment setup

Data analysis

Education

Bachelors or Masters in Electrical Engineering/related field

Tools

Vector network analyzer

Spectrum analyzer

Signal generator

Power meter

Oscilloscope

Noise figure analyzer

Job description

Shield AI invites new-graduate RF Hardware Test Engineer to verify RF modules, assemblies, and interfaces used in airborne and ground systems. You will gain hands-on experience with RF measurements, instrument automation, data analysis, and troubleshooting in a collaborative lab environment.

This Engineer I role targets candidates completing an undergraduate or graduate degree or starting their professional careers. On-site work in Seattle is expected with mentorship and growth opportunities.