Principal Electronic Engineer (RF)

MKS Instruments, Inc.; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

MKS Instruments, Inc. is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to strengthen RF design, measurement, and system integration across the Systems Business Unit. You will mentor others while guiding product development from concept to validated solutions.

In this hands-on role, you will lead cross-functional teams, drive testing strategies, and ensure robust performance for high-frequency subsystems across manufacturing, service, and sustaining activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering required with 8 years of relevant experience.
• Master's degree is preferred.
• Hands-on hardware problem solving with data and experiments.
• Ability to mentor others and work across cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead RF/high-frequency subsystem design and integration.
• Translate early R&D ideas into practical subsystems, prototypes, or validation plans.
• Provide hands-on electrical engineering support across product development, integration, validation, manufacturing, service, and sustaining activities.
• Mentor others and guide tradeoffs, test strategies, validation methods, and cross‑functional decisions.

Skills

RF engineering

BS in Engineering

8+ years experience

Master's degree preferred

Hands-on problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Job description

A Day in your Life as MKS:

As a Principal Electrical Engineer supporting the Systems Business Unite, you will help to strengthen our RF design, measurement, troubleshooting, and system-integration capability. This hands‑on role supports complex RF and electrical subsystems used in advanced industrial equipment, from early R&D concepts through validated product solutions. You will bring to the team a deep RF/high-frequency experience, broad electrical engineering judgment, and the ability to mentor others while supporting product development, integration, validation, manufacturing, service, and sustaining needs. You will support technical decision‑making and product development by contributing to RF architecture choices, measurement strategy, design reviews, validation planning, product performance, reliability, and faster resolution of complex RF/electrical issues. In this role, you will report to the Electrical Engineering Manager.

You Will Make an Impact By:

Serving as a senior technical resource for RF/high-frequency subsystem design, integration, validation, and troubleshooting, including architecture, RF amplifier architectures, measurement methods, signal integrity, and system‑level interaction. Turning early R&D ideas into practical subsystem approaches, prototypes, requirements, experiments, validation plans, or proof‑of‑concept hardware that can move toward product use. Providing hands‑on electrical engineering support across product development, integration, validation, manufacturing, service, and sustaining activities, including subsystem design, PCBA development, box‑build integration, troubleshooting, root‑cause analysis, customer support, and cross‑functional technical leadership. Influencing technical direction by guiding tradeoffs, test strategies, validation methods, design reviews, and cross‑functional decisions while mentoring others and helping teams build repeatable capability.

Skills You Bring:

• Strong RF engineering judgment, with the ability to guide architecture, troubleshooting, measurement, and system‑integration decisions for high‑frequency subsystems.
• Requires a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree, 8 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A Master's degree is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex, open‑ended hardware problems hands‑on with a team using data, experiments, and engineering judgment to narrow root cause and recommend practical next steps.
• Ability to build productive cross‑functional relationships, communicate technical tradeoffs clearly, share knowledge, remain open to feedback and direction, work within established processes, and help others develop stronger technical capability.

Preferred Skills:

• High‑frequency/RF design, troubleshooting, measurement, controls, or system integration.
• Hands‑on debug of complex electrical, system‑level, or advanced industrial equipment problems.
• Turning early technical ideas into practical experiments, prototypes, requirements, validation approaches, or product‑ready subsystem concepts.
• Technical leadership across cross‑functional teams, including knowledge sharing, and helping others build capability.
• Broader electrical engineering experience such as analog, mixed‑signal, controls, power, cabling, interconnects, sensors, motion, or electro‑mechanical integration.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions:

Must be able to remain in a stationary position for most of the time Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery Frequently operates electronic equipment Globally, our policy is to recruit individuals from wide and diverse backgrounds. However, certain positions require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Applicants for these positions may need to be “U.S. persons.” “U.S. persons” are generally defined as U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, lawful permanent residents (or, green card holders), individuals granted asylum, and individuals admitted as refugees.

MKS Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“MKS”) is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer:

diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. We win as a team and are committed to recruiting and hiring qualified applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy‑related conditions), religion, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability or handicap, marital status, membership in the uniformed services, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications and business needs. We conduct background checks and drug screens, in accordance with applicable law and company policies. MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business. MKS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact us at: [e-mail] .

At MKS, it's all about courage, big ideas, and a serious passion for innovation. Winning here is about exploring possibilities, taking action, and solving our customers’ toughest challenges. It's not just a job – it's what you make of it. While you shape your role and make it unique, we invest in you with on‑the‑job and formal training, as well as educational assistance. Curiosity is key at MKS - ask questions, own your path. Our success comes from celebrating the unique skills, diverse perspectives, and lived experience of employees from over 100 countries. The goal is to make sure that everyone feels that they belong. Diversity isn't just a nice‑to‑have; making sure everyone feels included is a big deal for us.

Our group of ~10,000 employees serves semiconductor manufacturing, electronics and packaging, and specialty industrial markets. With over 3,800 patents, our products are enabling advancements in 5G, renewable energy & storage, artificial intelligence, cloud technology, and big data. We're the behind‑the‑scenes support for some amazing technology. MKS Inc., enables technologies that transform our world. MKS Inc, Product Overview