Principal RF Engineer, EW

XYZ Venture Capital; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 292,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Top-tier benefits

Job summary

Anduril Industries in California is seeking a senior RF engineer to design complete RF receiver/transmitter signal chains from requirements through production. You will architect RF up-/down-conversion, optimize noise/distortion, select high-speed data converters, and own radio PCBA design through lifecycle including DVT and NPI handoff. The role requires a B.S.

in EE and 7+ years in RF design, with ability to obtain a U.S. Secret security clearance.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• 7+ years of RF design experience.
• Experience designing complete RF receiver/transmitter signal chains and architectures.
• Experience with discrete RF components (LNAs, filters, mixers, PLLs, oscillators, amplifiers).
• Experience with high-speed data converters (ADC/DAC) and anti-alias filters.
• Ability to obtain and hold a U.S. Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop complete RF radio architectures from requirements through production.
• Architect RF up-/down-conversion signal chains with noise/distortion trade-offs.
• Model, simulate, analyze, test, and optimize RF/mixed signal circuits.
• Select and integrate high-speed data converters and baseband interfaces.
• Design and optimize clock trees and LO/synthesizer architectures.
• Perform system-level spur analyses and mitigation strategies.
• Own radio PCBA design and test through lifecycle including DVT/ATP and NPI.
• Support feasibility studies, requirements definition, and system integration.

Skills

RF design

PLL/LO design

Schematic capture

RF test & measurement

Python

Embedded Linux

Education

B.S. Electrical Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Ansys Electronics Desktop (Nexxim, SiWave)

Cadence AWR Microwave Office

VNA

Oscilloscope

Spectrum Analyzer

PCB layout guidance

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

About the Team

Anduril's Electronic Warfare (EW) division builds next-generation electronic warfare platforms — hardware-enabled, software-defined systems that are fielded, operational, and scaling fast. The EW team operates at a tempo the defense industry isn't used to: delivering novel system configurations into active operations in days, not months, securing major contract awards in under 24 hours, and earning unanimous fielding recommendations from government evaluators. Production is scaling from hundreds to thousands of units across multiple product variants, and the release and delivery challenges are scaling with it.

What You'll Do

• Design and develop complete RF radio architectures (receivers, transmitters, transceivers) from requirements through production.
• Architect and design RF up-conversion and down-conversion signal chains, optimizing between noise, distortion, and dynamic range trade-offs.
• Modeling, simulation, analysis, design, test, and optimization of active and passive RF and/or mixed signal circuits.
• Select, characterize, and integrate high-speed data converters (ADCs and DACs) and associated baseband driving, filtering, and interface circuits.
• Design and optimize clock trees, reference oscillators, and LO/synthesizer architectures (DDS, PLL, VCO-based) with emphasis on phase noise, spurious, and settling time.
• Perform system-level spur analyses (mixer spurs, synthesizer harmonics, clock coupling, image rejection) and develop mitigation strategies.
• Own radio PCBA design and test through the full lifecycle: analysis (harmonic, spur, etc.), component selection (ADC/DAC, mixer, filters, etc.), technical data package (schematic/layout), board bring up, test, DVT/ATP, and new product introduction to manufacturing.
• Assist with feasibility studies, requirements definition, and system integration as needed.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. Electrical Engineering or equivalent
• 7+ years experience
• Experience designing complete RF receiver and/or transmitter signal chains using common architectures (direct conversion, zero-IF, single-IF, dual-IF, clock-chains), including cascade analyses and architecture trade-off studies.
• Experience with off the shelf discrete RF components like LNAs, filters, mixers, PLLs / synthesizers, oscillators, amplifiers, variable attenuators, switches, power detectors, and limiters.
• Experience with high-speed data converters (ADC/DAC), including selection, characterization, integration, and associated anti-alias / reconstruction filter design.
• Experience with synthesizer and LO design including PLL loop filter optimization, phase noise analysis, and spur management.
• Experience with schematic capture, board bring up, test, and optimization.
• Experience with circuit modeling and simulation using tools like Ansys Electronics Desktop (Nexxim, SiWave) and Cadence AWR Microwave Office.
• Proficient with RF test equipment including VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, and oscilloscopes.
• Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with 3D EM modeling and simulation (Ansys HFSS, CST, Feko) and nonlinear circuit simulation (harmonic balance, envelope) using tools like AWR Microwave Office.
• Familiar with matching circuit, RF filter design, and feedback / control loop design (AGC, ALC, power control).
• Experience with RF shielding, cavity design, and isolation techniques for leakage mitigation.
• Experience with NPI, manufacturing test development, and production transitions.
• Familiar with FPGA or digital backend integration with RF front ends.
• Experience with PCB design / layout and guiding layout engineers.
• Familiar with programming languages like Python for analysis and test automation.
• Familiar with embedded Linux.

US Salary Range: $220,000 — $292,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

Benefits

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next.

For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

Data Privacy

To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.

By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.