Principal RF Research Scientist (RFML/DSP/SDR)

Peraton Labs; College Park (MD); On-site; USD 176,000 - 282,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k)

Paid time off

Job summary

Peraton Labs in College Park, MD, is seeking a Principal RF Research Scientist to lead groundbreaking R&D in Radio Frequency and Machine Learning. This role requires deep expertise in RFML and DSP, with responsibilities including designing solutions and collaborating with government clients.

Applicants should have extensive experience and the ability to mentor junior staff. A competitive salary range of $176,000 - $282,000 is offered, with various benefits including medical and 401(k).

Qualifications

• 12+ years experience with Bachelor's, 10+ with Master's, or 8+ with Ph.D.
• Strong RF fundamentals including sampling, modulation, and channel effects.
• Hands-on development experience in Python and/or C/C++.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical design and prototyping of RF solutions.
• Develop DSP algorithms for RF environments.
• Serve as a technical interface with government customers.

Skills

RF Machine Learning

Digital Signal Processing

Software Defined Radio

Python

C/C++

Machine Learning frameworks

Education

Bachelor's in Computer Science or related discipline

Master's in Computer Science or related discipline

Ph.D. in Computer Science or related discipline

Tools

GNU Radio

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

About Peraton

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees solve the most daunting challenges that our customers face. Visit peraton.com to learn how we’re keeping people around the world safe and secure.

About The Role

Peraton Labs is seeking a poly cleared Principal RF Research Scientist to lead and execute cutting‑edge R&D in Radio Frequency Machine Learning (RFML), Digital Signal Processing (DSP), and/or Software Defined Radio (SDR). You will serve as a technical leader for our research team, driving development from concept through prototype, while collaborating closely with our MD based government customer. This role will also include shaping new work through whitepapers, proposals, and customer‑facing technical leadership.

This position requires full‑time on‑site work at a customer site near College Park, MD.

Key responsibilities may include:

• Leading or co‑leading the technical design, development, and prototyping of RF sensing/communications solutions including detection/classification, waveform characterization, interference mitigation, spectrum situational awareness, link analysis, or related mission applications
• Developing and evaluating DSP algorithms for real‑world RF environments
• Applying machine learning/deep learning approaches to RF problems
• Implementing research prototypes in Python, C, C++, Java, or other languages, with emphasis on reproducibility, performance, and operational relevance
• Integration and testing of algorithms on SDR platforms (USRP‑class devices) using GNU Radio and/or custom frameworks
• Research and prototype against relevant wireless standards and stacks (LTE/5G concepts, open‑source implementations, or other waveforms/protocols aligned to program needs)
• Production of high‑quality technical artifacts and contributing to publications and/or patents where appropriate
• Serve as a technical interface with the government customer by leading technical exchanges, communicating results clearly, and translating mission needs into R&D plans
• Contributing to business development by supporting capture, authoring technical volumes/whitepapers, developing ROMs, and identifying follow‑on opportunities
• Mentoring of junior staff and defining technical direction

• This position may be eligible for an increased sign‑on bonus. Eligibility, bonus amount, and applicable terms and conditions will be discussed during the recruiting process.

Qualifications

Required qualifications

• Minimum of 12+ years of experience with a Bachelor's degree, 10+ years of experience with a Master's degree, or 8+ years of experience with a Ph.D. in Computer Science or related discipline. In lieu of a Bachelors, an additional 4 years of experience is required for a total of 16 years.
• Demonstrated depth in one or more of the following: RFML, DSP, and/or SDR/wireless prototyping
• Strong RF fundamentals: sampling, modulation, channel effects, noise/interference, link budgets, synchronization, detection/estimation
• Hands‑on development experience in Python and/or C/C++ within a SCIF environment
• Experience developing and validating prototypes using SDR hardware and/or RF test setups
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical work clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Ability to work independently, lead small technical teams, and collaborate across disciplines
• Experience supporting or leading DoD/IC customer engagement and contributing to proposal/capture activities
• US Citizenship is a requirement for this position
• This position requires an active/current TS/SCI w/ Polygraph

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong applied experience with ML frameworks such as PyTorch and/or TensorFlow/Keras
• Experience with robustness/adversarial considerations in RFML
• Experience with real‑time or embedded implementation constraints
• Familiarity with GNU Radio, UHD, and SDR driver/tooling, to include third‑party SDR platforms beyond USRP
• Experience with distributed signal processing (multi‑sensor, coherent/distributed collections, time sync, networked RF systems)
• Familiarity with Linux, Git, containers (Docker/Kubernetes), CI/CD, and reproducible research pipelines
• History of publications/patents, conference presentations, or documented technical leadership
• Experience in DoD/IC mission environments and/or rapid prototyping for field or operational demonstrations

Details

Target Salary Range: $176,000 - $282,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual's experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

Benefits Statement: Peraton offers eligible employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, health savings account, short/long term disability, EAP, parental leave, 401(k), paid time off (PTO) for vacation, and company paid holidays. A full listing of available benefits can be viewed at https://www.careers.peraton.com/benefits.

EEO

Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.