Principal RFIC Engineer

Roguebeam; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Roguebeam, a Seattle-based startup, seeks a Principal RFIC Engineer to shape the technical direction of our beamformer ICs. You will own architectures, drive from definition through tape-out, and collaborate across RF, antenna, digital, and DSP teams to deliver high-performance phased array solutions.

You will lead the most challenging RF issues, mentor the team, and help set the design culture and methodology that scales with the company’s growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of RFIC/rf-mm-wave circuit design experience, leading complex designs from architecture to silicon.
• Expert proficiency with Cadence Virtuoso, Spectre, ADS and EM simulators (EMX, HFSS, Momentum).
• Strong grounding in RF fundamentals: matching, noise, linearity, S-parameters.

Responsibilities

• Design RFIC beamformers and related RF/mm-wave blocks for phased array systems.
• Lead designs from spec through tape-out and silicon validation.
• Run circuit and system-level simulations for linearity, noise, gain, and power.
• Collaborate with antenna, digital, and DSP teams to meet system requirements.
• Support lab characterization, debugging, and design iteration of fabricated parts.
• Define RFIC architectures and lead the most complex design challenges.
• Set RFIC roadmap direction and establish design flows and standards.

Skills

RFIC design

Architecture leadership

RF fundamentals

Simulation tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

MSc/PhD in RFIC design

Tools

Cadence Virtuoso

Spectre

ADS

EM simulators (EMX/HFSS/Momentum)

Job description

About Roguebeam

Roguebeam is a startup developing advanced phased array systems for communications and radar applications. We design and manufacture complete systems in-house—RF, antenna, digital, and DSP—giving our engineers end-to-end ownership of the technology and a direct line of sight from silicon to deployed system.

We’re early, we’re growing fast, and the people who join us now will shape both the technology and the company.

The Role

We’re looking for a Principal RFIC Engineer to set the technical direction for the advanced beamformer integrated circuits at the heart of our phased array solutions. As a foundational technical leader, you’ll help set the direction of both our product and silicon roadmap, define the architectures that underpin our systems, and establish the design culture and methodology the team scales on.

You’ll work across RFIC design from architecture through tape-out and bring-up, partnering closely with antenna, digital, and DSP teams. As a principal-level individual contributor, you’ll be the person others turn to on the hardest RF problems, and the decisions you make will ripple through every product we build.

Responsibilities

• Design RFIC beamformers and associated RF/mm-wave building blocks (phase shifters, attenuators, LNAs, PAs, mixers, switches) for phased array systems




• Drive designs from specification and architecture definition through schematic, layout, tape-out, and silicon validation




• Run circuit and system-level simulations covering linearity, noise, gain/phase control accuracy, and power




• Collaborate with antenna, digital, and DSP teams to ensure RFIC performance meets full-system requirements




• Support lab characterization, debug, and design iteration of fabricated parts




• Define RFIC architectures and lead the most complex and ambiguous design challenges




• Set technical direction across the RFIC roadmap and influence system-level trade-offs




• Establish design flows, methodology, and standards; mentor and elevate the broader team

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field




• 10+ years of relevant experience in RFIC or RF/mm-wave circuit design, with a track record of leading complex designs from architecture through silicon




• Expert proficiency with industry-standard design and simulation tools (e.g., Cadence Virtuoso, Spectre, ADS, and EM simulators such as EMX, HFSS, or Momentum)




• Authoritative grounding in RF fundamentals: matching, noise, linearity, and S-parameters

Preferred Qualifications

• MSc or PhD with a focus on RFIC design




• Experience designing beamformers or phased array front-end ICs




• Familiarity with mm-wave design and silicon technologies (SiGe BiCMOS, CMOS, GaAs/GaN)




• Experience taking designs through tape-out and post-silicon validation




• Background in communications or radar system requirements

Why Roguebeam

This is a rare ground-floor opportunity. Joining a startup at this stage means your work has a direct, visible effect on whether the company succeeds—and a corresponding upside as we grow. Because we build the entire system in-house, you’ll see your RFIC designs integrated into real phased arrays and deployed in working systems, not handed off and forgotten. You’ll have real ownership and a seat at the table on technical direction.

This position requires access to information controlled under ITAR/EAR; applicants must be U.S. persons as defined in 22 CFR 120.62