RF and Datalink Engineer (Engineer - RF 4) - 28784

Huntington Ingalls Industries; Fort Walton Beach (FL); On-site; USD 107,267 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Huntington Ingalls Industries is seeking an experienced RF and Datalink Engineer at Hurlburt Field, FL. The engineer will design and maintain secure communication networks for military operations, including troubleshooting and integrating various communication systems.

Candidates should possess profound knowledge in RF technologies and must be U.S. citizens with relevant experience. Preferred applicants include those with a TS/SCI clearance. The role offers a competitive salary range of $107,267.00 - $145,000.00.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of RF, SATCOM, and tactical data link systems.
• Proficiency in RF fundamentals including frequency interactions.
• Hands-on experience configuring IP networking protocols.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement tactical routing for network solutions.
• Lead RF/Datalink engineering initiatives for SOF operations.
• Conduct engineering evaluation and testing of new technologies.

Skills

RF and datalink systems knowledge

Project management skills

Technical report writing

Experience with RF propagation tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field with 9 years experience

Master's degree with 7 years experience

PhD or JD with 4 years experience

Tools

SPEED

CloudRF

STK

MATLAB

Job description

RF and Datalink Engineer

Location: Hurlburt Field, FL

Requisition Number: 28784

Required Travel: 0 - 10%

Employment Type: Full Time/Salaried/Exempt

Anticipated Salary Range: $107,267.00 - $145,000.00

Security Clearance: Secret

Level of Experience: SeniorHI

Position Summary

RF and Datalink Engineer responsible for the design, deployment, maintenance, and troubleshooting of secure, resilient, and highly available communications networks in primarily garrison environments, with potential support in austere deployed environments. Duties include ensuring seamless data, voice, and video transmission across tactical platforms, integrating Line-of-sight (LOS), Beyond-Line-of-sight (BLOS), and satellite communication (SATCOM) systems to support mission‑critical command and control (C2) operations, and providing tier‑2/3 troubleshooting for network outages.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the government to support and develop the Special Warfare Technology Integration Support Cooperative (SW TISC) RF/DL initiatives in support of SOF operations globally.
• Lead a team of RF/DL engineers and serve as the government stakeholder interface to prioritize and manage Innovation, Assessment, & Evaluation (IA&E) activities.
• Design and implement tactical routing, switching, and transport solutions; configure OSPF, BGP, GRE, and IPsec protocols for tactical edge networks.
• Conduct development, engineering evaluation, and testing of new and emerging technologies to advance SOF missions.
• Integrate tactical radios (e.g., Harris, Thales) and SATCOM terminals (e.g., VSAT, BGAN) into enterprise network architectures; manage RF propagation, transmission planning, and frequency allocations.
• Collaborate with the Network team to support integration of RF/Datalink capabilities with unique networking components and design IP‑over‑RF solutions.
• Perform tier‑2/tier‑3 troubleshooting for network outages in high‑stress, time‑sensitive operational environments.
• Ensure interoperability across mission nodes (operations centers, airborne weapon systems, ground teams, etc.) via mission networks.
• Provide data links and networking engineering support for design, development, integration, testing, and deployment of air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground communication systems, including J‑Series, K‑Series, and VMF messages per MIL‑STD‑6016 and 6017.
• Support integration of conventional, special operations, and other systems into tactical kits used in‑garrison and deployed.
• Coordinate with functional area leads to ensure full support and integration of unique components and government systems of record.
• Provide product, system, and service training fielded or supported by SW TISC.
• Assess RF and data link systems on aircraft and ground platforms to determine technical specifications, capabilities, and limitations.
• Identify gaps in data‑sharing capabilities and recommend solutions.
• Analyze spectrum allocation, availability, and potential conflicts in operational environments.
• Produce actionable reports outlining requirements to mitigate risks and improve communications.
• Review architectures, roadmaps, and government standards to identify current and future gaps.
• Manage projects and timelines, delivering high‑quality outputs under tight deadlines.
• Think critically to identify innovative solutions to complex problems.
• Coordinate among various engineering disciplines to present a unified product to project stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

• 9 years relevant experience with a Bachelor’s in a related field; 7 years relevant experience with a Master’s; 4 years with a PhD or JD; or high school diploma with 13 years relevant experience.
• Must be a U.S. citizen with a current DoD Secret security clearance and eligibility to be upgraded to TS/SCI.
• Deep understanding of RF, SATCOM, MUOS, IW, SHF, TSM, and other MANET waveforms; tactical data link systems (Link‑16, Link‑22, SINCGARS, SATCOM, etc.).
• Proficiency in RF fundamentals, including antenna gain modeling, frequency and wavelength interactions, link‑budget considerations, and decibel‑based power/ratio calculations.
• Familiarity with DoD communication system acquisition processes and standards (MIL‑STD‑6016, MIL‑STD‑188).
• Familiarity in IP networking and subnetting; hands‑on experience configuring ports and protocols to integrate commercial routing devices into existing networks.
• Experience applying RF propagation tools such as SPEED and CloudRF for coverage prediction, path analysis, and mission planning.
• Awareness of challenges in shared RF and datalink technologies in joint and coalition environments.
• Familiarity with ground‑to‑air communications and integrated battlespace operations.
• Working knowledge of tactical communication systems in military or DoD settings.
• Experience providing technical recommendations to support acquisition and system upgrades.
• Experience creating reports, briefings, and managing information.
• Self‑motivated and driven desire to succeed with minimal direction.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

Preferred Requirements

• TS/SCI clearance desired but not required.
• Advanced knowledge of airborne C2 systems, RF, and datalink communications.
• Experience supporting Special Tactics ATAK RF/DL requirements.
• Experience developing systems utilizing networking principles and implementation (TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP, SSL).
• Master’s degree in communications engineering, spectrum management, or systems engineering.
• Experience using tools for RF and SATCOM analysis, such as spectrum analyzers, SDRs, or simulation software (STK, MATLAB, or other RF modeling tools).
• Experience working in cross‑functional collaboration environments with engineering, program management, and DoD customers.

Physical Requirements

• May require working in an office or laboratory environment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.