RF & Avionics Hardware Technical Lead

Quest Defense; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 129,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

401(k) with employer match

Certification assistance

Job summary

Quest Defense Systems and Solutions in Phoenix, AZ seeks a Senior Hardware Engineer / Technical Lead to drive hardware development for RF and avionics, including TCAS, transponder, and airborne surveillance systems. You will lead requirements, architecture, verification, and production transitions in a hands‑on leadership role.

This role covers RF, digital/mixed‑signal electronics, FPGA, DO-254/DO-160 certifications, and DOORS traceability.

Qualifications

• 5–15 years of relevant hardware engineering experience, preferably in airborne avionics, RF, or high‑reliability electronics.
• Hands‑on experience developing RF, digital, and/or mixed‑signal hardware.
• Experience leading or coordinating multidisciplinary hardware development teams.
• Experience taking hardware from requirements through design, integration, verification, qualification, and production.
• Experience with hardware requirements, decomposition, allocation, validation, traceability, and IBM DOORS or comparable tools.
• Experience developing and executing hardware verification plans, procedures, and testing.
• Strong hardware integration, troubleshooting, and root‑cause analysis skills, including hardware/FPGA/software/system interfaces.
• Experience transitioning engineering hardware into manufacturing and production.
• Strong technical leadership, communication, mentoring, and problem‑solving skills.
• Direct experience with TCAS, transponder, ADS‑B, or airborne surveillance hardware.
• Working knowledge of DO‑254, including requirements, design, implementation, verification, configuration management, process assurance, traceability, and design assurance.
• Familiarity with DO‑160, including EMI/EMC, environmental, lightning, and aircraft installation qualification.
• Experience supporting TSO authorization andFAA certification programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead hardware development from requirements and architecture through design, integration, verification, qualification, and production.
• Coordinate RF, digital/mixed‑signal, FPGA, mechanical, safety, verification, manufacturing, and certification activities.
• Develop and manage hardware requirements, traceability, plans, milestones, risks, and technical dependencies using IBM DOORS or comparable tools.
• Lead hardware verification plans, procedures, test environments, execution, and anomaly resolution.
• Develop/review RF, digital, and mixed‑signal designs supporting TCAS, transponder, and surveillance systems.
• Lead hardware/software/FPGA integration and troubleshoot complex system issues across laboratory, qualification, aircraft, and flight‑test environments.
• Support RF/antenna integration, including placement, performance, radiation patterns, interference, and aircraft installation.
• Support manufacturing, production testing, engineering‑to‑production transition, and corrective actions.
• Support DO-254, DO-160, TSO, and FAA certification activities and documentation.
• Lead technical reviews, customer interactions, issue resolution, and closure of technical actions.
• Provide technical direction and mentoring to hardware engineers.

Skills

RF hardware

Digital/mixed-signal

FPGA

Leadership

Multidisciplinary coordination

System integration

Root-cause analysis

Certification processes

Aircraft avionics knowledge

DO-254 knowledge

Tools

IBM DOORS

Job description

Quest Defense Systems and Solutions in Phoenix, AZ seeks a Senior Hardware Engineer / Technical Lead to drive hardware development for RF and avionics, including TCAS, transponder, and airborne surveillance systems. You will lead requirements, architecture, verification, and production transitions in a hands‑on leadership role.

This role covers RF, digital/mixed‑signal electronics, FPGA, DO-254/DO-160 certifications, and DOORS traceability.