RF Design Engineer

Elve, Inc.; Davis (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Vacation time

Startup environment

Exposure to vacuum electronics & micro

Collaboration with Ph.D. engineers

Job summary

Elve, Inc is seeking an RF design engineer in Davis, CA to design, analyze, and characterize mm-wave RF power amplifier products. You will run RF simulations, measure S-parameters, and handle high-voltage test equipment up to 20 kV while documenting the design process.

Join a small, energetic team focused on rapid iteration and robust performance. The role offers a full-time salary and opportunities to grow across design, fabrication, and assembly in a cutting-edge vacuum electronics setting,

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD with relevant vacuum amplifier design experience; 4+ years for Master’s, 2+ for PhD.
• Bachelor's degree with 6+ years in vacuum amplifier design.
• Basic hands-on tools experience.
• Eligibility to work in the US; U.S. citizen or eligible for required authorizations.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and characterize RF amplifiers and passive components.
• Perform RF simulations and test high-voltage equipment up to 20 kV.
• Document design process and iterate for rapid validation.
• Measure S-parameters, gain, and stability of devices.
• Work with waveguides, coax cables, and high-voltage supplies.

Skills

RF design

Electromagnetic design

S-parameter measurement

High-voltage testing

Education

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering

PhD in Electrical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Vector network analyzers

Spectrum analyzers

Power meters

Diode detectors

High-voltage test equipment

Job description

Who is Elve?

Elve, Inc is a deep-tech startup in Davis, CA, specializing in the design and manufacturing of high-efficiency lightweight millimeter-wave and near-THz RF power amplifiers. Our groundbreaking technology enables 100x faster wireless internet access in urban settings and remote locations, revolutionizing the future of wireless connectivity well beyond 5G. We are looking for RF design engineers to play key roles in bringing our technology to market. If you are passionate about the future of RF electronics, additive manufacturing, precision assembly, microfabrication, vacuum systems, advanced materials processing, and working on a small and energetic team - we can't wait to meet you!

Job Description

An RF design engineer at Elve is responsible for the design, analysis, and characterization of Elve products and systems. This will include performing RF simulations on amplifiers and passive components and operating test high-voltage test equipment (up to 20 kV), as well as creating and documenting the design process. Given our team's size, there are many opportunities to grow, be challenged, and take on new opportunities, skills and responsibilities. This is a full-time salaried position. The goal of this position is to allow us to rapidly iterate and validate our design process and approaches.

Responsibilities

The full-time assignment may include performing product tuning, testing, and troubleshooting of RF microwave devices. This will include measuring S-parameters of passive and active devices, measuring gain and power transfer information on amplifiers, and assessing stability. In addition to standard test equipment such as oscilloscopes and multimeters, you will use signal generators, diode detectors, power meters, vector network analyzers, and spectrum analyzers. You will work with waveguide and waveguide couplers, coaxial cables, and high-voltage power supplies.

Work Environment

• Manufacturing facility
• ISO 5 - ISO 7 Cleanroom
• Laboratory
• Machine shop
• Warehouse
• Office

Requirements

• Familiarity with electromagnetic design and simulation software; familiarity with amplifier design, including matching, stability, and transfer characteristics; familiarity with oscilloscopes, multimeters, and other electrical test equipment
• Willing to learn and adaptable; self-motivated; experience working in a team environment; be able to quickly switch between tasks; detail-oriented

Good to have

• Experience with electron beam optics
• Experience with finite element electromagnetic analysis software
• Familiarity with the Smith chart
• Familiarity with RF communication systems, including link budgets and high data rate waveforms
• Experience using a network analyzer and other RF test equipment/accessories
• Experience with waveguide hardware
• Hands‑on experience building devices (of any kind)
• Experience with Ultra‑High‑Vacuum systems
• Coding experience, particularly Python (for automation and data‑processing/analysis), ideally with hardware communication
• Knowledge of environmental test processes and equipment is beneficial
• Experience with high voltage
• Great communication skills
• J-STD-001 training preferred

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field with at least 4 years of relevant engineering experience in vacuum amplifier device design, OR Ph.D. with at least 2 years experience
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field with at least 6 years of relevant engineering experience in vacuum amplifier device design
• Basic hands‑on tools experience
• Eligibility to work in the US per EAR regulations; must be a U.S. citizen or eligible for required authorizations

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Health benefits (medical, dental, vision)
• Vacation time
• A taste of the start‑up life
• Exposure to cutting‑edge technology in vacuum electronics, materials science, and additive manufacturing
• Rubbing shoulders and brainstorming with multiple Ph.D. and masters‑level engineers

What It's Like To Work At Elve

We are a small team (for now!) on a mission to bring the next generation of high‑speed wireless connectivity to a billion people worldwide. That kind of impact is not going to be achieved with incremental improvements – we’re gunning for orders of magnitude advances in production capability, cost, size, and power in the mm‑wave RF amplifier market. We ask "dumb" questions all the time because we always have something to learn. We work really hard, make sure to get good sleep, handle conflict intentionally, and expect great things from each other.