RF Design Engineer - Computational Electromagnetics

Battelle; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 106,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Paid time off

401(k) retirement savings plan

Tuition assistance

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Job summary

Battelle in Columbus, Ohio seeks a mid‑level RF Microwave Design Engineer to lead development of RF/microwave transceiver systems and antenna/PCB designs. You will work with engineers on phased array concepts (EBS/DF), validate designs with HFSS/ADS, and present results to leadership and customers. Travel may be required and a US security clearance may be needed. The role emphasizes technical leadership and cross‑functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with 8+ years of experience.
• Master’s degree in EE or related field with 5+ years of experience.
• PhD in EE or related field with 2+ years of experience.
• Microwave/RF system, subsystem and component analysis, design, prototyping and integration.
• Experience with HFSS, ADS, CST, Genesys or AWR for EM modeling.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of complex RF/microwave transceiver systems.
• Design and model antenna and multi-layer PCB with TX/RX components.
• Collaborate with antenna engineers on phased array antennas (EBS/DF).
• Provide technical leadership and present to peers, leadership, and customers.
• Create technical content for proposals and white papers.
• Develop test plans and reports; document results.
• Conduct experiments and testing in lab and field environments.
• Coordinate with customers and subcontractors.

Skills

RF/microwave design

Antenna fundamentals

Smith chart impedance matching

EM simulation tools

Test equipment expertise

Team leadership

Technical presentations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in EE or related field

Master’s degree in EE or related field

PhD in EE or related field

Tools

Mentor Xpedition

PADS

Cadence Virtuoso

Altium Designer

HFSS

ADS

CST

Genesys

AWR

MATLAB

Job description

Battelle delivers when others can’t. We conduct research and development, manage national laboratories, design and manufacture products and deliver critical services for our clients—whether they are a multi-national corporation, a small start-up or a government agency.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Summary

Battelle is seeking a Radio Frequency (RF) Microwave Design Engineer to work in the Electronic Warfare group within the Advanced Microsystem Solutions Business Line. The position is located at Battelle Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Travel may be required.

The Mid-Level RF/Microwave Design Engineer will be responsible for leading tasks during the development of complex RF/microwave transceiver systems. This role will design and model antenna along with multi-layer PCB with TX/RX components for Communications, Cyber and Electronic Warfare (EW) solution development. The candidate must have substantial experience in microwave/RF design techniques, impedance matching using Smith chart with EM simulation tools such as HFSS and experience validating designs using microwave test equipment.

This position will work closely with antenna engineers on state-of-the-art phased array antennas; foundational antenna theory knowledge is required along with phased array applications such as Electronic Beam Steering (EBS) and Direction Finding (DF). A successful candidate will be capable of making technical presentations to peers, program leadership, and customers and assist in new business development.

The candidate will provide technical leadership, subject matter expertise and individual execution within engineering projects requiring design, prototyping, analysis, testing, fabrication and integration of RF/microwave systems, cards and components into multi-disciplinary engineering solutions. These solutions provide essential capabilities to operators in a wide variety of domains including communications, signal intelligence, radar, cyber and EW.

Responsibilities

• Ability to work independently, as well as direct and coordinate work of multi-disciplinary engineering teams to assure the successful development of RF systems and assemblies
• Participate and foster the collaborative team culture of RF design through rigorous and iterative modeling, simulation, and measurement
• Mentor and train junior engineers
• Engineer design process development and maturation
• Customer and sub-contractor coordination
• Lead the creation of technical content for proposals and white papers
• Create technical documentation, test plans and reports
• Conduct experiments and testing in both a laboratory and field environment

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (EE) or related field with 8 + years of experience, Master’s degree in EE or related field and 5 + years of experience or PhD in EE or related field and 2 + years of experience
• Microwave/RF system, subsystem and component analysis, design, prototyping and integration
• ECAD design experience using software suites such as Mentor Xpedition and PADS, Cadance Virtuoso and Allegro, and Altium Designer
• Knowledge of antenna fundamentals and radiation theory using Smith charts, impedance matching, radiation pattern.
• Knowledge of microwave/RF circuits and transmission line theory to design single or multi-layer board including CPW, microstrip/strip line using impedance matching techniques utilizing modeling software
• Experience using computational electromagnetics software HFSS and ADS (Momentum, FEM, etc) to create models from conceptual stage to final board layout
• Experience of validating and debugging model/simulation to measurement discrepancy of the final product
• Work with off the shelf components such as power combiner/splitter, power amplifier, LNA, Balun, Phase shifter as model components in board design.
• Testing using standard EE and RF/microwave equipment such as vector network analyzers, power meters, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, noise sources, multimeter, and signal sources
• Hands-on design experience with electromagnetic simulation and modeling tools such as HFSS, CST, ADS, Genesys and/or AWR
• Experience with technical writing for proposals, white papers, test plans and reports
• Must be a US Citizen and able to obtain/maintain a US government security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Designing RF/microwave Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) and Card Carrier Assemblies (CCA)
• Designing RF/microwave features including frequency conversion, automatic gain control, custom amplification circuits, matching networks and filters
• Experience integrating high frequency electronics into packages using CCAs and/or chip and wire technology
• Experience using MATLAB for modeling, analysis, and design of free space RF links, EBS patterns, DSP or related subject matter
• Creating and/or working with RF/microwave link budgets to drive system requirements
• Working with Software Defined Radios (SDR), including utilizing them in RF system cascades and writing software for them
• Familiar with board layout tools, specifically Mentor PADS Pro for ECAD design
• Designing, testing and integrating Active Electronically Steered Antennas (AESAs)
• Familiarity with the setup and operation of military communication and EW equipment
• Current US Government Security Clearance

Compensation Data

Battelle is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The salary range for this role is $105,600 - $150,500, in addition to our comprehensive benefits package. A candidate’s salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to education, relevant work experience, skills, and certifications. Salary ranges may vary based on geographic location and market conditions.

Benefits: Live an Extraordinary Life

We care about your well-being, not just on the job. Battelle offers comprehensive and competitive benefits to help you live your best life.

• Balance life through a compressed work schedule: Most of our team follows a flexible, compressed work schedule that allows for every other Friday off—giving you a dedicated day to accomplish things in your personal life without using vacation time.
• Enjoy enhanced work flexibility, including a hybrid arrangement: You have options for where and when you work. Our Together with Flexibility model allows you to work 60% in-office and 40% remote, with Monday and Tuesday as common in-office days, dependent on team and position needs.
• Take time to recharge: You get paid time off to support work-life balance and keep motivated.
• Prioritize wellness: Stay healthy with medical, dental, and vision coverage with wellness incentives and benefits plus a variety of optional supplemental benefits.
• Better together: Coverage for partners, gender-affirming care and health support, and family formation support.
• Build your financial future: Build financial stability with an industry-leading 401(k) retirement savings plan. For most employees, we put in 5 percent whether you contribute or not, and match your contributions on top of that.
• Advance your education: Tuition assistance is available to pursue higher education.

A Work Environment Where You Succeed

For brilliant minds in science, technology, engineering and business operations, Battelle is the place to do the greatest good by solving humanity’s most pressing challenges and creating a safer, healthier and more secure world.

You will have the opportunity to thrive in a culture that inspires you to:

• Apply your talent to challenging and meaningful projects
• Receive select funding to pursue ideas in scientific and technological discovery
• Partner with world‑class experts in a collaborative environment
• Nurture and develop the next generation of scientific leaders
• Give back to and improve our communities

Vaccinations & Safety Protocols

Battelle may require employees, based on job duties, work location, and/or its clients’ requirements to follow certain safety protocols and to be vaccinated against a variety of viruses, bacteria, and diseases as a condition of employment and continued employment and to provide documentation that they are fully vaccinated. If applicable, Battelle will provide reasonable accommodations based on a qualified disability or medical condition through the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act or for a sincerely held religious belief under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and related state laws).

Battelle is an equal opportunity employer. We provide employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran-status veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Our goal is for each staff member to have the opportunity to grow to the limits of their abilities and to achieve personal and organizational objectives. We will support positive programs for equal treatment of all staff and full utilization of all qualified employees at all levels within Battelle.

The above statements are intended to describe the nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, activities and skills required of staff members. No statement herein is intended to imply any authorities to commit Battelle unless special written permission is granted by Battelle's Legal Department.

For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers