RF Engineer

MatrixSpace; Hoffman Estates (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

MatrixSpace in Hoffman Estates, IL is seeking an RF Engineer to design and develop RF components and subsystems for radar applications, collaborating with hardware, software, and systems engineers. You will own a defined part of the radar system from design through measured performance, analyze RF behavior, and implement test plans with prototype builds and lab measurements.

The role requires onsite work in Hoffman Estates, hands-on bench work, field testing, and clear communication of technical

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of RF engineering experience, including hands-on design, integration, or test of RF hardware.
• A degree in electrical engineering or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Working knowledge of RF fundamentals such as impedance matching, gain, noise, filtering, transmission lines, and signal integrity.
• Experience using RF test equipment, such as vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and oscilloscopes, to characterize and troubleshoot hardware.
• Experience interpreting measurements, isolating performance issues, and making design changes based on test results.
• Ability to explain technical findings and tradeoffs clearly to engineers in other disciplines.
• Ability to work onsite in Hoffman Estates and participate in field testing as needed.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop RF components and subsystems for radar applications, including antenna and RF hardware work.
• Analyze RF performance, identify design tradeoffs, and recommend solutions within your area of ownership.
• Build and evaluate prototypes using simulation, lab measurements, and documented test plans.
• Integrate RF hardware with other radar subsystems and troubleshoot issues with hardware, software, and systems engineers.
• Support field testing, compare measured performance with design expectations, and turn findings into design improvements.
• Review technical work, share findings with teammates, and help improve test methods and documentation.

Job description

Help build and improve MatrixSpace radar systems!

MatrixSpace develops AI-enabled radar and sensing systems that help people understand what's happening in the world around them. By combining advanced radar, edge computing, and AI, we deliver situational awareness in environments where traditional sensing solutions struggle.

As an RF Engineer, you'll contribute to RF features and subsystems across antenna design, RF hardware, integration, and test. You'll work with engineers across disciplines to solve design problems, evaluate performance, and make practical improvements to our radar systems.

If you're curious about how hardware performs in the real world, comfortable working through ambiguous technical problems, and willing to own your results, we'd love to talk.

What You'll Do

• Design and develop RF components and subsystems for radar applications, including antenna and RF hardware work.
• Analyze RF performance, identify design tradeoffs, and recommend solutions within your area of ownership.
• Build and evaluate prototypes using simulation, lab measurements, and documented test plans.
• Integrate RF hardware with other radar subsystems and troubleshoot issues with hardware, software, and systems engineers.
• Support field testing, compare measured performance with design expectations, and turn findings into design improvements.
• Review technical work, share findings with teammates, and help improve test methods and documentation.

What We're Looking For

This position requires working directly or indirectly with the US Government in restricted environments. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship and may be required to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance in the future.

This role calls for an engineer who can take ownership of a defined part of a radar system, make sound technical recommendations, and follow problems through to a tested solution.

Required

• 5-7 years of RF engineering experience, including hands-on design, integration, or test of RF hardware.
• A degree in electrical engineering or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Working knowledge of RF fundamentals such as impedance matching, gain, noise, filtering, transmission lines, and signal integrity.
• Experience using RF test equipment, such as vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and oscilloscopes, to characterize and troubleshoot hardware.
• Experience interpreting measurements, isolating performance issues, and making design changes based on test results.
• Ability to explain technical findings and tradeoffs clearly to engineers in other disciplines.
• Ability to work onsite in Hoffman Estates and participate in field testing as needed.

Someone Who Will Thrive in This Role

• Takes responsibility from initial design through measured performance.
• Enjoys moving between analysis, bench work, and real-world testing.
• Brings possible solutions and tradeoffs to technical discussions.
• Notices risks early and adjusts the approach as new test data comes in.

Bonus Points

• Experience designing or testing radar, sensing, communications, or other RF systems.
• Antenna design or electromagnetic simulation experience (HFSS) with phased arrays.
• Antenna chamber design and automation (Python).
• Familiarity with RF PCB design, layout review, or working with manufacturing partners.
• Writing firmware in C to control RF components and using version control tools like git.
• Proficiency with Linux.
• Experience testing RF systems outside the lab.

You'll have room to make meaningful technical decisions while working closely with a team building radar systems used in demanding environments. If that sounds exciting, we'd love to hear from you.