RF Engineer – Radio Systems / RF Hardware

Darkblade Systems; Maryland; On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

CIS Secure, supporting the REACT program at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, seeks an RF Engineer – Radio Systems / RF Hardware to lead design, development, and integration of custom radio hardware for national security missions.

You will work across RF, digital, FPGA, and embedded systems to develop new communications capabilities, troubleshoot hardware, and prototype solutions for demanding mission requirements.

Qualifications

• Experience designing, developing, integrating, or troubleshooting RF communication systems or radio hardware.
• Strong understanding of RF fundamentals: signal chains, filtering, amplification, frequency conversion, impedance matching, noise, link budgets.
• Experience with analog/digital circuit design and PCB-level hardware development.
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C/C++, or embedded Linux.
• Experience developing or integrating FPGA-based systems using Verilog, SystemVerilog, or VHDL.
• Experience integrating embedded processors, FPGAs, RF transceivers, ADCs/DACs, or similar devices.
• Hands-on experience with RF and electronics test equipment: oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, VNAs, signal generators, logic analyzers.
• Ability to troubleshoot hardware at component, board, and system levels.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on engineering across the full radio development lifecycle, from architecture to RF characterization.
• Develop and integrate RF front ends, digital processing hardware, and embedded components.
• Use lab equipment to evaluate and troubleshoot system performance.
• Collaborate with embedded software, FPGA, cybersecurity, and systems engineering to mature radio capabilities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

RF design experience

RF fundamentals

Analog/Digital circuit design

MATLAB/Simulink

Python/C/C++/embedded Linux

FPGA-based systems (Verilog/SystemVeri

Embedded processors, FPGAs, RF transce

RF test equipment (oscilloscopes, VNAs

Troubleshoot hardware

RTL/FPGA integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

Job description

CIS Secure is seeking an RF Engineer – Radio Systems / RF Hardware to join our team supporting the REACT program at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland. The RF Engineer will lead the design, development, and integration of custom radio and RF hardware supporting critical national security missions. This role works across RF, digital, FPGA, and embedded systems to develop new communications capabilities, troubleshoot complex hardware, and rapidly prototype solutions for advanced mission requirements.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provide hands-on engineering expertise across the full radio development lifecycle, from architecture and component selection through circuit design, FPGA integration, board bring-up, and RF characterization.
• Develop and integrate RF front ends, digital processing hardware, and embedded components.
• Use laboratory test equipment to evaluate and troubleshoot system performance.
• Collaborate with embedded software, FPGA, cybersecurity, and systems engineering personnel to develop and mature custom radio capabilities for sophisticated operational environments.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Experience designing, developing, integrating, or troubleshooting RF communication systems or radio hardware.
• Strong understanding of RF fundamentals, including signal chains, filtering, amplification, frequency conversion, impedance matching, noise, and link budgets.
• Experience with analog/digital circuit design and PCB-level hardware development.
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C/C++, or embedded Linux.
• Experience developing or integrating FPGA-based systems using Verilog, SystemVerilog, or VHDL.
• Experience integrating embedded processors, FPGAs, RF transceivers, ADCs/DACs, or similar devices.
• Hands-on experience with RF and electronics test equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, VNAs, signal generators, and logic analyzers.
• Ability to troubleshoot hardware at the component, board, and system levels.

DESIRED SKILLS:

• Experience designing a radio or RF transceiver from the board/component level, not solely integrating commercial radios.
• Experience with software-defined radios, RF transceiver ICs, RF front ends, PLLs, mixers, LNAs, PAs, and filters.
• Experience implementing DSP functions in FPGA logic, including filtering, FFTs, modulation/demodulation, or digital up/down conversion.
• Experience with RF/mixed-signal PCB design, controlled impedance, grounding, shielding, signal integrity, and EMI/EMC considerations.
• Experience with RFSoC, SoC FPGA, high-speed ADC/DAC interfaces, or similar architectures.
• Experience with communications, unmanned systems, electronic warfare, SIGINT, radar, or other RF-intensive defense applications.
• Experience rapidly prototyping and debugging custom RF or embedded hardware.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.

CLEARANCE:

• Active TS/SCI security clearance required.

OPERATING HOURS AND EXPECTATIONS:

• This position anticipates standard operating hours, with flexibility as required to support program and mission requirements.
• This position is based at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland.

TRAVEL:

• No regular travel is anticipated for this position.

Benefits:

At CIS Secure, we believe in promoting fair and transparent pay practices. We are committed to disclosing the compensation range for transparency and to set clear expectations for all applicants for this posting. This range represents the anticipated low and high end of the base salary for the advertised job, promotion, or transfer opportunity. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. The actual salary offered may vary based on various factors including but not limited to relevant experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, education, geographic location, as well as internal equity, and alignment to market data.

PAY RANGE:

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $140,000 - $160,000 annually.

Benefits:

• 401(k) with company matching
• Dental insurance
• Medical insurance
• Health Savings Account option
• Flexible Spending
• Vision insurance
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Ancillary offerings (Hospital Indemnity, Accident, Critical Illness, Pet Insurance)
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday pay

CIS Secure and it's associated companies, Intrepid Solutions and Darkblade Systems, is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected class.