RF Hardware Engineer

Cx2; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and stock options

401K enrollment after 90 days

Generous PTO and holidays

Job summary

CX2 seeks an experienced RF Hardware Engineer to design, test and build RF systems (Tx/Rx) for UHF through X-Band. Onsite at our El Segundo, CA HQ, you will own antennas, RF front ends, SDRs and validation activities, delivering high-performance subsystems for defense applications.

The role requires a BS/MS in EE, strong RF/mixed-signal skills, and willingness to support critical test events, with eligibility for a security clearance and ITAR considerations.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Experience in RF/mixed-signal design and antenna/receiver work.
• Willingness to support critical test events, including extended hours.

Responsibilities

• Design, validate & deliver RF payload subsystems (antennas, RF front ends, SDRs).
• Own requirements, ICDs, and verification from concept through delivery.
• Stay current with SDRs, RF systems, and related ML techniques.

Skills

RF design

Antenna design

Channelizers & wideband architectures

Test & debugging

Security clearance eligible

US Person / ITAR compliance

Education

BS/MS in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

ADS/AWR/SystemVue

MATLAB/Simulink

Python (NumPy/SciPy)

GNU Radio/SDR (USRP/RFSoC)

HDL/firmware tooling

Vivado/Quartus/Libero

Job description

CX2 is a next-generation defense technology company founded to deliver spectrum dominance for the United States and our allies. CX2’s AI-enabled hardware and software platforms detect, disrupt and defend the electromagnetic spectrum across land, air, sea and space domains.

CX2 is seeking a skilled RF Hardware Engineer to join our growing team. The ideal candidate will have experience in designing, testing and building RF Systems (Tx / Rx) for RF signals (ex. communications, RADAR, navigation) UHF through X-Band.

This role requires an onsite presence in our El Segundo, CA HQ; a remote work environment is not considered for this opportunity.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, validate & deliver RF payload subsystems: Design, Integration and Testing of Antennas, RF front ends, SDRs and provide validation of operation. Support development and analysis of RF performance metrics
• Own requirements, ICDs, and verification from concept through delivery
• Stay current: Track and insert advances in relevant technologies, SDRs, RF Systems, RF machine learning, and PNT

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
• Antenna and receiver design across analog/RF/mixed-signal domains: mixers, PLLs/LOs, gain/linearity/noise trades; ability to turn simulations into reality
• Channelizers & wideband architectures: filter banks, analog/digital down conversion, sample-rate planning, clocking/synchronization
• Willingness to support critical test events that occasionally require extended hours/weekends
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
• Must be a U.S. Person (see ITAR Regulations below) due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities

Bonus Points

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years’ experience with EW subsystems and payloads
• EA/ECM technique design (deception, Digital RF Memory, coherent/non-coherent techniques)
• Digital Signal processing: Design characterize and deliver channelizers, wideband detection/classification, MIMO/digital-arrays, and algorithms in MATLAB/Python/C++
• Communication / Waveform system design
• RF machine learning for emitter ID, modulation/classification, anomaly detection, PDW creation
• Tools Experience: ADS/AWR/SystemVue, MATLAB/Simulink, Python (NumPy/SciPy), GNU Radio/SDR (USRP/RFSoC), VITA-49; HDL/firmware experience; also helpful (Vivado/Quartus/Libero)
• Clearance: Active Secret or ability to obtain and maintain; TS/SCI eligibility preferred. ITAR/EAR-controlled work. Learn more about Security Clearances here
• Field work: supporting periodic travel for flight tests and customer demonstrations/support
• Mindset: Builder-tester who loves first-principles RF, rapid lab iteration, and getting hardware flying fast

What We Offer

• Competitive salary, stock options and benefits, including health, vision and dental
• 401K enrollment at 90 days
• Generous PTO + most Federal Holidays observed
• Collaborative and inclusive work environment
• Access to the latest tools and technologies
• High levels of responsibility and autonomy
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• Access to the hardest problems in electronic warfare

ITAR Regulations

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a US Citizen, Green Card holder, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

CX2 is a next-generation defense technology company securing spectrum dominance for the United States and its allies. We build AI-enabled hardware and software platforms to detect, disrupt, and defend the electromagnetic spectrum across land, air, sea, and space. Our systems are deployed in the most contested operational environments in the world. We’re backed by leading venture investors in the defense ecosystem and led by founders with track records at Meta, SpaceX, Epirus, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Equal Opportunity Employer

CX2 is committed to equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in compliance with the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

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