RF / Microwave Design Engineer – Defense, UAS & Emerging Platforms

Microphase Corporation USA; Shelton (CT); On-site; USD 135,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense technology company based in Shelton, CT is seeking an RF/Microwave Design Engineer to join their innovative team. In this full-time position, you'll support the company's engineering succession plan by maintaining existing designs while contributing to new projects for defense and emerging platforms. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, experience in RF/Microwave engineering, and familiarity with MIL standards, as well as being a U.S. Citizen able to secure a government clearance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of RF/Microwave engineering experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance.
• Strong familiarity with defense specifications.

Responsibilities

• Support and enhance existing RF/Microwave filter and multiplexer designs.
• Design RF solutions optimized for size, weight, and power constraints.
• Collaborate with customers to develop tailored solutions.

Skills

U.S. Citizenship

RF/Microwave Engineering

MIL standards familiarity

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE)

Job description

RF / Microwave Design Engineer – Defense, UAS & Emerging Platforms

Microphase Corporation, part of Gresham Worldwide, specializes in advanced RF technology and solutions for the Defense and Telecommunications industries. Their primary product families include bespoke mission‑critical solutions for tactical communications, radar, missile guidance, avionics, 5G, and electronic warfare systems. All products are manufactured in the USA.

Base pay range: $135,000.00 – $160,000.00 per year.

Position Purpose: This role is a cornerstone of the company’s engineering succession plan, ensuring continuity of existing RF/Microwave designs while advancing new technologies to support future defense, UAS, and counter‑UAS (C‑UAS) platforms.

Qualifications:

• U.S. Citizen with ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance.
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) required; RF/Microwave focus strongly preferred.
• Minimum 5+ years of RF/Microwave engineering experience.
• Strong familiarity with MIL standards and defense specifications.
• Experience supporting products across the full lifecycle: legacy sustainment, redesign, and new development.

Primary Responsibilities:

Legacy Design Sustainment & Knowledge Transfer

• Support, maintain, and enhance existing RF/Microwave filter and multiplexer designs.
• Troubleshoot production, yield, and performance issues in active defense programs.
• Document legacy architectures, assumptions, tuning methods, and test strategies.
• Work alongside senior engineers to capture and transfer knowledge ahead of retirement transitions.

New & Future Defense / UAS Design

• Design lumped‑element and distributed RF/Microwave filters and multiplexers.
• Develop RF solutions optimized for size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints.
• Model and simulate RF/Microwave performance using industry‑standard tools.
• Design for operation in wide temperature ranges, EMI‑dense and spectrum‑contested conditions, UAS command & control (C2) links, data links, telemetry, ISR payloads, navigation and GPS‑denied environments, EW and spectrum resilience applications.
• Select, specify, and qualify components for reliability and manufacturability.

Customer, Manufacturing & Test Collaboration

• Work directly with customers to develop solutions that meet or exceed requirements.
• Write and maintain test procedures for qualification, acceptance, and production.
• Design with strong emphasis on DFM, DFT, yield, and repeatability.
• Collaborate with technicians during prototype builds, tuning, and first‑article production.
• Support transition from prototype to full‑rate production.

Preferred / Additive Experience:

• UAS, C‑UAS, EW, or airborne RF systems.
• Multi‑band RF coexistence challenges.
• RF resilience in denied or contested spectrum environments.
• Defense or aerospace production environments.
• Mentoring and collaboration mindset.
• Systems‑level RF thinking.
• Ability to bridge legacy designs with modern RF architectures.
• Comfort operating in regulated, mission‑critical environments.

Seniority Level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type: Full‑time

Location: Shelton, CT