RF Power Amplifier Design Engineer

GreenWave Radios™; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

InnoPhase Inc., dba GreenWave Radios, is seeking an RF Power Amplifier Design Engineer to drive development of ultra-high-efficiency PAs for 5G base stations based in San Diego, CA.

You will collaborate with Systems, RF/Analog, Digital, and Firmware teams to deliver complete base station solutions and bring designs from concept to volume production.

Qualifications

• Six+ years of direct RF PA design experience.
• Experience across the full high-efficiency PA development cycle.
• Design spanning 0.5 MHz-6 GHz with high-frequency awareness.
• Device biasing and RF dependencies understanding.
• Excellent RF test and measurement skills.
• Familiarity with transmitter linearization techniques.

Responsibilities

• Develop ultra-high-efficiency RF PAs for 5G FR1 base station solutions.
• Evaluate transistors and amplifiers for PAs across Gan/GaAs/LDMOS technologies.
• Design, simulate, and debug PAs; present results to peers and stakeholders.
• As simulation is imperfect, extract empirical data to refine targets.
• Partner with Systems, RF/Analog, Digital, and Firmware engineers to deliver a complete base station solution.
• Own RF PA designs through volume production and resolve issues along the way.
• Document designs and teach them to peers, integrators, and customers.

Skills

RF PA design

RF design experience

Doherty architectures

Envelope restoration

PCB layout

EM analysis

Lab debug/bring-up

ADS tools

Thermal management

RF test & measurement

Education

BSEE

MS/PhD preferred

Tools

Keysight ADS

Job description

InnoPhase Inc., DBA GreenWave Radios™, is at the forefront of innovation in Open RAN digital radios. Our cutting-edge solutions, powered by the Hermes64 RF SoC, are designed to enhance network energy efficiency while dramatically reducing operational expenses, with purpose-built silicon that is the heart of ORAN-based active antenna arrays.

Headquartered in San Diego, California, GreenWave Radios™ has established itself as a pioneer in delivering power-efficient digital-to-RF solutions. The company is supported by a talented team of over 100 engineers spread across four global R&D facilities. With an extensive portfolio of more than 120 global patents, GreenWave Radios™ continues to push the boundaries of radio technology and innovation.

As an RF Power Amplifier Design Engineer, you'll report to the VP of Engineering and drive the development of ultra-high-efficiency RF power amplifiers for our 5G cellular base station solutions. Our PA technology sits at the heart of a system-level approach to dramatically cutting base station power consumption, and this role puts you on the critical path from concept through volume production. This full-time position is based in San Diego, CA.

What You'll Do

• Develop ultra-high-efficiency RF power amplifiers (PAs) for 5G FR1 base station solutions
• Evaluate and adapt the use of available transistors and amplifiers for the design of these PAs in various (Gan, GaAs, LDMOS) technologies as applicable
• Design, simulate, and debug/evaluate RF PAs, presenting results to peers and stakeholders throughout the design cycle
• As simulation is imperfect, extract relevant empirical data to hone in on design targets
• Partner with Systems, RF/Analog, Digital, and Firmware engineers to deliver a complete base station solution
• Own RF PA designs through volume production, resolving issues that surface along the way
• Document your designs and teach them to peers, integrators, and customers

What You Bring

• BSEE required, MSEE or PhD preferred
• Six or more years of direct, hands-on RF discrete PA design experience
• Proven experience across the full high-efficiency PA development cycle: device selection, evaluation and modeling, circuit design, linear and nonlinear simulation, PCB layout and parasitic extraction (EM analysis), and lab debug/bring-up/performance optimization
• Working knowledge of efficiency-enhancement PA architectures such as (multi-level) Doherty, outphasing, active load modulation, and envelope restoration
• Design experience spanning 0.5 MHz-6 GHz, with a solid understanding of higher-frequency effects
• Strong grasp of device biasing, RF dependencies, and (temperature) compensation techniques
• Excellent RF test and measurement skills
• Solid understanding of nonlinear effects, compensation methods, and transmitter linearization techniques
• Fluency with SMT component selection and associated impairments
• Expert-level use of industry-standard RF design tools (e.g., Keysight ADS)
• Analytical, disciplined problem-solving approach paired with excellent communication and presentation skills

Nice to Have

• Working knowledge of transmitter linearization algorithms and their capabilities
• Custom device process selection, design, and implementation experience
• Broad exposure to RF passive (distributed) structures
• Sharp understanding of the relationships between CW and modulated device operation and performance
• Deep knowledge of PCB materials for RF design, including cost, reliability, and other tradeoffs
• Familiarity with RF PA-specific mechanical and thermal management approaches
• Experience with foundry model/PDK installation and use
• Interest in or experience with AI-assisted test data analysis and ML-based signal/power integrity prediction tools to catch issues earlier in the design cycle
• General comfort adopting AI-augmented workflows to boost design productivity - this is a plus, not a requirement, for the right hands-on RF PA expert

Compensation and Benefits

At InnoPhase, dba GreenWave Radios, our total rewards package includes both a competitive base salary and pre-IPO stock options. The anticipated base salary range for this position is $125,000 to $180,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including market conditions, interview performance, skills, qualifications, experience, education, and geographic location. In addition to base pay, employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package. For detailed information on our benefits programs, please visit our website.