RF Power Amplifier Design Engineer (GaAs/GaN, MMIC & RF Power) | Octagon Group | Chicago, IL

Octagon Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Octagon Group in Chicago, IL is seeking an accomplished RF Power Amplifier Design Engineer to own the full lifecycle of high‑power RF amplifier design, GaAs and GaN integration, and thermal management. This on‑site role offers exposure to advanced semiconductor architectures and a competitive compensation package.

In this technical leadership position you will drive simulations, tape-out activities, and cross‑functional collaboration with layout, packaging, and test teams to deliver

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5+ years of RF power amplifier design and active circuit development.
• Expertise in GaAs, GaN, and LDMOS transistor technologies.
• Proficient with RF CAD tools: Keysight ADS, AWR Microwave Office, Ansys HFSS.
• Experience with lab test equipment: VNAs, signal generators, spectrum analyzers, power meters.
• Strong impedance matching, stability analysis, thermal management, and linearization knowledge.
• Mandatory US citizenship or Green Card holder status for Chicago operations.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and optimize high-efficiency RF power amplifiers and MMIC circuits.
• Perform simulations: load-pull, S-parameter, harmonic balance; validate with measurements.
• Implement linearization such as DPD and envelope tracking.
• Collaborate with layout, packaging, and test teams during hardware prototyping.
• Ensure compliance with military, aerospace, and telecommunications specs.
• Maintain design documentation and test reports.

Skills

Power amplifier design

GaAs/GaN/LDMOS

RF circuit debugging

Impedance matching

Thermal management

RF test instrumentation

Education

Bachelor/Master/PhD in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

Keysight ADS

AWR Microwave Office

Ansys HFSS

Job description

Position Summary:

Driving advanced radio frequency power amplifier design, MMIC semiconductor development, and high-efficiency wireless transmitter architectures in Chicago, IL, Octagon Group is actively seeking an accomplished RF Power Amplifier Design Engineer for a premier permanent professional engagement. In this vital technical leadership role, you will take full operational, tactical, and technical ownership of high-power RF amplifier design, GaAs and GaN transistor technology integration, linearity optimization, and thermal management. Bringing extensive professional experience in RF power amplifier and semiconductor circuit design, you will empower an elite technology and semiconductor enterprise to achieve uncompromised output power, superior thermal stability, and state-of-the-art energy efficiency. This prestigious career opportunity offers a lucrative compensation package of up to $200,000, high-visibility enterprise exposure, and professional growth within a leading global technical recruitment and engineering consultancy.

Detailed Job Description:

As an RF Power Amplifier Design Engineer supporting Octagon Group on an on-site professional basis in Chicago, IL (US citizens or Green Card holders only), you will take full operational, tactical, and technical ownership of active RF circuit design, simulation, tape-out, and cross-functional engineering collaboration. Your day-to-day responsibilities include designing, simulating, and optimizing high-frequency RF power amplifiers using advanced semiconductor technologies (GaAs, GaN, LDMOS), implementing linearization techniques such as DPD (Digital Predistortion) and envelope tracking, performing rigorous S-parameter, load-pull, and harmonic balance simulations, collaborating proactively with layout engineers, packaging specialists, and test technicians during hardware prototyping, ensuring strict compliance with stringent linearity and efficiency targets, maintaining meticulous design documentation, and interacting directly with talent partners like Bhavesh Patel.

Contract Duration: Permanent / Full-Time Employment (Chicago, IL)

Work Schedule: On-Site Professional Operations (Chicago, IL – US Citizens or Green Cards Only)

Notice Period: Immediate to 30 Days Preferred

Salary/Rate: Up to $200,000 / Enterprise RF Semiconductor Package

Deadline: Open until filled (Urgent Chicago RF Power Amplifier Opening)

Company Website: https://www.octagongroup.global

Key Responsibilities:

• Architect, design, simulate, and optimize high-efficiency radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers, driver amplifiers, and MMIC circuits.
• Execute advanced transistor-level and board-level simulations utilizing Keysight ADS, Microwave Office, and Ansys HFSS.
• Perform rigorous load-pull measurements, source-pull analysis, and large-signal characterization of GaAs and GaN semiconductor devices.
• Implement advanced linearization architectures including Digital Predistortion (DPD), crest factor reduction (CFR), and envelope tracking.
• Optimize thermal dissipation, matching network topologies, and efficiency metrics across broad operating frequency bands.
• Collaborate proactively with cross-functional semiconductor layout teams, packaging engineers, and test validation squads.
• Ensure strict adherence to military, aerospace, and commercial telecommunications performance specifications.
• Maintain meticulous schematics, layout databases, simulation runbooks, design review packages, and test documentation reports.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, Semiconductor Physics, or related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 5+ years of progressive professional hands-on experience in RF power amplifier design and active circuit development.
• Strong, demonstrable operational expertise in GaAs, GaN, and LDMOS semiconductor device technologies and transistor modeling.
• Comprehensive working knowledge and practical proficiency in RF CAD tools including Keysight ADS, AWR Microwave Office, and Ansys HFSS.
• Deep practical experience with laboratory test instrumentation (vector network analyzers, signal generators, spectrum analyzers, power meters).
• Solid practical grasp of impedance matching, stability analysis, thermal management, and linearization techniques.
• Exceptional analytical problem-solving aptitude, circuit debugging capabilities, and professional stakeholder communication skills.
• Mandatory US citizenship or Green Card holder status for professional operations in Chicago.

Nice-to-Have Skills:

• Professional semiconductor or RF engineering certifications and advanced postgraduate research in wireless power electronics.
• Prior professional working experience supporting Tier-1 defense contractors, aerospace companies, or commercial semiconductor manufacturers.
• Hands-on familiarity with automated test scripting (Python, LabVIEW) for RF characterization benches.
• Experience utilizing enterprise agile tracking and collaboration platforms (Jira, Confluence, SharePoint).
• Active participation in IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) conferences or RF symposia.