RF Systems Engineer, SME

Jobtailor; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a senior RF Systems Engineer to support the full Systems Engineering life cycle for terrestrial, airborne, and satellite communications systems in the Chantilly area. You will provide technical leadership and government advisory support, guiding RF performance analyses, architectures, and test strategies across multiple programs.

The role requires an Active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph, strong written and verbal communication, and the ability to brief complex

Qualifications

• Minimum years and degree requirements: 12 yrs with BS/BA, 10 yrs with MS/MA, 7 yrs with PhD; 4 extra years may substitute for a degree.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph.
• Minimum 5+ years as a Systems Engineer.
• Demonstrated RF communications experience and concepts.
• Strong written, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to brief complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
• Self-starter who manages complex technical developments.
• Ability to work on multiple fast-paced projects and adapt.

Responsibilities

• Support RF systems through the full Systems Engineering life cycle.
• Provide SETA support to government program managers, engineers and stakeholders.
• Develop and assess link budgets, RF performance, and integration concepts.
• Review contractor documentation and participate in technical reviews and IPTs.
• Translate complex technical issues into clear information for leadership and stakeholders.

Skills

RF Communication Systems Expertise

Systems Engineering Experience

Active TS/SCI Clearance

Technical Oversight and Evaluation

Strong Written Communication

Education

BS/BA required

MS/MA preferred

PhD preferred

Job description

• Support an IC customer through the entire Systems Engineering life cycle
• Provide senior-level technical expertise and independent government advisory support for research, development, acquisition, integration, testing, and operational deployment of RF communication systems
• Serve as the primary RF engineering Subject Matter Expert for terrestrial, airborne, and satellite communications systems
• Provide SETA support to government program managers, engineers, and stakeholders across the acquisition and system development lifecycle
• Develop, analyze, and refine system requirements, RF performance parameters, communications architectures, interface requirements, and operational concepts
• Assess RF system designs, architectures, waveforms, antennas, propagation characteristics, link budgets, and end-to-end communications performance
• Evaluate traditional, non-traditional, emerging, and unconventional RF communications technologies
• Provide technical oversight during SRR, PDR, CDR, and other technical milestones
• Perform requirements development, architecture definition, trade studies, interface analysis, integration, verification, validation, and performance analysis
• Develop and assess link budgets, propagation models, antenna performance, transmitter and receiver characteristics, interference environments, spectrum utilization, and electromagnetic compatibility
• Support laboratory, field, developmental, operational, and integrated testing
• Develop test objectives, evaluation criteria, test procedures, and performance measures
• Analyze test data and recommend system improvements, risk reduction, and future development
• Identify technical risks, capability gaps, integration challenges, and emerging technology opportunities
• Review contractor technical documentation, engineering analyses, test plans, requirements documentation, and design products
• Participate in technical interchange meetings, working groups, architecture reviews, and integrated product teams
• Translate complex technical issues into clear information for government leadership, program managers, engineers, and operational stakeholders
• Investigate new technologies and products from government organizations, academia, and private industry
• Engage industry leaders and academia, attend industry events, participate in joint evaluation exercises, and lead dry runs of new capabilities

Requirements

• Minimum of 12 years with BS/BA; minimum of 10 years with MS/MA; minimum of 7 years with Ph.D.; an additional four years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
• Active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph
• Minimum of 5+ years of experience as a Systems Engineer providing the above services
• Demonstrated experience with RF communication systems, technologies, and concepts
• Strong written, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to prepare and brief complex technical and non-technical information to non-technical stakeholders
• Self-starter who takes initiative in managing complex technical developments
• Ability and willingness to work on multiple fast-paced projects
• Willingness and ability to aggressively learn organizational activities and focus
• Ability to work in a dynamic team environment

Core Competencies

Demonstrates extensive expertise in RF Communication Systems, including system requirements development, performance analysis, and technical oversight throughout the Systems Engineering life cycle. Capable of translating complex technical information for diverse stakeholders while managing multiple projects in a dynamic team environment.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• RF Communication Systems Expertise
• Systems Engineering Experience
• Active TS/SCI Clearance
• Technical Oversight and Evaluation
• Strong Communication Skills

Hard Skills

• Systems Engineering
• RF Performance Analysis
• Requirements Development
• Link Budget Assessment
• Antenna Performance Evaluation
• Integration and Verification
• Technical Documentation Review
• Test Procedure Development
• Risk Identification
• Emerging Technology Evaluation

Soft Skills

• Strong Written Communication
• Interpersonal Skills
• Self-Starter Initiative
• Ability to Work in Teams
• Adaptability to Fast-Paced Environments

Certifications & Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI Clearance with Full Scope Polygraph

Industry Keywords

• Systems Engineering Life Cycle
• Terrestrial Communications
• Airborne Communications
• Satellite Communications
• Technical Milestones
• Spectrum Utilization
• Electromagnetic Compatibility
• Technical Interchange Meetings
• Joint Evaluation Exercises
• Government Advisory Support