Senior Antenna Engineer

TP-Link Systems USA; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully paid medical, dental, and vision

401k contributions

PTO and bi-annual raises

Wellness benefits and gym membership

Team-building events

Job summary

TP-Link Systems USA is seeking an experienced Senior Antenna Engineer to join our engineering team in Irvine. You will drive antenna architecture design, simulation, tuning, and validation for home networking devices.

The role requires leadership across RF, system, EMC, and platform teams, with mass production support and regulatory compliance. A strong background in CST/HFSS and RF lab testing is essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• 7+ years of antenna design experience for consumer electronics.
• Hands‑on experience in antenna development for wireless consumer electronics.
• Proficient in antenna design, simulation, tuning/matching, and validation testing.
• Solid fundamentals in RF and microwave engineering.
• Hands‑on experience with CST, HFSS, or other 3D electromagnetic simulation tools.
• Hands‑on experience with RF lab test instruments, particularly network analyzers and anechoic chamber measurements.

Responsibilities

• Participate in early-stage product planning by evaluating antenna requirements, feasibility, risks, costs, and manufacturability.
• Guide antenna placement, ground clearance, keep-out zones, matching circuit layout, and enclosure impact analysis.
• Own multi-radio antenna concept design across Wi‑Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, Zigbee, DECT, UWB, and NFC.
• Lead end-to-end antenna testing and validation, including passive characterization, active tuning, and system integration.
• Optimize design parameters and tuning strategies to meet performance targets.
• Support regulatory and compliance activities related to antenna performance (FCC, SAR, etc.).
• Own antenna manufacturing process design and set up standardized production flows.
• Collaborate with RF, system, EMC, and platform teams for system-level improvements.
• Produce comprehensive antenna design docs, reports, and routing guidelines.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to team training and best practices.

Skills

Antenna design

RF engineering

EM simulation

Testing & validation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

CST

HFSS

Job description

Description About Us

Headquartered in the United States, TP-Link Systems Inc. is a global provider of reliable networking devices and smart home products, consistently ranked as the world’s top provider of Wi‑Fi devices. The company is committed to delivering innovative products that enhance people’s lives through faster, more reliable connectivity. With a commitment to excellence, TP-Link serves customers in over 170 countries and continues to grow its global footprint. We believe technology changes the world for the better! At TP-Link Systems Inc, we are committed to crafting dependable, high-performance products to connect users worldwide with the wonders of technology. Embracing professionalism, innovation, excellence, and simplicity, we aim to assist our clients in achieving remarkable global performance and enable consumers to enjoy a seamless, effortless lifestyle.

Overview

TP-Link Systems Inc. is seeking an experienced Senior Antenna Engineer to join our engineering team. As a Senior Antenna Engineer for home network products, you will participate in needs analysis and design feasibility assessments. You will be responsible for antenna architecture design, antenna simulation and optimization, PCB antenna layout review, antenna tuning and validation, RF performance issue debugging, and mass production support.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in early-stage product planning and project initiation by evaluating antenna-related requirements, technical feasibility, schedule risks, cost targets, and manufacturability for wireless products.
• Work closely with hardware and mechanical engineering teams to guide antenna placement, ground clearance, keep-out zones, matching circuit layout, and enclosure impact analysis.
• Own multi-radio antenna concept design across Wi‑Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, Zigbee, DECT, UWB, and NFC, covering feasibility analysis, trade-off evaluation, isolation design, and architecture planning.
• Lead end-to-end antenna test and validation, covering passive characterization, active performance tuning, and system integration/debug.
• Optimize design parameters and tuning strategies to ensure performance targets are met and deliver final acceptance.
• Support regulatory and compliance activities related to antenna performance, including FCC, SAR, and other wireless certification requirements.
• Own antenna manufacturing process design and production planning; establish standardized production flows and provide systematic solutions to technical bottlenecks and quality issues during manufacturing.
• Work cross-functionally with RF, system, EMC, and platform teams to drive system-level improvements in wireless performance.
• Produce comprehensive antenna design documentation, including design reports, simulation reports, test reports, technical documents, and antenna routing guidelines.
• Track industry and technology trends and conduct focused R&D initiatives; explore new antenna design approaches based on project needs and drive the engineering adoption of new materials and processes to enable continuous performance improvements.
• Coordinate with certification labs, antenna vendors, and key component suppliers to resolve technical issues and ensure successful product delivery.
• Mentor junior career antenna engineers, provide technical guidance, and contribute to antenna team training, design standards, checklists, simulation guidelines, and best practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in antenna design, development, and integration for consumer electronic products.
• Hands‑on experience in antenna development for wireless consumer electronics such as routers, smartphones, IoT devices, and CPE.
• Proficient in antenna design, simulation, tuning/matching, and validation testing; able to independently drive end‑to‑end antenna development through EVT, DVT, PVT, and mass production.
• Solid fundamentals in RF and microwave engineering, with strong knowledge of electromagnetics, microwave theory, and antenna principles.
• Hands‑on experience with CST, HFSS, or other 3D electromagnetic simulation tools.
• Hands‑on experience with common RF lab test instruments, particularly network analyzers and anechoic chamber measurements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to improve system throughput (TCP/UDP) from an antenna/RF perspective, working closely with hardware and software teams to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks.
• Strong analytical, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Experience with advanced antenna technologies (e.g., new materials, 3D printing, reconfigurable antennas) is a plus.
• Experience working with ODM/JDM partners, certification labs, RF labs, antenna vendors, and key component suppliers.
• Experience with Wi‑Fi antenna systems covering 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands, including Wi‑Fi 6/6E/7 products.

Benefits

Salary Range: $165,000 - 175,000

• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance (partial coverage for dependents)
• Contributions to 401k funds
• Over four weeks of PTO per year
• Bi-annual pay increases
• Health and wellness benefits, including free gym membership
• Quarterly team‑building events

At TP-Link Systems Inc., we are continually searching for ambitious individuals who are passionate about their work. We believe that diversity fuels innovation, collaboration, and drives our entrepreneurial spirit. As a global company, we highly value diverse perspectives and are committed to cultivating an environment where all voices are heard, respected, and valued. We are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants, and we prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Beyond compliance, we strive to create a supportive and growth-oriented workplace for everyone. If you share our passion and connection to this mission, we welcome you to apply and join us in building a vibrant and inclusive team at TP-Link Systems Inc.

TP-Link is a leading provider of consumer Wi‑Fi networking products. We continuously develop new products and technologies that transform the way people connect. Our networking expertise uniquely positions us as a leader in emerging technologies that improve our everyday lives, such as smart home products. Spacious and modern, our US offices create a casual atmosphere that fosters team collaboration. In addition to free snacks and drinks, TP-Link Systems Inc. offers a modern working environment, free gym membership, quarterly team building, flex-spending, employee paid benefits, bi-annual raise opportunity, paid vacation & holidays, 401k plan and annual bonus opportunity.