Senior Staff RF Design Engineer - Unmanned Aircraft Systems

TrellisWare Technologies; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

TrellisWare Technologies in San Diego, CA is seeking a Senior Staff RF Design Engineer specializing in hardware for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. You will design RF/analog/digital circuits that meet SWaP goals and drive verification, transitioning designs into manufacturing.

The role requires leading DVT, collaborating with Product Management, Software, Test, and Manufacturing, and maintaining design material in PLM while upholding TrellisWare's core values of excellence and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering required.
• 10+ years of RF/Wireless Design Engineer experience.
• Understanding transceiver design, frequency conversion, synthesizers, and PLL design to 3 GHz with tight packaging constraints.
• Experience with front-end amplifiers and filter design.
• Experience with receive sensitivity, noise figure, and transmit power measurements.
• Experience with RF Power Amplifier design and characterization.
• Knowledge of RF analysis and CAD tools.
• Proficient in circuit debugging and troubleshooting.
• Experience with wireless communications and test equipment design.
• Experience developing products for UAS or similar SWaP-critical environments.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and work independently or in teams.

Responsibilities

• Identify system requirements and HW features for UAS platforms and TrellisWare products.
• Lead HW design/architecture for UAS systems across RF, Analog, Digital, and Mechanical disciplines.
• Coordinate with Radio Products group to align SW on UAS hardware.
• Align HW designs with Waveforms group to meet modem performance.
• Establish schedules and budgets for new UAS product development.
• Lead HW-centric DVT reviews and provide recommendations.
• Ensure HW meets UAS platform requirements with product test and certification teams.
• Drive manufacturing support infrastructure including test boards and fixtures.
• Create and maintain product design materials in PLM systems.
• Support technical customer meetings with integration recommendations and troubleshooting.

Skills

Transceiver design

Frequency synthesis

PLL design

RF front-end

RF Power Amplifier design

RF testing

Circuit debugging

Wireless communications

SWaP considerations

Team collaboration

Analytical skills

Written/verbal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Tools

RF CAD tools

Test equipment

Job description

Senior Staff RF Design Engineer - Unmanned Aircraft Systems

TrellisWare launched in 2000 with an innovative culture striving to push technological boundaries in the area of wireless communications. We are now a worldwide leader in highly advanced algorithms, waveforms, and communications systems that range from small form factor radio products to fully integrated solutions.

At TrellisWare, we connect passion with purpose and together we make an impact- on our careers, our company, and the world. And you can too. If you love to innovate and collaborate in a dynamic environment where boundaries are being pushed, you belong at TrellisWare. Where the opportunity to serve is not a challenge but a gift.Where you're never going alone. Because there's too much at stake to go solo.

Our Hardware Platforms and Accessories Team is seeking a Senior Staff RF Design Engineer specializing in Hardware systems for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). You would be responsible for designing and developing RF/Analog systems and modules for use within UAS platforms. This includes identifying and understanding requirements for wireless products in UAS platforms; designing RF, analog, and digital circuits that meet those requirements while keeping focus on minimizing Size, Weight & Power; driving design verification of new TrellisWare UAS products; transitioning product design into manufacturing; and sustaining the design throughout the product lifetime. The successful RF Design Engineer will fulfill these responsibilities by working collaboratively with Product Management, Program Management, and Sales along with engineering leads from Software, Product Test, and Manufacturing.

Enhancing cohesiveness and maintaining team morale is a responsibility of all our team members, as is the ambition for self-improvement and talent development. Through this dedication to unity and professional advancement, each team member is directly impacting the successful outcome of TrellisWare's deliverables and setting the tone for our core values of delivering excellence, pushing boundaries, and empowering people.

essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Work with Business Development and Product Management to clearly identify system requirements and HW features of UAS platforms and applicable TrellisWare products.
• Lead HW design/architecture development for UAS systems across TrellisWare RF, Analog, Digital, and Mechanical disciplines.
• Work with TrellisWare’s Radio Products group to understand how Radio system SW runs on UAS products and drive HW design to facilitate SW operation.
• Work with TrellisWare’s Waveforms group to understand how modem performance depends on developed HW and drive design to meet Waveform/modem performance on UAS HW products.
• Work with Program Management to establish schedules and budgets for development of new UAS products.
• Lead HW-centric DVT of developed UAS platform including reviews of DVT results and recommendations.
• Work with TrellisWare’s product test, and certification groups to ensure developed HW meets overall UAS platform requirements.
• Drive required manufacturing support infrastructure including test boards and fixtures, as well as test and calibration functionality needed for manufacturing.
• Own creation and maintenance of product design material in TrellisWare’s PLM systems.
• Support technical customer meetings to provide integration recommendations, expected performance capabilities, and participate in customer troubleshooting.
• Develop relationships with team members built on trust and respect.

Education and work experience requirements are:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field of study required.
• 10+ years of experience as an RF/Wireless Design Engineer

To be considered for this position, you would need to meet, at a minimum, the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed here:

• Understands transceiver design, frequency conversion, frequency synthesizers, and PLL design to 3 GHz with tight packaging constraints.
• Experience with front-end amplifiers and filter design.
• Experience with receive sensitivity, noise figure, and transmit power measurements.
• Experience with RF Power Amplifier design and characterization.
• Demonstrates knowledge of RF analysis and computer-aided design tools.
• Proficiency in circuit debugging and troubleshooting.
• Experience with wireless communications and test equipment design.
• Experience developing products for UAS or similar environments where SWaP, reliability, and performance are critical factors is preferred.
• Ability to abstract complex, technical concepts and communicate them in a clear, relevant, complete manner to others.
• Ability to work independently, demonstrate initiative and interact with a variety of engineering development teams.
• Demonstrates analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment
• Strong collaborative drive and interpersonal skills.
• Strong initiative, proactive work ethic and prioritization skills.
• Effective execution and decision making.

The physical demands described here represent those that must be met in order to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable those with qualified disabilities.

• Able to frequently sit, stand, walk, use hands to fingers, handle or feel, reach within hands and arm’s length, stoop, kneel, and crouch, talk and hear.
• Regularly required to sit for extended periods of time; frequently required to use office equipment such as PC, printer, telephone, etc.
• Able to regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Additional requirements are: Note: Many of TrellisWare's positions require a security clearance or the ability to obtain one. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. TrellisWare Technologies pays competitively according to the market in an individual's geographic location, in addition to their qualifications and experience. The posted range is annually and for individuals located in the San Diego, CA area.

$115,000 - $200,000 USD

Disclaimers

• The above statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Nothing in the job description restricts the company's right to change, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time for any reason.
• As part of our onboarding process, we conduct background checks, where legally permitted and appropriate for the role, in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and privacy requirements.

*TrellisWare Technologies, Inc. is an EEO/AA/Disability/Vets Employer.*

Check out the Careers page for more information about working at TrellisWare Technologies.