Spectrum Engineer/Radio Frequency (RF) Engineer

Leidos Inc; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Spectrum Engineer for the FAA Spectrum Engineering Services Group. The role focuses on securing and coordinating RF spectrum resources across the NAS, including radar, air-to-ground, and satellite systems, ensuring compliance with FAA and NTIA standards.

The ideal candidate holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and has at least 2 years of RF/spectrum engineering experience. US citizenship and the ability to obtain a security clearance are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or completion of a formal spectrum management course or equivalent military experience in spectrum management.
• 2+ years of relevant experience in radio frequency engineering and/or spectrum engineering.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to learn FAA-specific software and systems.
• Must be a US citizen.
• Must have a security clearance of Secret or higher or be able to meet the requirements for one.

Responsibilities

• Contributes to the planning, coordination, and execution of FAA and non-FAA frequency assignment actions, ensuring that technical analyses and documentation conform to FAA Orders, the NTIA Manual (Redbook), and established engineering standards.
• Perform radio-frequency compatibility analyses using the FAA's spectrum-automation and modeling tools to identify and mitigate potential interference among communications, navigation, and surveillance systems.
• Conduct RF propagation, link-budget, EMC, and interference analyses using FAA spectrum-automation and modeling tools.
• Validate all technical data (location, equipment, parameters, emission designator, power, bandwidth, and antenna characteristics) for completeness and accuracy.
• Collaborates closely with other federal and contractor engineers, Service Area Spectrum Offices, and FAA program offices to resolve technical issues and advance records through the assignment and coordination process.

Skills

RF engineering

MS Office

US citizenship

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Tools

Spectrum XXI

Job description

Description

Leidos' NISC IV program seeks a Spectrum Engineer to support the FAA Spectrum Engineering Services Group.

The Spectrum Engineering Group is responsible for securing, managing, and protecting all civil aviation spectrum resources to ensure interference-free operation of FAA communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems across the National Airspace System (NAS).

The ideal candidate will have an electrical engineering degree or other training and at least 2 years of spectrum engineering and/or radio frequency engineering experience. This role performs engineering and coordinating of frequency assignment actions for primary surveillance radar systems, air-to-ground voice communication, Land mobile radio, microwave, satellite, and various other Radio Frequency (RF) Spectrum Engineering disciplines while ensuring compliance with FAA Order 6050.32 and NTIA Redbook requirements.

Core Responsibilities (All Bands):

• Contributes to the planning, coordination, and execution of FAA and non-FAA frequency assignment actions, ensuring that technical analyses and documentation conform to FAA Orders, the NTIA Manual (Redbook), and established engineering standards.
• Perform radio-frequency compatibility analyses using the FAA's spectrum-automation and modeling tools to identify and mitigate potential interference among communications, navigation, and surveillance systems.
• Conduct RF propagation, link-budget, EMC, and interference analyses using FAA spectrum-automation and modeling tools.
• Validate all technical data (location, equipment, parameters, emission designator, power, bandwidth, and antenna characteristics) for completeness and accuracy.
• Collaborates closely with other federal and contractor engineers, Service Area Spectrum Offices, and FAA program offices to resolve technical issues and advance records through the assignment and coordination process.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or completion of a formal spectrum management course or equivalent military experience in spectrum management.
• 2+ years of relevant experience in radio frequency engineering and/or spectrum engineering.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to learn FAA-specific software and systems.
• Must be a US citizen.
• Must have a security clearance of Secret or higher or be able to meet the requirements for one.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of spectrum-engineering principles, electromagnetic theory, and radio-frequency propagation as applied to communications, navigation, and surveillance systems that support the National Airspace System (NAS).
• Experience in applying analytical and automation tools to perform frequency-assignment processing, data validation, and compatibility analysis, with attention to accuracy and completeness.
• Experience evaluating radio-frequency system parameters to identify and mitigate potential interference and resolving routine and complex spectrum-engineering problems.
• Familiar with Spectrum XXI or similar federal spectrum management tools is highly desirable.
• Ability to perform engineering calculations (FSPL, link budgets, noise/interference ratios, power conversions).
• Ability to interpret technical data and apply mitigation best practices to resolve RF interference issues affecting aviation systems.
• Knowledge of roles and responsibilities of spectrum management within the National Airspace System (NAS).
• Knowledge of frequency management practices, including engineering, assignment, and protection of radio frequencies, and the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) Redbook.
• Knowledge of and experience with various frequency policy organizations, including National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC), and associated sub-committees, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

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