Spectrum Radio Frequency Engineer

Leidos LLC; United States; Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos LLC's NISC IV program is seeking a Spectrum Radio Frequency Engineer to support the FAA Spectrum Engineering Services Group. The role focuses on securing and coordinating CNS spectrum resources to ensure interference-free operation across the NAS.

The successful candidate will hold an electrical engineering degree or equivalent and have relevant RF/spectrum engineering experience, with the ability to work in a hybrid/remote setting and occasional in-office visits in the Washington DC area.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or completion of a formal spectrum management course.
• 6+ years of RF engineering and/or spectrum engineering experience.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to learn FAA-specific software and systems.
• U.S. citizen with ability to obtain Secret or higher security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and execute FAA and non-FAA frequency assignment actions.
• Perform RF compatibility analyses to mitigate interference among CNS systems.
• Conduct RF propagation, link-budget, EMC, and interference analyses.
• Validate technical data for completeness and accuracy.
• Collaborate with other engineers and FAA offices to resolve issues.

Skills

Spectrum engineering

RF engineering

Radio frequency

NTIA Redbook

EMC analysis

Education

Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering

Formal spectrum management training

Job description

Leidos’ NISC IV program seeks a Spectrum Radio Frequency 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.

• Must be commutable to the Washington DC area.
• While the position itself is hybrid/remote (most of the time) – the candidate will be expected to go into the office in DC on an as needed basis to access SCIF.

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.
• 6+ 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 and experience working in a SCIF.

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.

Original Posting: September 14, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

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 $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026.

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 here.

Securing Your Data

Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to [e-mail].

Commitment and Diversity

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.