Senior RF Engineer

nou Systems, Inc. (nSI) is now officially a 100% ESOP company! We value teamwork and collaboration, and this transition allows us to take that commitment to a new level. nSI empowers our customers by supplying products, services, and expertise with powerful, data driven insights that transform defense systems and improve capabilities.

We are pleased to announce the opening for an RF Engineer, who will join our Advanced Sensing Area in-person in our Huntsville, Alabama office and become part of our rapidly growing technology company operating in missile defense, cybersecurity, test range modernization, biotechnology, and space control marketspaces. You will be part of a team known for turning research concepts into working prototypes quickly, staying hands-on from design through test.

The RF Engineer is responsible for the engineering, analysis, assessment, test, integration, and modernization of radio frequency (RF), radar, sensor, and related electromagnetic systems that support missile defense, space control, test range modernization, operational assessment, and advanced defense technology missions. In this role, you will lead complex radar, RF, sensor assessment, hardware, test, or analysis efforts.

Responsibilities: 

• You will design RF systems and subsystems for research and development prototypes, developing and allocating requirements, performing analysis and trade studies, and selecting architectures and components to meet program needs.

• You will independently own RF engineering tasks and work packages, making sound judgments about assumptions, performance drivers, and technical risk, and validating your results before others rely on them.

• You will take designs from concept to working prototype hardware, specifying and sourcing components, coordinating with vendors and procurement, and assembling and integrating RF hardware in the lab, including fabricating cables and connectorized assemblies and performing bench-level rework.
• You will plan and execute test and evaluation of prototype hardware, writing test plans and procedures, taking measurements, troubleshooting to root cause, and documenting assumptions, methods, results, and limitations for internal stakeholders and customers.
• You will work across the full RF bench to bring up and evaluate new hardware, using instrumentation such as vector network analyzers, spectrum and vector signal analyzers, signal and arbitrary waveform generators, oscilloscopes, RF power meters, noise figure analyzers, and software defined radios, and you will calibrate and verify your setups so that the data you produce holds up.
• You will characterize prototype hardware and system performance through measurements including S-parameters, insertion and return loss, VSWR, gain and compression, noise figure, phase noise, intermodulation and spurious response, and modulation quality.
• You will develop software in C++ and Python in support of your hardware, including instrument control and test automation, signal processing, and data analysis and visualization tools that make measurements repeatable.
• You will work with RF signals and waveforms, including generating and analyzing I/Q waveform files, characterizing signal environments, and evaluating end-to-end system performance.
• You will support a variety of research and development efforts across nSI’s markets, moving between programs as priorities shift, and will coordinate with multidisciplinary teammates across systems, software, mechanical, and cyber disciplines as well as with government customers, subcontractors, and equipment manufacturers.
• You will contribute to proposals, technical white papers, and new research ideas, and will help scope new RF work as opportunities arise.

Basic Qualifications:

• You must have a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related STEM field.
• You will need 5 years of full-time professional experience in RF engineering or a closely related field.
• You will need hands-on experience with RF laboratory test equipment and measurement techniques.
• You will need proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or a similar engineering computing environment for analysis and automation.
• You must possess or be able to obtain an active Secret clearance.
• You must be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for this position.

Lacking any one of these disqualifies you from this job.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience carrying RF designs from requirements through fabrication, integration, and test.

• Experience independently owning RF engineering work packages, including documenting assumptions and validating results.

• Experience in a research and development or rapid prototyping environment, building breadboards, brassboards, or proof-of-concept hardware where requirements evolve and designs iterate quickly.
• Hands-on proficiency with general RF laboratory instrumentation, including vector network analyzers, spectrum and vector signal analyzers, signal and arbitrary waveform generators, oscilloscopes, RF power meters and sensors, noise figure analyzers, frequency counters, digital multimeters, and software defined radios.
• Experience calibrating vector network analyzers, including SOLT and TRL methods, and de-embedding test fixtures and cables.
• Experience with common RF measurements such as S-parameters, insertion and return loss, VSWR, gain and compression, noise figure, phase noise, intermodulation and spurious response, and error vector magnitude.
• Proficiency in C++ and Python for instrument control, test automation, signal processing, and data analysis.
• Experience automating test equipment using SCPI, VISA, GPIB, or LabVIEW, and implementing software interfaces to hardware.
• Experience with RF design and simulation tools such as ADS, Microwave Office, HFSS, CST, or MATLAB/Simulink.
• Hands-on experience with antennas, amplifiers, filters, mixers, frequency converters, or transmit and receive chains.
• Practical bench skills including soldering and rework, coaxial cable assembly and connectorization, and correct handling and torquing of RF connectors.
• Experience with anechoic chambers or antenna measurement ranges.
• Experience with creating custom I/Q waveform files and analyzing recorded I/Q waveform files.
• Experience with link budget analysis, RF propagation modeling, or EMI/EMC considerations.
• Familiarity with GPS/GNSS, radar, electronic warfare, or SATCOM systems.
• Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout for RF designs, such as with Altium.
• Experience working in a DoD or defense contracting environment.
• Familiarity with DoD cyber security accreditation processes (RMF, CMMC).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

nou (pronounced ‘new’) Systems:

Since its founding in 2012, nou Systems has built a reputation for excellence in innovative engineering, prototype development, and technical and professional services in multiple markets, including missile defense, cybersecurity, test range modernization, and space control. Our diverse and highly skilled team delivers state-of-the-art products from concepts and prototypes to fully developed and integrated solutions.

We offer significant advancement and personal career development opportunities within our dynamic high-tech company. Our culture is firmly established in treating our employees like family.

Benefits of working at nSI

nou Systems, Inc. offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and diverse benefits that reflect our company culture of service, excellence, and a supportive work environment. Benefits may vary based on status but the majority of our positions include the following:

• Competitive Wages*
• Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Medical plan with Health Savings Account eligibility
• Company-funded Life, Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Personal Time Off, Vacation, and Paid Holidays
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Norton LifeLock
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Personal Development, Technical Learning Opportunities, & Lunch-n-Learns
• Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach

*Final compensation for this position is determined by a variety of factors, such as a candidate’s relevant work experience, skills, certifications, and geographic location.

nSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Employment opportunities at nSI are based upon a candidate’s qualifications and capabilities to perform the essential functions of a particular job and are free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. For our complete EEO/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit www.nou-systems.com/workingatnou. U.S. citizenship is required for most positions.