Freelance Rf Communications Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Worker TypeRegularJob DescriptionAV is seeking a hands-on Senior RF/DSP Engineer to expand the RF detection and classification capabilities of our Counter-UAS products.The Senior RF/DSP Engineer will investigate unfamiliar drone command, control, and telemetry links and turn incomplete RF evidence into reliable production capabilities. A typical assignment may begin with a newly encountered drone/controller pair, a collection of complex-IQ recordings, and technical guidance on approach and priorities from senior signal-processing staff. The engineer will characterize the waveform, design controlled experiments, determine which signal and protocol features can support detection or identification, implement the solution in C++, and validate its performance against real-world RF data — carrying the assignment from guided starting point to production-quality result.This is an individual-contributor engineering role. The successful candidate will personally analyze signals, develop algorithms, write and debug production code, design experiments, and support laboratory and field validation. It is not primarily a project-management, vendor-management, or advisory position.Prior experience with every waveform or protocol we encounter is neither expected nor possible. We are looking for an engineer with strong fundamentals who can learn unfamiliar systems, form testable hypotheses, and make defensible conclusions from imperfect data.What You'll Do:Analyze wideband complex-IQ recordings from known and unfamiliar RF systems.Characterize signal bandwidth, timing, modulation, synchronization, channel access, frequency-hopping behavior, framing, coding, and other observable properties.Design controlled experiments that isolate transmitter behavior and reveal waveform or protocol structure.Develop algorithms for burst detection, synchronization, demodulation, signal characterization, protocol recovery, classification, and tracking.Distinguish target signals from noise, interference, receiver artifacts, and benign emitters in dense RF environments.Implement and optimize production DSP capabilities in modern C++.Use MATLAB, Python, or similar tools for exploration, simulation, visualization, and algorithm prototyping.Convert exploratory analysis into maintainable, observable, and computationally bounded production components, following the team's established architecture and methodology.Build synthetic waveforms, replay fixtures, and automated tests using the team's frameworks.Validate algorithms using synthetic, conducted, over-the-air, and field-recorded data.Measure detection probability, false-alarm rate, packet error rate, acquisition behavior, latency, and computational performance.Diagnose failures involving CFO, sample-clock error, timing recovery, multipath, clipping, IQ imbalance, spectral inversion, dropped samples, and interference.Work with RF, FPGA, embedded software, data science, test, and mission teams.Document observations, assumptions, confidence levels, known limitations, and recommended next experiments.Participate in technical reviews and incorporate feedback from senior signal-processing staff.Required Qualifications:BS or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related technical field.Substantial professional experience developing RF, communications, radar, electronic-warfare, or related signal-processing systems.Strong DSP and digital-communications fundamentals, including several of the following: Sampling and aliasing; Digital down conversion; FIR/IIR and multirate filtering; FFT and time-frequency analysis; Matched filtering; Detection and estimation; Carrier, phase, symbol-timing, and frame synchronization; Modulation and demodulation; Channel coding and error detection.Demonstrated ability to investigate an unfamiliar signal or system using measurements and controlled experiments.Experience analyzing real complex-IQ data—not only simulations or high-level system models.Hands-on experience implementing, testing, and debugging DSP algorithms.Proficiency writing production-quality C++ in a Linux environment.Experience creating automated tests and replaying recorded data through algorithm pipelines.Experience with collaborative source control and code review using Git or an equivalent system.US Citizenship is required.Preferred Qualifications:Exposure to reverse-engineering undocumented or partially documented wireless waveforms and protocols.Experience with Software Defined Radios, RF laboratory equipment, and conducted or over-the-air testing.Experience with frequency-hopping, spread-spectrum, OFDM, cellular, telemetry, command-and-control, or other modern communication systems.Experience building detectors that operate in congested RF environments with measurable false-alarm requirements.Experience with FPGA-based DSP, fixed-point implementation, hardware/software partitioning, or high-rate sample transport.Experience optimizing real-time C++ DSP pipelines using profiling, SIMD, threading, bounded queues, and reusable buffers.Experience generating synthetic waveforms and injecting controlled impairments such as noise, CFO, clock offset, fading, and interference.Familiarity with direction finding, antenna arrays, phased-array processing, or emitter geolocation.Familiarity with statistical classification or machine learning applied to RF data.Experience with Counter-UAS, electronic warfare, SIGINT, radar, or related mission systems.During the first several months, a successful engineer will be able to:Take ownership of an assigned RF target, with technical guidance on approach and priorities.Establish a reproducible dataset and analysis baseline using the team's methodology.Separate verified observations from unresolved hypotheses.Propose the next experiments needed to reduce uncertainty, and refine them through technical review.Demonstrate an initial detector, demodulator, or protocol feature against recorded IQ.Implement the capability in the production C++ architecture.Add positive, negative, and regression tests.Quantify performance and communicate known limitations.Support validation against additional devices, environments, and RF conditions.The strongest candidate may come from communications, SDR, FPGA, radar, telemetry, electronic warfare, or protocol-analysis work. Exact domain overlap matters less than demonstrated ability to:1. Learn an unfamiliar signal from first principles.2. Design experiments rather than guess.3. Work directly with imperfect real-world data.4. Turn analysis into reliable production code.5. Validate claims quantitatively.6. Remain hands-on through integration and field testing.Clearance LevelNo ClearanceThe salary range for this role is:$128,000 - $195,250AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.ITAR Requirement:This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.About AV:AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.ITARU.S. Citizenship required #J-18808-Ljbffr