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Microwave Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Kapta Space

Principal RF/Microwave Engineer

Redmond, WA · On-site

$185K - $230K/yr

Kapta is seeking a Principal RF/Microwave Engineer to design, develop, integrate, and qualify RF and microwave hardware for our electronically-steered spaceborne radar systems. This engineer will ...

Prattwhitney

$80 - $100/hr

Role Antenna and Microwave Engineer at RTX (Raytheon Technologies). Onsite position located in Tewksbury, MA requiring U.S. citizenship and an active DoD Secret security clearance. Responsibilities

Prattwhitney

$100 - $125/hr

Position: Antenna and Microwave Engineer Location: Tewksbury, MA (Onsite) Security Clearance: U.S. citizenship required; active transferable DoD Secret clearance required before start date.

360 IT Professionals

Microwave designer

Denver, CO · On-site

Microwave Design Engineer OIT PSCN Pearl Plaza Bldg, Denver CO 80203 * Perform Microwave planning and design task in a highly complex microwave engineering and backhaul network * Guide and support ...

Protouch Staffing

RF/Microwave Engineer

Honolulu, HI · On-site

$90K - $130K/yr

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field, with a concentration in RF/Microwave Engineering. Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience in RF/microwave system design and testing.

El Camino Health

RF/Microwave Engineer II

Syracuse, NY · On-site

$100 - $125/hr

## RF/Microwave Engineer IIApplylocations: Syracuse, NYtime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Todayjob requisition id: R16390TTM Technologies, Inc. - Publicly Traded US Company, NASDAQ (TTMI) - Top-5 ...

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Microwave Engineer information

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$36K

$94.1K

$140.5K

How much do microwave engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for microwave engineer in the United States is $94,100.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $73,500.00 and $116,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a microwave engineer?

Microwave Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and test devices and systems that operate in the microwave frequency range, typically from 300 MHz to 300 GHz. Their work includes creating components such as antennas, transmitters, receivers, and waveguides used in applications like telecommunications, radar, satellite communications, and medical equipment. They often use specialized simulation software and testing equipment to ensure optimal performance and compliance with industry standards. Microwave Engineers typically have backgrounds in electrical engineering, physics, or related fields.

What is microwave engineering?

Microwave engineering involves the theory and development of microwave circuits, systems, and components. As a microwave engineer, you specialize in the design, production, and repair of devices that move small electromagnetic waves. Your duties may involve meeting with clients to determine product specifications, working with computer programs to model potential product designs, and testing the models for performance and quality. You may also check your designed products against FCC guidelines and oversee the development process. The career typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field and relevant work experience. Management positions may require a master’s degree and five or more years of experience. Additional qualifications include excellent analytical, technical, and communication skills, along with the ability to work as part of a team.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a microwave engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Microwave Engineer, you need a solid background in RF engineering, electromagnetic theory, and a degree in electrical or electronics engineering. Familiarity with design and simulation tools such as HFSS, CST, ADS, and experience with network analyzers and spectrum analyzers are commonly required. Strong problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help you collaborate and troubleshoot complex technical issues. These skills and qualities are crucial for designing reliable high-frequency systems and ensuring optimal performance in telecommunications, radar, and satellite applications.

What are some common challenges microwave engineers face when working on wireless communication systems?

Microwave Engineers often encounter challenges such as minimizing signal loss, managing interference, and ensuring system reliability in complex environments. They must carefully design and test components to handle high-frequency signals while complying with safety and regulatory standards. Collaboration with cross-functional teams, such as hardware designers and project managers, is essential to troubleshoot issues and optimize system performance. Staying current with emerging technologies and evolving industry standards is also crucial for long-term success in this role.

What is the difference between Microwave Engineer vs RF Engineer?

AspectMicrowave EngineerRF Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Electrical Engineering, certifications in microwave technologyBachelor's in Electrical Engineering, certifications in RF and wireless systems
Work EnvironmentLaboratories, research facilities, manufacturing plantsTelecom companies, testing labs, field sites
Industry UsageCommunications, radar, satellite systemsWireless networks, mobile devices, broadcasting

Microwave Engineers focus on designing and testing microwave frequency systems, often working with high-frequency components. RF Engineers work on radio frequency systems, including wireless communication and broadcasting. While both roles require similar credentials and work environments, Microwave Engineers specialize in microwave-specific applications, whereas RF Engineers cover a broader range of radio frequency systems.

Is microwave engineering hard?

Microwave engineering can be challenging as it requires understanding complex concepts such as electromagnetic theory, RF circuit design, and signal processing. Success in this field often depends on strong technical skills, proficiency with simulation tools, and a solid foundation in physics and mathematics.
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Microwave Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Microwave Engineer job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $94,100 per year, or $45.2 per hour.

Principal RF/Microwave Engineer

Redmond, WA • On-site

Kapta Space
See more jobs at Kapta Spaceexternal

$185K - $230K/yr

Full-time

Posted 22 days ago

Job description

Kapta Space, a VC-funded early-stage startup in Seattle, WA, is breaking new ground in Geospatial Intelligence. Our technology centers around a proven, scalable electronically-steered radar for sophisticated spaceborne applications such as earth observation using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques, as well as enabling advanced defense missions such as target tracking on the ground and in the air.
Kapta is seeking a Principal RF/Microwave Engineer to design, develop, integrate, and qualify RF and microwave hardware for our electronically-steered spaceborne radar systems. This engineer will translate radar-level requirements into high-performance, flight-ready hardware spanning transmit and receive signal chains, RF distribution networks, filtering, switching, amplification, frequency conversion, calibration, and interfaces to high-speed digital electronics. As a critical contributor to payload development, this role operates within a highly multidisciplinary environment requiring engineering trade studies and design decisions across RF performance, DC power, thermal management, reliability, manufacturability, environmental robustness, and overall payload performance. This is a hands-on principal-level individual contributor role with substantial technical authority across design, test, qualification, and production.
The ideal candidate combines deep RF/microwave theory with practical design and laboratory experience and has a track record of taking complex RF hardware from first principles through flight-ready implementation. This engineer will lead critical design decisions and reviews, exercise strong technical judgment, and work independently across a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary team. Experience with coherent multi-channel receivers, transmitters, phased arrays, radar, or space/defense hardware is especially valuable.
Role
  • Design, develop, integrate, and qualify RF and microwave hardware for electronically-steered spaceborne radar systems.
  • Translate system and mission requirements into RF performance budgets and hardware specifications including gain, noise figure, linearity, power, efficiency, dynamic range, phase noise, spurious performance, bandwidth, isolation, channel matching, and thermal stability.
  • Design and analyze RF/microwave circuits and assemblies including amplifiers, filters, switches, mixers, frequency converters, synthesizers, couplers, gain-control elements, clock/reference distribution networks, and high-speed digital interfaces.
  • Lead component selection, schematic capture, RF PCB design, electromagnetic analysis, grounding, shielding, thermal design, and technical reviews.
  • Lead prototype bring-up, tuning, debug, characterization, and calibration of RF and microwave hardware using VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, power meters, automated test infrastructure, and other specialized RF and microwave test equipment as required.
  • Collaborate closely with antenna, radar systems, digital, firmware, power, mechanical, thermal, reliability, and test engineering teams to ensure robust subsystem interfaces and successful payload integration.
  • Drive design-for-manufacture and design-for-test activities, production readiness, supplier engagement, and root-cause investigations to support successful transition of RF hardware from prototype to production.
  • Support environmental qualification, spacecraft integration, production transition, supplier engagement, and manufacturing readiness activities.

Required Qualifications
  • BS/MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, RF/Microwave Engineering, or an equivalent technical discipline.
  • 10+ years of relevant industry experience designing and developing RF/microwave electronics, with demonstrated principal-level technical ownership of complex hardware.
  • Extensive hands-on experience developing RF/microwave hardware, subsystems, and RF front ends for high-performance communications, sensing, radar, or related applications.
  • Expert command of RF/microwave fundamentals including S-parameters, transmission lines, impedance matching, noise, linearity, efficiency, phase noise, spurious analysis, stability, and electromagnetic coupling.
  • Experience with microwave PCB/package design, controlled-impedance routing, grounding, shielding, isolation, component placement, and EMI/EMC mitigation for high-reliability hardware.
  • Proficiency with RF/microwave simulation and design tools such as Keysight ADS, Cadence AWR Microwave Office, HFSS, CST, or equivalent, plus schematic/PCB tools such as Altium, Allegro, or OrCAD.
  • Extensive hands-on laboratory experience with RF test equipment and measurement methods; ability to develop or direct automated characterization and calibration using Python, MATLAB, or similar tools.
  • Proven ability to take RF hardware through requirements, detailed design, prototype build, bring-up, verification, environmental qualification, manufacturing transition, and system integration.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical concepts, document design decisions, and collaborate effectively across engineering functions.

Bonus if candidates have experience and skills in the following areas:
  • Experience with X to Ka-band or similar microwave spaceborne LEO radar payloads, including SAR, GMTI/AMTI, target tracking, or other advanced ISR missions.
  • Experience with electronically-steered/phased-array radar systems beamforming architectures, and array calibration techniques.
  • Experience designing phase-coherent, multi-chip hardware and managing amplitude/phase matching.
  • Experience interfacing to high-speed data converters and low-jitter clock/reference architectures.
  • Familiarity with space-qualified component engineering, radiation-tolerant design trade-offs, COTS-to-space conversion strategies, and worst-case/reliability analysis.
  • Experience with acceptance and qualification testing of space-rated hardware and related standards such as SMC-S-016, GSFC-STD-7000, and MIL-STD-461.
  • Prior work in small, fast-iteration aerospace teams, defense contracting environments, and/or scaling RF hardware from development builds into repeatable production.

Concerned you do not meet all the requirements? Not a problem - please apply even if you do not meet all these criteria.
$185,000 - $230,000 a year
The estimated salary range for this role reflects base pay only and is influenced by a variety of factors. Actual offers may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's experience, education or training, specialized expertise, and the needs of the business. In addition to base pay, full-time roles include competitive equity grants that reward innovation, impact, and long-term growth. Our total compensation philosophy is designed to recognize excellence while fostering a culture of collaboration, curiosity, and shared success.
U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Kapta Employees must be U.S. citizens, lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or Commerce as applicable.
Kapta Space is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that diversity drives innovation, strengthens our team, and broadens our capabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply.
Kapta Space does not engage with external recruiters or agencies without prior written agreement. If you are a recruiter (individual or agency) and wish to engage with Kapta Space for talent acquisition, please email [email protected].
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. All final hiring decisions are made by humans.

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