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Radar Systems Engineer Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Collaborate closely with antenna, radar systems, digital, firmware, power, mechanical, thermal, reliability, and test engineering teams to ensure robust subsystem interfaces and successful payload ...

Principal RF/Microwave Engineer

Redmond, WA ยท On-site

$185 - $230/hr

Collaborate closely with antenna, radar systems, digital, firmware, power, mechanical, thermal, reliability, and test engineering teams to ensure robust subsystem interfaces and successful payload ...

Collaborate closely with antenna, radar systems, digital, firmware, power, mechanical, thermal, reliability, and test engineering teams to ensure robust subsystem interfaces and successful payload ...

Sr. Systems Engineer, Prime Air

Seattle, WA ยท On-site

$118K - $162K/yr

... radar processing, ML) and their integration with the broader flight control and autonomy stack ... engineers) to design and validate perception system architectures Lead technical reviews to ensure ...

Sr. Systems Engineer, Prime Air

Seattle, WA ยท On-site

$118K - $162K/yr

... radar processing, ML) and their integration with the broader flight control and autonomy stack ... engineers) to design and validate perception system architectures Lead technical reviews to ensure ...

Sr. Perception Systems Engineer, Prime Air

Seattle, WA ยท On-site

$118K - $162K/yr

... radar processing, ML) and their integration with the broader flight control and autonomy stack ... engineers) to design and validate perception system architectures Lead technical reviews to ensure ...

Sr. Perception Systems Engineer, Prime Air

Seattle, WA ยท On-site

$118K - $162K/yr

... radar processing, ML) and their integration with the broader flight control and autonomy stack ... engineers) to design and validate perception system architectures Lead technical reviews to ensure ...

Strong knowledge of production ML systems; and data analysis, statistics, and experiment design ... Strong software engineering skills and ability to design ML solutions through entire product stack

Showing results 41-60

Radar Systems Engineer information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$59.2K

$147.7K

$192.9K

How much do radar systems engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for radar systems engineer in Seattle, WA is $147,701.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $135,400.00 and $169,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a radar systems engineer?

A Radar Systems Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, testing, and maintaining radar systems used in defense, aerospace, automotive, and other industries. They work with signal processing, RF engineering, software development, and system integration to ensure radar systems meet performance requirements. Their role includes analyzing system requirements, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, and improving radar detection, tracking, and imaging capabilities. They often collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to enhance radar technology for applications such as surveillance, navigation, and weather monitoring.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a radar systems engineer?

Radar Systems Engineers typically spend their days designing and modeling radar systems, analyzing performance data, troubleshooting hardware or software issues, and supporting system integration and testing efforts. You will likely collaborate with other engineers, project managers, and sometimes clients to define requirements and assess system capabilities. Additional responsibilities can include writing technical reports, participating in design reviews, and staying current with the latest advancements in radar technology. This role offers a mix of independent technical work and team-based problem solving, making for a dynamic and rewarding work environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a radar systems engineer?

To thrive as a Radar Systems Engineer, you need a strong background in electrical engineering, signal processing, and radar theory, typically supported by a relevant engineering degree. Proficiency with simulation tools such as MATLAB, lab equipment like oscilloscopes, and experience with industry standards or certifications such as IEEE or security clearances is common. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective teamwork and communication skills help you solve complex problems and coordinate with multidisciplinary teams. These abilities are essential to ensure the development, testing, and maintenance of reliable and innovative radar systems in demanding environments.

What are popular job titles related to Radar Systems Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA?

For Radar Systems Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Radar Systems Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA look for?

The top searched job categories for Radar Systems Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA are:

Infographic showing various Radar Systems Engineer job openings in Seattle, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,701 per year, or $71 per hour.

PRINCIPAL RF/MICROWAVE ENGINEER

Kapta Space

Seattle, WA โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 6 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.