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Rf Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

SpaceX

RF Software Engineer (Starshield)

Hawthorne, CA

$145K - $175K/yr

While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. As a RF ...

SpaceX

RF Software Engineer (Starshield)

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$145K - $175K/yr

While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. As a RF ...

Apple

RF/mmW Hardware Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA

$181K - $318K/yr

This engineer will implement creative RF designs to realize our wireless product requirements ... responsibilities":"Collaborate with multi-functional teams to develop and integrate cellular radio ...

Lockheed Martin Corporation

RF Engineer

Severn, MD · On-site

Designs may be driven by low SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) objectives, environmental concerns, and ... Design & Implementation - Develop RF circuits and subsystems including low noise and power ...

Raytheon

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

Provo, UT · On-site

This position focuses on designing and testing wireless communication and data link systems, supporting a range of tactical missile programs. As part of the RF Products department, you will ...

FIRST RF CORPORATION

Senior RF Engineer

Boulder, CO · On-site

$125K - $200K/yr

Past experience with Altium Designer for schematic capture and board layout * Past experience with ... About FIRST RF FIRST RF is a fast-growing, multi-discipline, privately owned small business focused ...

Raytheon

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

Orlando, FL · On-site

This position focuses on designing and testing wireless communication and data link systems, supporting a range of tactical missile programs. As part of the RF Products department, you will ...

Raytheon

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

El Paso, TX

This position focuses on designing and testing wireless communication and data link systems, supporting a range of tactical missile programs. As part of the RF Products department, you will ...

Raytheon

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

Phoenix, AZ · On-site

This position focuses on designing and testing wireless communication and data link systems, supporting a range of tactical missile programs. As part of the RF Products department, you will ...

Raytheon

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

Tucson, AZ · On-site

This position focuses on designing and testing wireless communication and data link systems, supporting a range of tactical missile programs. As part of the RF Products department, you will ...

Lockheed Martin

RF Engineer

Severn, MD · On-site

Designs may be driven by low SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) objectives, environmental concerns, and ... Design & Implementation - Develop RF circuits and subsystems including low noise and power ...

Raytheon

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

This position focuses on designing and testing wireless communication and data link systems, supporting a range of tactical missile programs. As part of the RF Products department, you will ...

Raytheon

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

Tucson, AZ

This position focuses on designing and testing wireless communication and data link systems, supporting a range of tactical missile programs. As part of the RF Products department, you will ...

Raytheon

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

This position focuses on designing and testing wireless communication and data link systems, supporting a range of tactical missile programs. As part of the RF Products department, you will ...

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$37K

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How much do rf designer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for rf designer in the United States is $117,680.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $97,500.00 and $139,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an RF Designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an RF Designer, you need a solid understanding of radio frequency theory, circuit design, and electromagnetic principles, often supported by a degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Familiarity with design and simulation tools such as HFSS, CST, ADS, or MATLAB, as well as experience using spectrum analyzers and network analyzers, is typically required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills help RF Designers collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams and address complex technical challenges. These skills and qualifications are crucial for developing reliable and efficient RF components and systems that meet performance and regulatory requirements.

What are some common challenges faced by RF Designers when working on new wireless communication projects?

RF Designers often encounter challenges related to signal interference, regulatory compliance, and optimizing performance within size and cost constraints. Collaborating closely with hardware engineers, software developers, and regulatory teams is essential to ensure the design meets all technical and legal requirements. Staying current with rapidly evolving wireless standards and technologies can also be demanding, but overcoming these challenges provides valuable experience and opportunities for career growth in the telecommunications and electronics sectors.

What are RF Designers?

RF Designers are professionals who specialize in designing and developing radio frequency (RF) systems and components, such as antennas, transmitters, receivers, and related circuitry. They play a crucial role in telecommunications, wireless networks, and other industries that require the transmission and reception of radio waves. RF Designers are responsible for ensuring optimal performance, minimal interference, and regulatory compliance of RF systems. Their work involves simulation, prototyping, testing, and often collaborating with other engineers to integrate RF solutions into larger systems.

What is the difference between Rf Designer vs RF Engineer?

AspectRf DesignerRF Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Electrical Engineering or related; certifications varyBachelor's or higher in Electrical Engineering; certifications often include RF-specific credentials
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, CAD software, collaboration with manufacturingField testing, lab environments, system integration
Industry UsagePrimarily in wireless device design, consumer electronics

Rf Designers focus on creating RF circuit layouts and ensuring design specifications, often working in design labs. RF Engineers handle the implementation, testing, and optimization of RF systems in real-world environments. While both roles require similar educational backgrounds and certifications, Rf Designers are more involved in the conceptual and schematic phase, whereas RF Engineers focus on deployment and troubleshooting.

More about Rf Designer jobs
What states have the most Rf Designer jobs? States with the most job openings for Rf Designer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Rf Designer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Rf Designer jobs are:
Rf Designer jobs near you
RF Software Engineer (Starshield)

RF Software Engineer (Starshield)

SpaceX

Hawthorne, CA

$145K - $175K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 24 days ago

SpaceX rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 143 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

13th of 59 rated aerospace companies

Job description

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
RF SOFTWARE ENGINEER (STARSHIELD)
Starshield leverages SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. As a RF software engineer on the Starshield team, you will be working on advanced development programs in support of US National Security. You will work with a team of RF engineers, DSP engineers, software engineers, hardware engineers and end users to design and build RF capabilities for proliferated communications and remote sensing in low earth orbit. You will work in a highly collaborative and fast-paced environment, where we are exploring unsolved problems and applying the SpaceX mindset of iterating rapidly to go from design and demo to operational capability at lightning pace.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Drive program-level decisions on RF system designs
  • Research novel solutions for unique large-scale satellite RF systems
  • Design, build, validate, and automate RF test benches for full characterization of custom RF designs, often involving vector network analyzers (VNA), vector signal generators (VSG), vector signal analyzers (VSA), spectrum analyzers, load pulls, RF power meters, high-speed oscilloscopes, and other common lab equipment
  • Design and build modular, scalable RF test infrastructure and test automation sequences in Python and C++ to support design validation, qualification, and production
  • Work in close collaboration with hardware, FPGA, DSP, and software engineers to design and validate RF systems
  • Create electromagnetic simulation models of hardware to design and evaluate performance

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
  • 1+ years of professional development experience in C/C++ or Python
  • 1+ years of professional experience with radio test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector signal analyzers, vector signal generators, and network analyzers
  • 1+ years of professional RF experience with antennas or communication systems

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
  • Master's degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
  • Experience with testing both active and passive RF devices such as filters, amplifiers, mixers, and upconverters/downconverters
  • Experience with common RF concepts such as gain, linearity, P1dB, ACLR, EVM, PAE, S-parameters, and input/output matching
  • Experience with software design principles, software architecture, design patterns, and unit/integration testing methodology
  • Experience with environmental test methodologies and equipment such as thermal chambers and temperature forcing systems
  • Experience troubleshooting interactions between software and hardware such as network devices and lab instrumentation
  • Experience using Windows and Linux operating systems
  • Experience with configuration management and version control software
  • Active TS/SCI clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
  • An active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions; if so, you will be subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing
  • Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay range:
RF Software Engineer/Level I: $125,000.00 - $145,000.00/per year
RF Software Engineer/Level II: $145,000.00 - $175,000.00/per year
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
    Learn more about the ITAR here.

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX's Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to

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