ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Rf Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Samara Aerospace

Senior RF Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$5.2K/wk

Own the end-to-end PCB implementation of RF designs, including schematic capture, multilayer board layout (RF/mixed-signal), stackup definition, design rule checks, and liaison with fabrication and ...

Aptiv

Senior RF Design Engineer

Indiana, PA · On-site

$100 - $150/hr

Model antenna designs and RF path (PCB layer transitions) in HFSS, FEKO or equivalent packages. * Perform tolerance analysis to ensure compliance to systems requirements in high volume manufacturing.

New

Array Labs

Senior RF Design Engineer

Redwood City, CA

$150K - $170K/yr

Rapidly iterate on and improve RF designs based on laboratory and environmental testing * Provide technical leadership through design reviews, risk reduction planning, and mentorship of other ...

Array Labs

Senior RF Design Engineer

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$150K - $170K/yr

Rapidly iterate on and improve RF designs based on laboratory and environmental testing * Provide technical leadership through design reviews, risk reduction planning, and mentorship of other ...

FIRST RF

Senior RF Engineer

Boulder, CO · Hybrid

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 ...

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 ...

Array Labs

Senior RF Design Engineer

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$150K - $170K/yr

Rapidly iterate on and improve RF designs based on laboratory and environmental testing * Provide technical leadership through design reviews, risk reduction planning, and mentorship of other ...

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 ...

SpaceX

Sr. RF Software Engineer (Starlink)

Bastrop, TX · On-site

... RF SOFTWARE ENGINEER (STARLINK) Starlink believes in providing fast, reliable internet to serve ... Starlink also designs, builds, and delivers high-volume consumer hardware that allows users to ...

SpaceX

Sr. RF Software Engineer (Starlink)

Bastrop, TX · On-site

... RF SOFTWARE ENGINEER (STARLINK) Starlink believes in providing fast, reliable internet to serve ... Starlink also designs, builds, and delivers high-volume consumer hardware that allows users to ...

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

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

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

Orlando, FL

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 ...

previous page

Showing results 41-60

All JobsRf Designer Jobs

Rf Designer information

See salary details

$37K

$117.7K

$183K

How much do rf designer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 11, 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.

Is RF designer in demand?

RF designers are in demand due to the growth of wireless communication, 5G technology, and IoT devices. They require specialized skills in RF circuit design, simulation tools, and industry standards, making them valuable in telecommunications, aerospace, and defense sectors.

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 is an RF designer?

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 are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an RF designer?

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 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
Infographic showing various Rf Designer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 97% Full Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 97% In-person, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $117,680 per year, or $56.6 per hour.

Senior RF Engineer

Samara Aerospace

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$5.2K/wk

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 7 days ago

Job description

About Us:
Samara Aerospace is revolutionizing satellite design by addressing the challenges of deploying and managing large satellite constellations. Our innovative Hummingbird spacecraft bus offers a modular and scalable platform that streamlines satellite production and deployment, significantly reducing launch costs. Hummingbird's compact architecture maximizes launch capacity, making it the most efficient and agile spacecraft in the industry. At the core of our technology is the patented Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control (MSAC) system. Unlike traditional wheel-based pointing control systems, MSAC utilizes actuators embedded in the hinges of deployable solar panels to provide 3-axis attitude control and active jitter cancellation. This design eliminates the need for spinning wheels, reducing mass and potential points of failure, while enhancing pointing precision.
Role:
Samara Aerospace is seeking a Senior RF Engineer to join our growing engineering team. In this role, you will own the full lifecycle of RF systems development-from requirements definition and architectural trade studies through design, fabrication, test, and qualification. You will collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineering teams to develop high-performance RF solutions in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
Responsibilities:
  • Lead architectural R&D efforts for new RF communications and payload subsystems by conducting trade studies and establishing requirements
  • Develop and maintain RF system models and simulations, perform end-to-end link budget analysis, noise and linearity cascades, and interference/co-existence assessments to validate system performance margins across operating conditions.
  • Drive the full hardware development cycle from bench prototype through design validation and qualification testing.
  • Defining test plans, executing characterization campaigns, and documenting results to demonstrate compliance with system requirements.
  • Own the end-to-end PCB implementation of RF designs, including schematic capture, multilayer board layout (RF/mixed-signal), stackup definition, design rule checks, and liaison with fabrication and assembly vendors to ensure manufacturable, high-performance hardware.
  • Design, simulate, implement, and characterize active and passive RF subsystems at microwave frequencies, including SSPAs, LNAs, power amplifiers, up/down converters, mixers, oscillators, and filters.
  • Plan, develop, and execute RF testing at both board level and integrated system level using spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, vector signal generators, and oscilloscopes.
  • Support regulatory compliance efforts including FCC licensing and frequency coordination
  • Contribute to recruiting, mentoring, and technical development of teammates.

Qualifications:
  • B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or equivalent; M.S. or Ph.D. preferred.
  • 5+ years of RF engineering experience with a B.S. degree, or 3+ years with an M.S.
  • Deep knowledge of fundamental RF concepts: circuit analysis, noise figure, linearity, gain, radio architecture, and
  • Hands-on experience designing, building, and testing RF hardware at microwave and/or millimeter-wave frequencies.
  • Proficiency in RF/EM simulation tools (ADS, HFSS, Cadence, etc)
  • Proficiency in schematic capture and multilayer PCB layout (Altium preferred).

Preferred:
  • Experience developing RF hardware for aerospace, space, or other mission-critical environments.
  • Experience with antenna design and electromagnetics/propagation.
  • Experience phased-array antenna systems (beamforming, null-steering).
  • Familiarity with Software Defined Radios (SDRs) and associated digital signal processing.
  • Proficiency in data analysis and scripting languages (Python) for test automation and signal processing.
  • Familiarity with common bus protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN, UART) and Linux command-line environments
  • Familiarity with satellite communications systems (ground segment and/or space segment), including DVB-S2

Salary and Benefits:
  • Pay range: $150,000-190,000 annually to start
  • Early and competitive equity in a rapidly growing startup
  • Platinum-level healthcare, vision, dental, and life insurance covered 100% for you
  • Partial dependent coverage available
  • 401k matching at 4% (no vesting)
  • Unlimited PTO and sick time
  • Catered lunch 3x per week
  • Education assistance up to $5,250 per year
  • Relocation assistance is available
  • 17 paid holidays (including a "winter break" Dec. 24-Jan. 1

Work Authorization
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
Samara Aerospace does not currently sponsor employment visas for this position.
Employment eligibility will be verified upon hire in accordance with federal law.

Apply