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Rf Planning Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Peraton

Cellular & RF Engineer

Washington, DC

$176K - $282K/yr

The Cellular/RF Engineer is responsible for assessing, designing, and optimizing wireless ... Knowledge of RF planning and optimization tools. Desired Qualifications and Experience: * iBwave ...

Peraton

Cellular & RF Engineer

Washington, DC

$176K - $282K/yr

RF planning tools * Band 12/Band 14 systems * FirstNet * Next Generation Fixed Wireless (ngFWA) Peraton Overview Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of ...

Peraton

Cellular & RF Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$176K - $282K/yr

RF planning tools * Band 12/Band 14 systems * FirstNet * Next Generation Fixed Wireless (ngFWA) Peraton Overview Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of ...

Peraton

Cellular & RF Engineer

Washington, DC

$176K - $282K/yr

The Cellular/RF Engineer is responsible for assessing, designing, and optimizing wireless ... Knowledge of RF planning and optimization tools. Desired Qualifications and Experience: * iBwave ...

Peraton

Cellular & RF Engineer

Washington, DC

$176K - $282K/yr

RF planning tools * Band 12/Band 14 systems * FirstNet * Next Generation Fixed Wireless (ngFWA) Peraton Overview Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of ...

Peraton

Cellular & RF Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$176K - $282K/yr

The Cellular/RF Engineer is responsible for assessing, designing, and optimizing wireless ... Knowledge of RF planning and optimization tools. Desired Qualifications and Experience: * iBwave ...

Nokia

RF Propagation and Modeling Engineer

Plano, TX · On-site

We are looking for an experienced RF engineer to join our team and contribute to the design and ... Knowledge of RF planning tools and GIS mapping systems is preferred. * Familiarity with geospatial ...

Nokia

RF Propagation and Modeling Engineer

Plano, TX · On-site

$105K - $195K/yr

We are looking for an experienced RF engineer to join our team and contribute to the design and ... Analyze RF coverage and perform capacity planning for industrial, campus, and mission-critical ...

Parallel Wireless

Senior RF Optimization Engineer

Lead RF planning, optimization, and performance improvement across GSM, LTE, and 5G networks in ... Contribute to technical leadership, knowledge sharing, and engineering best practices as the ...

MAG Aerospace

RF Engineer

Fort Belvoir, VA

$100K - $165K/yr

MAG Aerospace is seeking a cleared subject matter expert skilled in RF Engineering, Microwave ... Conducts radio traffic analysis, system design, frequency planning, interference analysis, and ...

MAG Aerospace

RF Engineer

Fort Belvoir, VA · On-site

$100K - $165K/yr

Position Summary MAG Aerospace is seeking a cleared subject matter expert skilled in RF Engineering ... Conducts radio traffic analysis, system design, frequency planning, interference analysis, and ...

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All JobsRf Planning Engineer Jobs

Rf Planning Engineer information

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$37K

$117.7K

$183K

How much do rf planning engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for rf planning engineer 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 Planning Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an RF Planning Engineer, you need a solid background in telecommunications, radio frequency theory, and network design, typically supported by an engineering degree in electronics or telecommunications. Familiarity with RF planning tools (such as Atoll or Planet), propagation modeling software, and understanding of 2G/3G/4G/5G technologies are essential. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication are important soft skills for this position. These skills are crucial for optimizing network coverage, capacity, and quality, ensuring reliable wireless communication services.

What are RF Planning Engineers?

RF Planning Engineers are professionals who design and optimize the radio frequency (RF) networks used in wireless communication systems, such as mobile phone networks. They are responsible for tasks such as frequency allocation, cell site placement, coverage prediction, and interference management to ensure efficient and reliable network performance. Their work involves simulation, analysis, and field testing to create optimal network designs that meet coverage and capacity requirements. RF Planning Engineers play a critical role in expanding and maintaining wireless infrastructure to provide seamless connectivity for users.

What is the difference between Rf Planning Engineer vs Rf Optimization Engineer?

AspectRf Planning EngineerRf Optimization Engineer
Primary FocusDesigning and planning network coverage and capacityImproving network performance and efficiency
Required SkillsRadio network planning, coverage analysis, site selectionNetwork performance analysis, parameter tuning, troubleshooting
CertificationsRF planning, LTE/5G certifications often preferredRF optimization, LTE/5G certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentField site planning, network design teamsNetwork performance monitoring, optimization teams

While both roles involve RF technology, the Rf Planning Engineer focuses on designing and planning the network infrastructure, whereas the Rf Optimization Engineer concentrates on enhancing network performance after deployment. Both roles require similar certifications and work within the telecom industry, but their core responsibilities differ in the network lifecycle.

What are some common challenges faced by RF Planning Engineers when designing wireless networks, and how are they typically addressed?

RF Planning Engineers often encounter challenges such as interference management, coverage gaps, and capacity constraints while designing wireless networks. To address these, they use advanced simulation tools to model signal propagation, conduct site surveys to validate predictions, and collaborate with field engineers to optimize antenna placement. Regular coordination with network operations teams helps ensure that the planned network meets both technical specifications and user demands. Staying updated with the latest industry standards and technologies is also crucial for overcoming these challenges effectively.
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Rf Planning Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Rf Planning Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $117,680 per year, or $56.6 per hour.
RF Test and Integration Engineer

RF Test and Integration Engineer

Specter

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 2 days ago

Job description

Company Background
Specter's mission is to help automate the physical world.
Today, we build video sensors with state-of-the-art AI agents that answer any question, anywhere in their environments. Our systems can automatically detect and reason about any physical activity captured on camera, from security incidents (e.g. perimeter intrusion, theft, LPR), to safety monitoring (e.g. PPE detection, injured people), to operational efficiency (e.g. material tracking, congestion monitoring). We offer both long range wireless (1km range) and wired sensor variants to suit any deployment.
Our co-founders Xerxes and Philip are passionate about empowering our partners in the fast approaching world of physical AI and robotics. We are a small, fast growing team who hail from Anduril, Tesla, Uber, and the U.S. Special Forces.
The RoleSpecter is hiring an RF Test and Integration Engineer to own the test, qualification, and field deployment infrastructure that proves our RF hardware works; on the bench, on the production floor, and in the field. This role owns the bench characterization, regression coverage, and FCC compliance work that gate every hardware revision, along with the site surveys, RF planning, deployment execution, and post-deploy validation that gate every site we put in the ground. The role sits at the intersection of RF test, embedded firmware, and field deployment.
Responsibilities:
  • RF characterization and KPI testing: Run VSA/VSG sweeps of Pout, EVM, OBW, ACLR, noise figure, and sensitivity across temperature, MCS, channel bandwidth, and power.
  • Integration testing across the radio chain: Validate chipset, PA front end, matching, and antenna end to end, on the bench and over the air.
  • Test automation and infrastructure: Build Python test frameworks driving VSA/VSG, VNA, and spectrum analyzer. Maintain regression suites for firmware and driver releases.
  • Cross-domain debugging: When over-the-air performance drops, debug across PHY, MAC, driver, firmware, and RF hardware to find root cause.
  • Deployment execution and site validation: Run site surveys, pre-deploy RF planning, link-budget verification, on-site deployment, and post-deploy debug.
  • Field data and propagation modeling: Capture link-quality data from deployed sites and feed it into our propagation and coverage planning models.
  • Pre-compliance and FCC support: Run Part 15 pre-compliance in-lab, coordinate with external test houses, and debug compliance failures.

Qualifications:
  • 3-5 years of RF test and characterization experience on production wireless hardware.
  • Hands-on RF test instrumentation: VSA/VSG (LitePoint IQxel or similar preferred), VNA, spectrum analyzer.
  • Strong working understanding of modern wireless KPIs: EVM, ACLR, OBW, sensitivity, noise figure, link margin, and what they mean for system performance.
  • Python automation experience for test orchestration. You've built test frameworks, not one-off scripts.
  • Sub-GHz or ISM band experience (902-928 MHz preferred).
  • Comfortable in Linux: command line, packet capture (tshark/tcpdump), reading debugfs and driver logs.
  • Field deployment experience: site surveys, RF planning against real propagation, path loss model validation.
  • Project ownership and timeline discipline, you flag risks early and deliver without being chased.

Nice to Have:
  • 802.11 standards knowledge, ideally including 802.11ah / Wi-Fi HaLow.
  • Manufacturing floor exposure - understands the gap between bench-works and works-at-rate.
  • Experience with PA characterization (linearity, efficiency, EVM tradeoffs).
  • FCC Part 15 pre-compliance or full certification experience.
  • Familiarity with Morse Micro, Broadcom/Cypress, or similar Wi-Fi chipset ecosystems.

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