Principal Radio Frequency Engineer

Responsibilities

We are representing a confidential national security technology organization that is seeking a Principal Radio Frequency Engineer to join their expeditionary systems development team. This role will lead the RF engineering aspects of advanced electromagnetic warfare, signals intelligence, and secure communications capabilities across multiple deployment environments.

You will be responsible for designing, developing, and integrating RF systems from concept through operational deployment. This includes developing RF architectures covering antennas, receivers, transmitters, amplifiers, filters, frequency conversion, switching, and signal distribution. You will conduct RF performance analysis including gain, noise figure, sensitivity, dynamic range, linearity, link budgets, and interference assessments.

The role involves supporting rapid research and development, prototyping, and technology evaluation—translating operational requirements into practical, deployable RF solutions. You will integrate commercial, government, and internally developed RF equipment across airborne, vehicle-mounted, maritime, fixed-site, and unmanned platforms.

You will plan and conduct RF testing, characterization, fault diagnosis, verification, and corrective engineering activities. RF designs must consider electromagnetic compatibility, spectrum management, grounding, bonding, shielding, environmental protection, and relevant standards. You will work closely with electrical, mechanical, software, cyber, systems, and operational teammates throughout the engineering lifecycle.

The position includes supporting UK and international trials, demonstrations, installations, commissioning, and operational deployments. You will provide RF technical leadership, design assurance, and clear engineering recommendations to customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.

This role is based in Lincoln or London with a longer-term intent to transition to London. Approximately 15% travel is required.

What We're Looking For

You must hold a degree in RF Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, or a closely related discipline, or possess equivalent relevant experience. A minimum of seven years' experience in RF systems design, development, integration, testing, or delivery is required.

Essential experience includes working with complex RF systems within defence, aerospace, telecommunications, electronic warfare, signals intelligence, secure communications, or a related sector. You must have experience with software-defined radios, digital RF architectures, and the collection or analysis of IQ data.

Experience designing, integrating, or supporting RF systems for unmanned systems—including uncrewed aerial, ground, or maritime platforms—is required. You must demonstrate a strong understanding of RF receiver and transmitter architectures, including amplifiers, filters, mixers, oscillators, switches, and frequency-conversion stages.

Practical experience conducting cascade analysis, link-budget calculations, and assessments of gain, noise figure, sensitivity, linearity, and dynamic range is essential. You must have hands-on experience with antenna systems, RF distribution, transmission lines, impedance matching, grounding, bonding, and shielding.

Strong RF test, measurement, and fault-finding skills using equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, and power meters are required. Experience using RF simulation, modeling, schematic-capture, or system-analysis tools is necessary.

You must demonstrate the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams spanning electrical, mechanical, software, cyber, systems, and operational disciplines. The ability to produce clear technical documentation, communicate engineering recommendations, and travel regularly within the UK and internationally is essential.

The successful candidate must have the right to work in the United Kingdom and be capable of obtaining and maintaining appropriate UK national security clearance. Certain projects may impose additional nationality or security restrictions.

Preferred qualifications include: Experience designing expeditionary, deployable, ruggedized, or rapidly reconfigurable RF capabilities; experience integrating RF systems onto airborne, vehicle-mounted, maritime, fixed-site, or dismounted platforms; understanding of antenna selection, placement, radiation patterns, platform effects, and co-site interference; experience with wideband receivers, transmit chains, power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, filters, and RF switching networks; experience conducting electromagnetic compatibility, electromagnetic environmental effects, and radio-frequency interference assessments; familiarity with relevant defence, aviation, maritime, spectrum-management, or RF engineering standards; experience supporting prototype builds, field trials, exercises, customer demonstrations, or operational deployments; and knowledge of systems engineering, size-weight-power-cooling analysis, low-volume manufacturing, component obsolescence, and through-life support.

How We Work with You

Our talent team at Get A Job.ai partners with leading organizations in the national security technology sector to connect exceptional engineering professionals with mission-critical opportunities. When you apply through our platform at getajob.ai, one of our specialized recruiters will conduct an initial screening to understand your background, technical expertise, and career objectives.

If your profile aligns with our client's requirements, we will submit your candidacy directly to them on your behalf. Throughout the process, we serve as your advocate and primary point of contact. Please do not contact the client organization directly, as all communication is managed through Get A Job.ai to ensure a professional and coordinated recruitment process.

This is a full-time position with typical working hours Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The role is offered on a hybrid working basis with three days per week in the office as standard. The work environment includes offices, laboratories, workshops, customer and supplier facilities, vehicle/aircraft/maritime platform integration environments, outdoor test and trial locations, and operationally representative environments. The role may involve standing, walking, bending, kneeling, working in restricted equipment spaces, handling tools and equipment, and periods of outdoor work in varying environmental conditions.

Pay

Pay details will be discussed during the screening process and are competitive with the market for principal-level RF engineering roles in the defence technology sector.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Get A Job.ai is committed to equal employment opportunity. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or other characteristics protected by law.