RF Test and Calibration Engineer

Role Overview

• Establish NIST-traceable (or equivalent) calibration capability for Matsu SDR systems. Define procedures, select equipment, and set up an in-house lab or manage contract labs end to end.
• Design, build, and maintain RF test infrastructure at our Northern Virginia office and future remote/vessel deployment sites. Own the equipment inventory, maintenance cycles, operational readiness, and coordination with hardware and software teams.
• Participate in hardware design reviews. Define testability requirements, component tolerance specs for our radio systems, peripheral hardware (e.g. GPSDOs), and custom assemblies.
• Develop and own Acceptance Test Procedures (ATPs) for execution by technicians for medium to high volume production runs. Automate where practical; define pass/fail criteria that catch previous and potential failure modes.
• Measure and validate timing accuracy, latency, and phase coherence across the full system. Document performance margins against system requirements.
• Lead calibration and characterization of system components, including GNSS hardware, antenna patterns, and more. Define the measurements, execute or delegate, and own the traceability records.
• Define and execute (or outsource) environmental qualification: maritime vibration, temperature/humidity cycling, salt spray. Coordinate with hardware engineers to know the applicable standards and when to apply them.
• Establish incoming inspection criteria for RF components. Own the qualification process for primary vendors and other supply chain partners. Flag reliability risks before they reach production.
• Leverage your network in RF test, calibration, and defense hardware to identify what fails at scale. Bring that knowledge into design and procurement decisions early.
• Maintain calibration records, test data packages, and qualification documentation to support internal quality processes and customer/program requirements.

Requirements

• 7+ years of hands-on RF testbench experience in a production, defense, or advanced development environment.
• Deep proficiency with RF test equipment: VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, channel emulators, power meters, and associated calibration standards.
• Demonstrated experience building or managing a calibration program—not just using calibrated equipment.
• Experience writing, owning, and executing Acceptance Test Procedures for production hardware.
• Strong working knowledge of RF system performance parameters: gain, noise figure, IIP3, phase noise, VSWR, spurious emissions.
• Hands-on experience with GPS-disciplined oscillators or other precision timing references.
• Proven ability to evaluate, qualify, and manage external calibration labs or test contractors.
• US citizenship required.
• Must be eligible to obtain/maintain a security clearance.

Tech Stack

• SaltStack

Benefits

• Flexible working hours with occasional deadlines requiring high availability
• Opportunity to work on innovative projects with a global impact