RF Design Engineer (FPGA)

Quartermaster AI is dedicated to ensuring the ocean is a safe and sustainably managed resource through innovative AI and sensing technologies. They are seeking an RF Design Engineer to lead the development of a custom Software Defined Radio subsystem for their Smartmast platform, focusing on electrical design, PCB layout, and system validation.

Responsibilities:

• Design and thoroughly document the electrical architecture for our SDR-based modules, including custom or COTS SDRs, RF front-end, clocking, ADC/DAC interfaces, and host connectivity
• Develop schematics and high-frequency PCB layouts optimized for signal integrity, low noise, and compact form factor in marine environments
• Coordinate with software engineers to validate digital interfaces and ensure clean RF signal paths from antenna to baseband
• Perform benchtop validation using spectrum analyzers, VNAs, and signal generators to benchmark performance and tune system characteristics
• Support antenna integration, placement, and impedance matching in close collaboration with mechanical and system engineers
• Assist with integration into the larger Smartmast system, including coordination with power, networking, and compute subsystems

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, or related field
• 6+ years of experience in RF hardware design, with at least one full SDR or RF subsystem taken from concept to deployment
• Strong experience with schematic capture and RF-aware PCB layout using tools such as Orcad or Allegro
• Familiarity with ADCs/DACs, digital interfaces (PCIe, SPI, LVDS), and high-speed layout constraints
• Hands-on experience with RF lab instrumentation (spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes)
• Bonus: experience with marine communication bands, direction-finding, or defense-related RF systems