RF Systems Engineer

Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.

About The Role:

This role requires strong RF fundamentals, broad electrical systems experience, and the ability to move quickly from architecture to hardware integration and test. You will work closely with avionics, GNC, flight software, manufacturing, quality, test, and operations teams to deliver reliable communication, telemetry, navigation, and sensor/instrumentation systems.

Responsibilities

• Define RF system requirements, architectures, interfaces, and verification approaches.
• Develop block diagrams, link budgets, interface documentation, test plans, and integration procedures.
• Design, build, integrate, and test RF hardware including antennas, radios, RF modules, cabling, connectors, and supporting electrical assemblies.
• Execute RF testing, including conducted RF tests, antenna measurements, environmental testing, and system-level validation.
• Troubleshoot RF performance issues and drive corrective actions through design, build, integration, and test.
• Support aircraft and ground station integration, ground test, flight test, and off-nominal troubleshooting.
• Analyze RF test and flight data, document results, and communicate risks and recommendations.
• Support regulatory coordination related to FCC, FAA, AFTRCC, and other RF spectrum or flight test requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field.
• 4+ years of experience with RF, antenna, radio, telemetry, communication, or electrical systems.
• Experience with RF/electrical test equipment such as VNAs, spectrum analyzers, power meters, signal generators, oscilloscopes, and multimeters.
• Strong RF fundamentals, including propagation, impedance matching, VSWR, gain/loss, noise figure, filtering, and link performance.
• Experience developing RF test plans, procedures, setups, or data analysis workflows.
• Strong hands-on troubleshooting skills in lab, integration, or test environments.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and clearly communicate technical tradeoffs, results, risks, and recommendations.
• Bias toward action and willingness to work hands-on with hardware.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree focused on antennas, RF systems, microwave circuits, communications, or related field.
• Experience with L, S, C, Ku, or Ka-band systems.
• Aerospace, defense, aircraft, spacecraft, UAV, missile, or flight test experience.
• Experience with antennas, telemetry, radios, navigation, communication links, or RF instrumentation.
• Familiarity with modulation schemes such as QAM, BPSK, QPSK, or SOQPSK.
• Experience with HFSS, CST, FEKO, ADS, MATLAB, Python, or similar tools.
• Hands-on prototyping skills, including soldering, cable fabrication, and connectorization.
• EMI/EMC or qualification testing experience, including MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-704, MIL-STD-464, or DO-160.
• Startup, rapid prototyping, or agile hardware development experience.
• Ability to travel on short notice for integration, ground test, or flight test support.

$138,550 - $187,450 a year

The salary information provided is a general guideline only. Hermeus takes various factors into account, including, but not limited to, the position's scope and responsibilities, the candidate's professional background, education and training, essential skills, and market and business considerations, when presenting a job offer.

Salary is only one part of our total compensation and benefits package. Hermeus offers competitive salary and equity, unlimited PTO policy, paid parental leave, potential for year-end bonuses, and more!

100% employer-paid health care

401k & Retirement Plans

Unlimited PTO

Weekly Paid Office Lunches

End of Year Bonuses

Fully stocked breakrooms

Stock Options

Paid Parental Leave

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.