Senior RF Communications Engineer

Laurel, Maryland

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)
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Description Are you a driven individual looking to solve a wide variety of complex challenges related to communication systems design?

Do you have a strong desire to collaborate and work within a team of highly-skilled researchers?

If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior RF Communications Engineer who will contribute to all phases of communications systems development. You will be joining a team of engineers and scientist who are at the forefront of APL's mission to provide innovative solutions to critical challenges in supporting distributed operations in contested environments.

As a Senior RF Communications Engineer .
  • You will design, implement, and analyze prototype link adaptation algorithms for future resilient and secure communications network to operate in highly contested environments.
  • You will work as part of a team to develop communications solutions based on the needs of applications and considerations such as space, weight, and power, and propagation environment. As circumstances allow, you will lead teams on specific engineering tasks.
  • You will provide status updates, analysis results, and algorithms in written reports and in presentations to Laboratory, Government, and Contractor management
  • You will assist in developing and updating strategic plans for the growth efforts in communications technical area, and in business development opportunities, such as preparing proposals, or responses to government Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs)
Qualifications You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you

Have a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Communications Engineering, or related field
Have 5+ years of experience in communications system design
Have extensive experience in wireless communications systems and waveforms
Have experience in FPGA development
Have knowledge of RF (Radio Frequency) design principles
Have both theoretical and practical knowledge of physical, link, and network layers of communication systems
Have experience in the field of digital design, digital signal processing, and communications systems
Have experience in aspects of embedded systems design and specification, embedded software development, and design verification/test
Have experience in MATLAB, Python, or C/C for algorithm development, modeling, and simulation
Can effectively communicate ideas and results
Have demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Have an active Secret security clearance and can ultimately obtain a TS/SCI security clearance. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you

Have a PhD degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or related field
Have knowledge of advanced wireless communications concepts (OFDM, MIMO, etc.)
Have experience with satellite communications systems
Have hands-on experience with RF hardware design and RF System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures
Have familiarity with the VME/VPX bus standards (e.g., VITA 46)
Have experience with military communications networks (e.g., CDL, LINK16/MIDS)
Have an active Top Secret security clearance

Why work at APL?

While the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory brings world-class expertise to a broad range of challenges, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, innovation ecosystem where you can feel safe to share ideas and to continue to grow personally and professionally. At APL, we celebrate our differences and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas and have earned Best Places to Work accolades in outlets such as Fast Companies and Glassdoor.

Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL's campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at .

About Us APL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

APL is committed to promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Only by ensuring that everyone's voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate

$90,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

$220,000 Annually
Date Posted: 24 December 2024
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