RF Hardware Engineer

Actalent is hiring an RF Hardware Engineer for an onsite contract-to-hire role based in Laurel, MD. In this position, you will design and develop advanced RF, microwave, and high-speed analog and digital hardware used in spacecraft missions and RF payloads and instruments.

The work spans the full development lifecycle from concept through launch, including circuit design, simulation, layout, testing, documentation, and technical leadership across mission-focused engineering teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Design RF, microwave, and high-speed analog and digital circuits and components for spaceflight high-reliability applications.
• Run detailed circuit and system simulations to predict and optimize performance across RF, microwave, and high-frequency domains.
• Create RF and high-frequency lumped and distributed element circuit layouts, including PCBs with high-density digital and RF content.
• Perform circuit-level analysis to assess performance, identify issues, and recommend design improvements.
• Develop and maintain schematic drawings, test plans, test procedures, and test reports for hardware designs.
• Collaborate with mission and spacecraft systems engineers, subsystem engineers, and project management across the concept-to-launch lifecycle.
• Support technical concept design and requirements definition for RF payloads and instruments.
• Participate in technical reviews, including design reviews and readiness assessments, providing expert input on RF and high-frequency hardware.
• Assist with budgets and schedules related to RF and hardware activities.
• Lead teams through conceptualization, trade studies, prototype design and testing, flight hardware development, integration, and verification.
• Mentor team members on best practices for RF, microwave, high-speed analog, and digital hardware design.
• Support spacecraft integration and test activities, including off-hours testing when required for spacecraft-level operations.
• Provide technical insight and status updates to support engagement with sponsors and stakeholders.
• Apply communications systems theory and RF theory to the design and analysis of payloads, instruments, and associated hardware.
• Use microwave, electromagnetic, and high-speed digital tools and simulators to model, analyze, and validate designs.
• Conduct RF characterization and measurements up to Ka-band and beyond, including evaluation of antennas, RF payloads, and instruments.
• Contribute to radar systems, military satellite communications systems, sensors, and software-defined radio architectures.
• Document approaches, analyses, and test results, and contribute to external publications and technical reports.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent).
• 7+ years of recent, hands-on experience in RF, microwave, or high-frequency analog or digital hardware design.
• Experience developing spaceflight high-reliability hardware from conceptual design through delivery.
• Detailed knowledge of discrete transistor-based circuit design, including test and analysis techniques.
• Strong RF, microwave, high-frequency analog, and digital circuit design fundamentals.
• Experience with RF or high-frequency analog/digital CAD tools for circuit design and analysis.
• Proficiency in high-speed, RF, and high-density digital circuit layout and packaging.
• Ability to conduct circuit-level analysis to determine and optimize performance.
• Familiarity with communications systems theory and RF theory.
• Experience with tools and simulators including ADS, HFSS, Genesys, FEKO, HyperLynx, and Ansys SIWave.
• Proficiency with layout and schematic capture tools such as Mentor and Altium.
• Experience with software-defined radios, antennas, and RF characterization and measurements to Ka-band or beyond.
• Experience with radar systems design and military satellite communications systems and sensors.
• Willingness to work flexible hours for short periods during spacecraft-level testing.
• Willingness to travel infrequently to customer or sponsor locations and spacecraft integration and test sites.
• Ability to obtain a Top Secret security clearance, if required.

Tools & Technologies

• ADS, HFSS, Genesys, FEKO, HyperLynx, Ansys SIWave, Mentor, Altium

Contract, Location, and Schedule

• Job type: Contract to Hire
• Location: Laurel, MD (fully onsite)
• Work environment: onsite role with some flexibility; off-hours work may be required for spacecraft-level testing and integration

Compensation and Benefits

• Pay range: $100,000 - $160,000 per year (listed pay range is also shown as $100000.00 - $160000.00/hr)
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available)
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Application Timeline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 30, 2026.