Sr RF Engineer

Universal Electronics is seeking a Sr RF Engineer to lead the design and optimization of advanced RF solutions for IoT and smart home products. This role focuses on developing and testing RF Hardware and systems and ensuring RF performance and compliance with standards like Zigbee, BLE, Wi-Fi, Thread, FCC and CE. Responsible for RF Circuit design; antenna EM simulation, optimization and tuning; PCB signal integrity analysis, and leading hands-on RF testing at our Santa Ana Engineering Center. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative, high-performance RF solutions that drive the future of connected devices.

Qualifications

• Work with lead Electrical Engineers to design and specify RF circuits in new products, including PCB transmission lines, SMD RF component values and their placement, PCB antenna types, dimensions, and placement options.
• Use Schematic Capture and Layout design tools.
• Use HFSS or an equivalent EM simulation tool to drive and optimize PCB antenna dimensions and placement to achieve the desired radiation pattern and efficiency.
• Use a VNA and S Parameters to measure and optimize hardware prototype impedance matching. 
• Use RF analyzers, power meters, and signal generators to make and optimize standard conducted RF receiver and transmitter measurements to validate Radio-to-Antenna RF circuit performance.
• Define new product RF validation and manufacturing tests and acceptance criteria.
• Troubleshoot RF and EMC problems.
• Write and present RF test reports sharing insights to drive new designs.
• Serve as the RF subject matter lead at our Santa Ana Engineering center.
• Ability to integrate proven radio ICs, modules, and PCB antennas into high-volume consumer and commercial products.
• Ability to work in a team environment and demonstrate RF and design engineering leadership and skills that meet and exceed customer expectations.
• Self-motivated, innovative, and persistent.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage several assignments with varying scope and complexity.
• Creative problem solver.
• Ability to effectively present technical concepts, ideas, and information in terms that both engineers and non-engineers can understand.

Responsibilities

• Hand’s-on experience with Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth/BLE, Z-Wave transceiver IC front ends, transmitters, crystal oscillators, impedance matching networks, transmission lines, basic PCB antennas, and RF ground design.
• Skills in 2.4GHz PCB trace Dipole, Monopole, Inverted F, and chip antenna simulation, design, measurement, and optimization.
• RF circuit design and antenna simulation experience with HFSS, ADS, EM Pro, or equivalent tools.
• Ability to conduct EM simulations and support hardware validation tests of PCB antenna return loss, gain, efficiency, radiation pattern, and system TRP.
• Experience making RF measurements such as fundamental and harmonic power, receiver sensitivity, S Parameters for impedance matching, antenna return loss, etc.
• Hands-on experience with common hand tools, soldering SMD components and RF test equipment, including Vector Network Analyzer, Spectrum Analyzer, Power Meter, Vector Signal Generator, EM probes, Oscilloscopes, etc.
• Experience with Zigbee/802.15.4, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, BLE, and Sub-GHz wireless technologies, protocols, and RF analysis tools is preferred.
• Advanced RF test skills, including the ability to write low-level programming and test scripts is preferred.
• Experience with Monte Carlo component sensitivity analysis preferred
• Familiarity with measurement methods of regulatory groups such as FCC, CE, UL, etc is preferred.
• Analog and digital circuit design and troubleshooting related to electronic devices is preferred.
• Experience with microcontroller-based systems, preferably ARM preferred.
• Basic wired connectivity and communication skills with emphasis on UART, RS485, I2C, and SPI preferred.
• Must be able to travel.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and 5+ years of experience developing RF circuits and antennas on FR4 PCB material for consumer and commercial electronics products.
• Master’s degree in electrical engineering and 5+ years of experience developing RF circuits with antennas for consumer products is preferred.