RF Design Engineer in Southampton
New Today
Energy Jobline is the largest and fastest growing global Energy Job Board and Energy Hub. We have an audience reach of over 7 million energy professionals, 400,000+ monthly advertised global energy and engineering jobs, and work with the leading energy companies worldwide.
We focus on the Oil & Gas, Renewables, Engineering, Power, and Nuclear markets as well as emerging technologies in EV, Battery, and Fusion. We are committed to ensuring that we offer the most exciting career opportunities from around the world for our jobseekers.
Job Description
RF Design Engineer
Defence & Security Programmes
The Opportunity
This organisation is a trusted engineering partner delivering advanced technology solutions across security, defence, and adjacent high-assurance domains. Working closely with end customers, teams tackle complex, real-world challenges where performance, reliability, and innovation genuinely matter.
Projects are deliberately varied. You may find yourself:
Rapidly prototyping novel technical approaches, or
Enhancing, evolving, and hardening existing solutions for deployment in demanding environments
As a result, this role suits engineers who enjoy applying their expertise across different problem spaces, technologies, and project phases.
You'll be part of a stimulating, collaborative, and highly driven engineering team that values autonomy, technical excellence, and shared purpose. Depending on the programme, there are opportunities to support customer demonstrations, trials, and acceptance activities - providing real visibility of your work in action.
The Role
We're seeking an experienced and motivated RF Design Engineer to contribute to the development of cutting-edge RF and analogue electronics for defence-focused and electromagnetic systems.
This role blends hands-on technical delivery with opportunities to influence projects, support technical leadership, and mentor others within the team.
What You'll Do
As an RF Design Engineer, you will:
Design, simulate, and implement RF and analogue electronic circuits and systems for defence-related applications, including areas such as electromagnetic systems, resilient positioning and timing, and survivability
Integrate, test, troubleshoot, and debug RF and analogue electronics to optimise performance characteristics such as impedance matching, VSWR, bandwidth, and stability
Participate in design reviews, providing constructive technical challenge and input to improve solutions
Produce and maintain high-quality technical documentation, including design specifications, test plans, and compliance evidence
Support the Technical Lead, contributing to activities such as risk management and technical input to customer discussions
Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers, supporting professional development across the team
Collaborate proactively with stakeholders across engineering disciplines and project delivery functions
Work in line with established engineering, quality, and development processes
Technical & Leadership Expectations
We're looking for someone who demonstrates:
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
Clear, confident technical communication and organisation
An ability to foster industry standards, best practices, and safety compliance within agile delivery environments
Confidence engaging with stakeholders, including technical specialists and non-technical audiences
The ability to work both independently and collaboratively, adapting to project needs
Project & Delivery Focus
You will:
Deliver engineering activities on time, on budget, and to defined quality standards
Provide accurate estimates of effort and complexity, identifying technical risks early
Support the definition and achievement of project goals and milestones
Work closely with Project Managers, Systems Engineers, and Design Authorities to translate requirements into actionable engineering tasks
Collaboration & Continuous Improvement
Collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams
Contribute to a positive, high-performance engineering culture
Identify opportunities to improve engineering processes, tools, and ways of working
Proactively propose and implement improvements that enhance efficiency and quality
Desirable Technical Experience
Experience in one or more of the following would be advantageous:
RF and microwave design from LF through to X-band
Design of low-noise amplifiers, receivers, and high-power amplifiers
Use of RF simulation and modelling tools (e.g. Microwave Office)
PCB design using professional CAD tools (e.g. Altium)
Designing solutions with very low SWaP-C constraints
RF design for harsh or constrained environments (EMC, vibration, thermal)
Transitioning hardware from development into production and qualification
Hands-on use of RF test equipment including spectrum analysers, vector analysers, signal generators, power meters, and related instrumentation
Qualifications & Security
Degree-qualified in Electronics Engineering (or equivalent practical experience)
Relevant experience in RF or analogue electronic design
Due to the nature of the work, applicants must be eligible and willing to undergo UK security clearance
Reasonable Adjustments:
Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.
If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.
If you are interested in applying for this job please press the Apply Button and follow the application process. Energy Jobline wishes you the very best of luck in your next career move.
- Location:
- Southampton
- Job Type:
- FullTime
- Category:
- Design Engineer, Engineer, RF, Engineering, Design