Principal RF Engineer

PRINCIPAL RF ENGINEER

FROM £70,000 PER ANNUM

DEPENDING ON SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ROSS ON WYE

PERMANENT

About us

Kirintec specialise in the design and production of innovative technology solutions for CEMA (Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities), Counter-IED and Counter-UAS. We engineer and deliver battle proven capabilities across the world.

Kirintec is owned by BAE Systems, who provides some of the world’s most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions and employs a skilled workforce of more than 93,000 people in around 40 countries.

About the role

We are looking for a Principal RF Engineer to lead the design, development and delivery of advanced RF and microwave subsystems used in our products. You will design broadband RF circuits operating from low MHz frequencies to beyond 10 GHz, with particular expertise in wideband power amplifiers, frequency conversion and complete RF subsystem design.

This is a hands-on role. You will lead RF hardware design from concept through to production, including the supporting analogue, digital and power electronics required for RF functionality, together with laboratory evaluation and transfer to manufacture.

Duties will include;

· Designing broadband RF power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, filters, couplers, splitters and associated RF subsystems.

· Designing frequency conversion architectures including up-converters, down-converters, image rejection techniques and local oscillator distribution.

· Designing RF front-end architectures to meet challenging gain, linearity, noise figure and dynamic range requirements.

· Performing RF circuit simulation, optimisation and tolerance analysis using industry-standard RF design tools.

· Undertaking PCB layout to ensure optimum RF performance, signal integrity and manufacturability.

· Designing supporting analogue and digital electronics including power supplies, bias networks, monitoring/protection circuitry and embedded microcontroller-based control.

· Developing RF test methodologies and performing laboratory characterisation using VNA, spectrum analyser, signal generator, power meter and oscilloscope.

· Leading design reviews, trade studies and technical risk assessments.

· Mentoring graduate and junior engineers and reviewing designs.

· Supporting transition of designs into manufacture.

About you

Essential:

· Degree in Electronic Engineering, RF Engineering, Physics or a related discipline.

· Significant experience in RF and microwave design within defence, aerospace or related industries.

· Proven experience designing broadband RF circuits from MHz frequencies to greater than 10 GHz.

· Experience designing broadband RF power amplifiers.

· Experience designing RF frequency conversion circuits including mixers, local oscillator distribution and IF stages.

· Strong understanding of RF matching networks, transmission line theory, S-parameters, stability analysis, gain/linearity/efficiency optimisation, and high-power RF design techniques.

· Experience designing supporting electronic circuitry including power supplies, bias networks, mixed-signal electronics and microcontroller-based control systems.

· Experience using RF simulation tools such as AWR Microwave Office.

· Experience of PCB design for high-frequency and mixed-signal circuits using tools such as Altium Designer.

· Strong practical laboratory measurement skills.

· Excellent technical report writing and documentation skills.

Desirable:

· Experience designing electronic warfare, communications or radar systems.

· Experience with GaN power amplifier technologies.

· Experience in embedded software development using C or C++ for microcontroller-based systems.

· Experience developing engineering or laboratory automation software using Python.

· Experience writing automated test software for laboratory equipment using SCPI, VISA or similar instrument control interfaces.

· Knowledge of EMC and environmental qualification standards.

· Familiarity with military and defence standards.

· Experience supporting production and Design for Manufacture (DfM).

What we Offer

· 25 days annual leave entitlement, rising with length of service.

· Training and development opportunities.

· Flexible working opportunities.

· Medical Care Package upon successful completion of your probation period.

· Company events.

· Annual Bonus scheme and annual salary reviews.

· Casual dress.

Closing Date: 15th November 2026. Interviews will take place w/c 16th November 2026.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

At Kirintec Ltd, we welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain recruitment processes, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at Kirintec Ltd are subject to security and vetting restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have a minimum of 5-year continuous residency in the UK, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Pay: From £70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Company pension
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking
• Private medical insurance
• Referral programme
• Work from home

Work Location: In person