Senior RF Engineer

Solinnov is looking for a senior RF or microwave engineer who wants to remain closely involved in design, simulation, prototyping, tuning and laboratory testing while helping establish the technical direction of our internal RF capability.

You will work on custom RF hardware for software-defined radio, communications, electronic warfare and radar applications. The work may include amplification, frequency conversion, filtering, signal distribution and complete RF front ends operating from the MHz range to 18 GHz and beyond.

This is a senior individual contributor and technical lead role. You will personally solve important RF design problems, guide RF architecture and verification decisions, review technical work and help develop the tools, methods and laboratory capability required to deliver reliable RF products.

IMPORTANT:

Applicants must hold Australian citizenship and either have, or be eligible to obtain, an Australian Defence security clearance (NV1) from the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency.

About Us

Solinnov develops high-performance systems for complex signal-processing problems in wireless communications, electronic warfare and radar.

Our core expertise is in FPGA-based software-defined radios, supported by capabilities in firmware, software, electronics, mechanical engineering, systems engineering and product development. We are expanding our in-house hardware and RF engineering capability so that we can design and manufacture more of the critical RF subsystems used in our products and test systems.

Our work primarily supports the Australian Government and Australian Defence, delivering solutions where performance, reliability and innovation matter.

Successful engineers at Solinnov share a common mindset. They:

- Enjoy solving hard, ambiguous technical problems

- Move quickly to understand real end-user needs and deliver practical solutions

- Thrive on doing new things and pushing beyond what has been done before

- Actively seek out learning and continuously raise their own technical standards

- Step up when faced with complex or high-pressure challenges

- Work openly and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team to deliver outstanding outcomes

We have offices in Adelaide and Melbourne.

The Role

Reporting to the Productisation Manager, you will be Solinnov’s senior RF technical lead.

You will have substantial influence over:

- RF system and subsystem architecture

- Design approaches and technical trade-offs

- RF analysis, simulation and verification methods

- Selection of RF design tools and laboratory capability

- RF design reviews and technical risk management

- The development of RF knowledge within the broader engineering team

- Future RF recruitment and team development, where required

You will work closely with engineers and technicians across electronics, FPGA,



software, mechanical, systems and productisation. Major product decisions will be made collaboratively, while you will provide technical leadership and judgement on RF-specific matters.

The expected balance is approximately 80% hands-on engineering and 20% technical leadership, reviews, planning and mentoring. There will be an opportunity to steer the shape of the position as our RF capability evolves.

The role is full time and can be based in Melbourne or Adelaide by agreement.

Applicants must be Australian citizens who are eligible for an NV1 security clearance.

Day-to-day

- Turn system requirements into RF architectures, budgets, specifications, component selections, test strategies and practical implementation plans

- Design RF subsystems for real products, including power amplifiers, frequency converters, filters and complete RF front-end assemblies

- Use simulation, analysis, prototyping, bench measurements and design review to develop RF hardware that performs reliably in the field

- Bring up, tune, debug and verify RF hardware using appropriate test equipment and well-structured engineering evidence

- Work closely with electronics, firmware, software, mechanical, systems and productisation teams to integrate RF hardware into complete SDR and RF products

- Support design for manufacture, design for test, supplier engagement, production test definition and the investigation of production or field issues

- Produce clear documentation, including design notes, RF budgets, test plans, test reports, verification records and manufacturing handover material

- Review designs, explain RF trade-offs and help engineers and technicians build a stronger understanding of RF

- Share RF knowledge through design reviews, technical discussions, practical coaching and mentoring of engineers and technicians, where appropriate

Skills & Experience

We do not expect one person to have designed every type of RF circuit or worked in every application area listed below. Depth in several relevant areas, supported by strong fundamentals and sound engineering judgement, is more important than matching every example.

Essential

- Demonstrated practical experience independently designing, developing and troubleshooting complex RF or microwave hardware

- Strong RF and microwave fundamentals, including the ability to reason about impedance matching, transmission lines, S-parameters, stability, noise, gain, linearity, compression, intermodulation,



phase noise, frequency conversion, filtering, shielding, grounding and system-level RF performance

- Experience designing or making a material contribution to power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, frequency conversion stages, RF or microwave filters, or integrated RF front ends

- Strong practical laboratory experience using instruments such as vector network analysers, spectrum analysers, signal generators, power meters and oscilloscopes

- Demonstrated experience taking RF hardware from concept through design, prototyping, bring-up, verification and iteration

- Ability to explain complex RF concepts, trade-offs, risks and test evidence to RF specialists, engineers from other disciplines and non-specialist stakeholders

- Sound engineering judgement, strong documentation habits and a practical approach to solving ambiguous technical problems

- Experience mentoring, teaching or reviewing RF work for less experienced engineers

- A degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, RF Engineering, Physics or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience

Valuable, but not required

- Experience at X-band, Ku-band or higher frequencies would be highly valuable. Robust transferable RF or microwave design experience at other frequencies will also be considered

- Experience with SDR architectures, wideband RF systems, modulated signals, radar, electronic warfare or communications systems

- RF circuit simulation using tools such as ADS, AWR Microwave Office or equivalent

- Electromagnetic simulation using HFSS, CST, Sonnet or equivalent

- Experience with RF PCB layout, stack-up selection, controlled-impedance structures, thermal constraints, shielding, connectorisation, DFM, DFT and production testing

- EMC design support, compliance testing or spectrum-management activities

- Experience with ruggedised defence, aerospace, telecommunications, scientific or other high-reliability products

Why Join Solinnov

This role offers the prospect to work on real hardware that ends up in the field—integrated into Australian Defence platforms and systems where performance and reliability genuinely matter. You will have end-to-end ownership of build outcomes and work across a genuinely multidisciplinary team spanning firmware, software and hardware engineering.

We operate in a friendly, self-motivated team environment using agile development practices.

We offer:

- Competitive salaries

- Study and professional development assistance

- Paid parental leave

- Flexible work-from-home arrangements appropriate to the needs of lab-based engineering

- A culture built around curiosity, collaboration and “geeks having fun”

To Apply

Please include a cover letter and CV in your application. Please send any queries to *******@solinnov.com.au.

📌 Senior RF Engineer (Adelaide)
🏢 Solinnov
📍 Adelaide