At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design of innovative RF systems and collaborate across teams to create cutting-edge technology.
- Company: Join Forefront RF, a pioneering fabless semiconductor company revolutionising global connectivity.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible work hours, and generous holiday allowance.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in RF technology and help shape the future of connectivity.
- Qualifications: Strong background in RF systems and experience in cross-disciplinary collaboration required.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for growth and innovation.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
About Us
Forefront RF is a fabless semiconductor company developing breakthrough RF technology that radically simplifies RF front‑end architectures for mobile and connected devices. Our long‑term vision is to empower anyone to treat global connectivity as a commodity, effortlessly adding it to any device. We lead through innovation, solving our customers’ toughest challenges and enabling them to stay ahead by pushing the boundaries of RF design.
Our Values
- One team: Collaboration, share, build solutions together.
- Innovation with intent: Build innovative pathways to meet real customer needs.
- Solutions driven: Deliver effortless connectivity through manufacturable designs that solve real world challenges.
- Customer focused: Act with integrity and hold ourselves accountable to deliver customer focused solutions.
- Sustainable: Make responsible choices in design, supply chain, and operations. Simplify where possible, reducing waste, and contributing to a more efficient RF ecosystem.
Role Overview
As we move from core technology development toward customer qualification and productisation, system‑level architectural clarity has become critical. We are expanding the CTO team with a RF Systems Architect who will play a central role in aligning RF design, algorithms, software, and test into a coherent, validated system architecture.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the end‑to‑end RF system architecture, from RFIC blocks and tuning through control, software interfaces, calibration, and test.
- Translate product and technical specification requirements (e.g., 3GPP) into clear system and sub‑block specs, making design choices that support buildability, test, and reuse.
- Define and execute system analyses and feasibility studies aligned with Forefront RF’s technology roadmap.
- Act as the technical bridge between RF design, algorithm development, embedded software, and test teams.
- Clarify ownership and interfaces, and ensure assumptions made in one area are understood and verifiable in others.
- Define how the system is validated, including simulation coverage, measurement plans, and coverage of key corner cases.
- Lead review and resolution of gaps between simulated and measured system performance.
- Proactively identify system‑level risks and trade‑offs, and drive alignment on mitigation plans.
- Support the CTO with a clear view of architectural uncertainties that affect schedule, yield, or customer performance.
- Ensure the system architecture supports customer use cases and integration needs.
- Contribute to customer‑facing technical material and support system‑level technical discussions with customers & partners.
- Set the standard for clear, system‑level engineering thinking and decision making.
- Promote structured technical reviews, clear documentation, and evidence‑based decision making.
Requirements
Technical Skills
- Strong background in RF systems, RFICs, or RF module development in a commercial product environment.
- Proven experience working across multiple disciplines: RF design, algorithms, embedded software, and validation/test.
- Demonstrated ability to reason at system level, balancing performance, complexity, risk, and manufacturability.
- Experience defining system architectures, performance budgets, and RF specifications.
- Hands‑on understanding of RF measurements, hardware/system debugging, and real‑world non‑idealities.
People Skills
- Excellent system‑level analytical and problem‑solving skills.
- Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly across disciplines.
- Comfortable challenging assumptions and driving constructive technical debate.
- High sense of ownership for technical correctness and system integrity.
- Pragmatic mindset: focused on what can be built, tested, and delivered.
Nice to have
- Experience with mobile RF front‑ends and relevant standards (e.g., 3GPP, MIPI).
- Exposure to NPI, manufacturing, or production test considerations.
- Prior experience in a fabless semiconductor or start‑up environment.
Benefits
- Competitive salary and pension contributions.
- Company Share Option Scheme.
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays.
- Weekly company lunches.
- Flexible work hours and remote work options.
- Private medical insurance.
- Life assurance x 4.
- Income protection.
- Healthshield Cash plan.
- Heka flexible benefits platform.
Equal Opportunity
Forefront RF is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non‑disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
RF Systems Architect in Cambridge employer: Forefront RF
Contact Detail:
Forefront RF Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land RF Systems Architect in Cambridge
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the RF industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or a presentation that highlights your past projects and how they relate to RF systems. This is your chance to shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or mentors to get comfortable discussing your experience and technical knowledge. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace RF Systems Architect in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for RF Technology: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for RF systems shine through! We want to see how your background aligns with our mission to simplify RF front-end architectures. Share specific examples of your experience that demonstrate your love for innovation in this field.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the RF Systems Architect role. Use keywords from the job description to show us you understand what we're looking for and how you fit into our vision.
Be Clear and Concise: We appreciate clarity in communication, so keep your application straightforward and to the point. Avoid jargon unless it's necessary, and make sure your technical skills and experiences are easy to understand. This will help us see your potential at a glance!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. This ensures it reaches the right people and helps us keep track of all applications efficiently. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Forefront RF
✨Know Your RF Systems Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of RF systems, RFICs, and module development. Be ready to discuss specific projects you've worked on and how they relate to the role. This will show your technical expertise and passion for the field.
✨Prepare for Cross-Disciplinary Discussions
Since the role involves collaboration across various disciplines, think about how you can communicate complex technical concepts clearly. Prepare examples of how you've successfully worked with RF design, algorithms, and software teams in the past.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be ready to discuss specific challenges you've faced in system-level analysis and how you approached them. Highlight your ability to balance performance, complexity, and manufacturability while driving alignment on solutions.
✨Understand Customer Needs
Familiarise yourself with customer use cases and integration needs relevant to the role. Be prepared to discuss how your previous work has focused on delivering customer-centric solutions and how you can contribute to Forefront RF's mission.