At a Glance
- Tasks: Support testing and optimisation of RF receiver hardware in a cutting-edge lab environment.
- Company: Join a leading Electronic Warfare Operations Support Group at Porton Down.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, private medical insurance, and career development support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on innovative projects while working with advanced RF technologies.
- Qualifications: STEM degree or extensive experience in RF electronics and test evaluation practices.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive culture focused on wellbeing and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Porton Down - Permanent – On-site
- 25 days annual leave inclusive of up to 3 days Christmas shutdown
- Buy or sell up to 5 days’ annual leave
- Annual Wellbeing allowance
- Two pension schemes to choose from
- Private Medical Insurance + discounts for additional family members
- Life Assurance scheme up to 4 x salary
- Share Save scheme
- Electric/Hybrid Car leasing scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Retail discounts
- Career development support
Come and join our expanding Electronic Warfare Operations Support Group (EWOS) which is made up of 60+ electronic warfare specialists. From all manner of backgrounds, our engineers, scientists, and ex-military personnel combine their experience to help our customers achieve the true operational potential and help keep their people and platforms safe.
We are continuing to grow our team at Porton Down, Salisbury, working on key state-of-the-art research, development, and delivery projects, led by our technical customer. The primary role is to support testing and optimisation of RF receiver hardware in a new synthetic range (laboratory), with additional support to over-the-air testing (anechoic chamber) and field trials. This will require using a range of RF test equipment to perform digital and analogue injection testing within synthetic EW scenarios.
This role will allow autonomy to explore ways to optimise RF receiver performance through configurable memory (mission data) to improve real-world operation of the system when deployed to target platforms. This exploratory process will focus on the increasingly congested and contested electromagnetic environment, developing tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) for the RF receiver.
To accurately represent the synthetic use cases these systems are required to integrate into, the role will liaise with military, academia, industry and international stakeholders, to complete the validation process. This new lab will be using the latest commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) development Radio Frequency System on Chip (RFSoC) boards to achieve a high-fidelity electromagnetic environment. You will become an expert in configuring and calibrating these devices to aid testing of the RF receiver systems.
This role also has influence over future development work, driving requirements through analysis of current EW systems. As such an understanding of requirements generation and the engineering lifecycle will be valuable to the role. Working autonomously with unprecedented access to the customer, you will be crucial to ensure the success of these key projects, all whilst being supported by our on-site and home-site MASS teams.
The invaluable experience you’ll bring, to help us achieve more.
Essential:
- Ability to work autonomously to optimise complex EW system performance.
- Understanding of RF sensor systems and Test & Evaluation (T&E) practices.
- Proficient with RF test equipment (signal generators, oscilloscopes, and spectrum analysers).
- Experience calibrating hardware and software models into a laboratory environment.
- STEM Degree or extensive experience with RF Electronics.
Desirable:
- Experience creating scripts/programmes (MATLAB, Python, or similar).
- Strong background in EW systems and concepts, including radar systems.
- Experience across the engineering lifecycle (Requirements, V&V, Acceptance).
- Understanding of Analogue & Digital Signal Processing techniques.
Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential. Our people are important to us, and we take pride in our wellbeing programmes and policies that support individuals including, mental health first aiders and readily available support through our extensive employee assistance programme.
Our non-negotiables:
- Due to the highly secure nature of the projects that you will be involved with, you must be a UK National and eligible to work in the UK.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain a UK Government SC-level security clearance.
Apply today to see how working for MASS could work for you!
RF Systems Engineer in Swindon employer: MASS
Contact Detail:
MASS Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land RF Systems Engineer in Swindon
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at the company or in the industry. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into RF systems and electronic warfare concepts. Brush up on your technical skills and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with the role. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your passion for the field! During interviews, share your enthusiasm for RF technology and how you stay updated with the latest trends. Employers love candidates who are genuinely interested in their work.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Porton Down.
We think you need these skills to ace RF Systems Engineer in Swindon
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the RF Systems Engineer role. Highlight your experience with RF sensor systems and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how your background makes you a great fit. Don’t forget to mention your understanding of the engineering lifecycle and T&E practices.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Be sure to include any experience you have with RF test equipment and programming languages like MATLAB or Python. We love seeing candidates who can demonstrate their technical prowess, so don’t hold back!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us that you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Porton Down!
How to prepare for a job interview at MASS
✨Know Your RF Basics
Brush up on your understanding of RF sensor systems and Test & Evaluation practices. Be ready to discuss how you’ve used RF test equipment like signal generators and oscilloscopes in past projects. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the theory but have practical experience too.
✨Showcase Your Autonomy
Since the role requires working autonomously, prepare examples from your previous work where you optimised complex EW system performance independently. Highlight any challenges you faced and how you overcame them to demonstrate your problem-solving skills.
✨Familiarise with the Engineering Lifecycle
Understand the engineering lifecycle, especially requirements generation and validation processes. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve contributed to these stages in past roles, as this knowledge is crucial for the position.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect technical questions related to calibrating hardware and software models in a lab environment. Brush up on your scripting skills in MATLAB or Python, as they may ask about your experience in creating scripts for testing. Being able to articulate your thought process will impress the interviewers.