RF Test and Calibration Engineer
Role Overview:
Quartermaster AI is seeking an experienced RF Test, Calibration, and Production engineer with deep technical and hands-on experience working with high performance productized radio systems.
You will build Quartermaster’s antenna and radio system calibration capability (in-house or contracted), stand up test infrastructure at our headquarters and remote sites, and feed design-for-test requirements back into hardware development. You know what a production RF test lab needs, what it costs, and what breaks at scale.
Key Responsibilities:
Calibration program ownership: Establish NIST-traceable (or equivalent) calibration capability for Matsu SDR systems. Define procedures, select equipment, and set up an in-house lab or manage contract labs end to end.
Test infrastructure: Design, build, and maintain RF test infrastructure at our Northern Virginia office and future remote/vessel deployment sites. Own the equipment inventory, maintenance cycles, operational readiness, and coordination with hardware and software teams.
Design-for-test input: Participate in hardware design reviews. Define testability requirements, component tolerance specs for our radio systems, peripheral hardware (e.g. GPSDOs), and custom assemblies.
Automated acceptance testing: Develop and own Acceptance Test Procedures (ATPs) for execution by technicians for medium to high volume production runs. Automate where practical; define pass/fail criteria that catch previous and potential failure modes.
Timing and signal chain characterization: Measure and validate timing accuracy, latency, and phase coherence across the full system. Document performance margins against system requirements.
Component and subsystem validation: Lead calibration and characterization of system components, including GNSS hardware, antenna patterns, and more. Define the measurements, execute or delegate, and own the traceability records.
Environmental testing: Define and execute (or outsource) environmental qualification: maritime vibration, temperature/humidity cycling, salt spray. Coordinate with hardware engineers to know the applicable standards and when to apply them.
Vendor qualification: Establish incoming inspection criteria for RF components. Own the qualification process for primary vendors and other supply chain partners. Flag reliability risks before they reach production.
Industry intelligence: Leverage your network in RF test, calibration, and defense hardware to identify what fails at scale. Bring that knowledge into design and procurement decisions early.
Traceability documentation: Maintain calibration records, test data packages, and qualification documentation to support internal quality processes and customer/program requirements.
Required Qualifications:
RF Testbench Experience: 7+ years of hands-on RF testbench experience in a production, defense, or advanced development environment.
RF Test Equipment Proficiency: Deep proficiency with RF test equipment: VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, channel emulators, power meters, and associated calibration standards.
Calibration Program Management: Demonstrated experience building or managing a calibration program—not just using calibrated equipment.
Acceptance Test Procedures (ATPs): Experience writing, owning, and executing Acceptance Test Procedures for production hardware.
RF System Performance Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of RF system performance parameters: gain, noise figure, IIP3, phase noise, VSWR, spurious emissions.
Precision Timing References: Hands-on experience with GPS-disciplined oscillators or other precision timing references.
Vendor Management: Proven ability to evaluate, qualify, and manage external calibration labs or test contractors.
Citizenship Requirement: US citizenship required.
Must be eligible to obtain/maintain a security clearance.
Desired Qualifications:
Experience building a test lab from scratch - equipment selection, facility layout, processes, staffing.
Background in sensing systems, maritime hardware, or defense RF systems.
Familiarity with SDR platforms.
Experience with environmental testing standards.
Vendor management or supply chain qualification experience in an RF context.
Established network of contacts in RF test, calibration, and defense electronics.
Work Environment:
Flexible working hours with occasional deadlines requiring high availability.
Opportunity to work on innovative projects with a global impact.
