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RF Systems Architect

Role Description

Forefront RF’s products comprise our adaptive passive cancellation (APC) RF hardware, and software algorithms which control the signal cancellation.

The RF Systems Architect’s role is to ensure the technical fit of Forefront RF’s products within the context of the customer’s target system. This includes understanding the system requirements together with the opportunities and limitations presented by APC in order to guide the product development. This is likely to include making trade-offs between product complexity and performance.

 

Main responsibilities

  • Analyse the RF System requirements for the APC component derived from 3GPP specifications, customer discussions and wider market input
  • Specify the APC component performance in collaboration with the rest of the development team and marketing
  • Contribute to the design and optimization of the APC circuits and tuning algorithms
  • Oversee the test and evaluation of APC component prototype’s RF performance
  • Prepare RF performance measurement results for presentation to customers and the wider market to enable the technology’s mainstream adoption
  • Prepare presentation materials to show how Forefront RF’s technology can be used to advantage from an RF system engineers perspective

Key Skills

  • A deep understanding of transceiver RF performance requirements, and the physical mechanisms that give rise to those requirements (e.g. receiver noise figure, blocking, interference rejection, transmit spectral limits, linearity requirements)
  • An ability to derive RF performance requirements from first principles and budget those requirements across each component in the system
  • A working knowledge of LTE and 5GNR physical layer operation including modulation, frame structure and power control modes, and familiarity with 3GPP RF test specifications
  • Familiarity with RF circuit simulation and modelling methods (e.g. ADS)
  • Familiarity with RF test and measurement techniques, equipment and automation
  • Familiarity with MatLab / Python scripting languages for results processing and instrument control an advantage
  • Familiarity with software-controlled correction and optimisation of RF circuits an advantage
  • A firm grasp of timescale and cost limitations when selecting implementation options
  • Ability to work autonomously with little supervision
  • Ability to supervise and guide the work of other engineers in the development team
  • Ability to collaborate with a wide range of team members and colleagues

Key relationships

  • This role reports to and takes direction from the CTO
  • Filter Engineer – for collaborative definition of the APC component specifications, system measurement and debug
  • Platform Engineer – for system requirements definition, interface definition, and system debug
  • Algorithm Engineer – For interface definition, system integration and debug
  • Marketing – for preparation and presentation of system performance measurements

Experience

Essential Experience

  • Top level design of an RF transceiver for FDD mobile communications including cascade noise figure, linearity and filter specifications
  • Working with component design team(s) to ensure each component can be cost effectively realised
  • Relating available RF parameter measurements to top level system performance
  • Creating and adapting control scripts to collect data from RF test equipment and compare those measurement results with simulation
  • Presenting and justifying design choices to varied audiences

Desirable Experience

  • Leadership of small technical teams
  • Negotiating detailed technical specifications with customers
  • Contributing to industry standardization committees
  • Creating behavioural models in MatLab / Python / ADS for system simulation and optimization

Academic Qualifications

Essential Academic Qualifications

  • BSc grade 2.i or above in Electronics, Communication systems or similar subject

Desirable Academic Qualifications

  • MSc or PhD in Electronics, Communication systems or similar subject

Application and selection process

Joining a new company is a big step for both sides, so we need to take a bit of time to get to know one another. So, if you think you’d like to contribute to Forefront RF and share in its success, then drop us a CV and covering letter using the contact form below. We’d like to know why you’d like to join us and what you’ll contribute.

If we see the potential too, the next step will be an informal video-based chat to fill in the gaps. Then, we’ll invite you into our office for a more structured interview with a few team members. This may include some technical tests. We’ll expect you to come armed with lots of questions to check us out too. If that goes well, we’ll make an offer or provide honest constructive feedback (if you ask us). In some cases, we may ask for a 2nd interview with someone from our wider network, especially if your talents are quite different from our own.

Please note, we use the personal information you submit to assess your suitability for the role, to conduct testing and interviews, to support you with any access requirements or reasonable adjustments we might need to make, and to come to a decision about your appointment.

We encourage all candidates to apply directly. If you are working with a recruitment agency on an exclusive basis and they are not on our preferred supplier list, then we may not be able to progress your application.

Recruitment agencies – please do not send us unsolicited CVs if you are not on our preferred supplier list. If you do so, we reserve the right to contact the candidate directly and your T&Cs will not apply.

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