Skip to main content
Posted June 12, 2026
Northrop Grumman

RF Microwave Design Engineer Level 3/4 - Rolling Meadows - R10235986

Rolling Meadows, IL, US Full Time
$108800 - $163200
Reference: R10235986

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: None

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Space Systems sector delivers a decisive advantage to its customers through software-defined, hardware-enabled solutions.

The Electrical Design & Technology (EDT) team enables these hardware solutions by providing RF microwave architecture, design, verification, and support expertise across a wide variety of electronic sensor products. Our engineers work on complex, leading edge, high reliability electronics supporting different space platforms.

Our department is fertile ground for all experience levels to become part of our growing team and contribute to our goals. The department offers opportunities to grow on a technical track both broad and deep as well as explore project leadership or management positions. This role will support our growing EDT team within our Electronics & Payload Engineering Business Unit located in Rolling Meadows, IL.

EDT is seeking engineers with experience and interest in RF/Microwave and Mixed Signal circuit card assembly (CCA) design and tests including:

  • Designing, modeling, and verifying RF/microwave and mixed signal CCAs
  • Utilize analysis, simulations and prototyping to develop CCA designs
  • Predicting assembly level performance through selecting materials, components, and packaging approaches, RF chain analysis, electromagnetic simulation, data collection and analysis, and other modeling techniques
  • Participate in RF hardware requirements verification and flow downs.
  • Developing and executing detailed test procedures to verify functionality and interfaces.
  • Participating in design reviews, TRRs and formal verification activities.
  • Support payload level integration with higher level assemblies and tests.

This position can be filled at either a Level 3 or Level 4.

Basic Qualifications for RF Microwave Design Engineer Level 3:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or comparable STEM degree with a minimum of 5 years of RF engineering experience; or 3 years with MS degree; or 0 years with Ph.D.
  • Proficiency with industry standard RF/Microwave modeling, simulation and printed circuit board design tools (e.g. Xpedition, ANSYS HFSS/Maxwell, MATLAB, CST Microwave, Eagleware/Genesys, Keysight ADS, Altium, FEKO, TICRA)
  • RF budgeting, frequency planning, RF chain analysis and modeling
  • Proficient in RF/Microwave and mixed signal circuit design, schematic capture, and PWB/board layout
  • Completed and/or led multiple board designs from schematic capture to board release
  • Demonstrated ability to analyze and troubleshoot RF subsystems, complex mixed-signal ECAs and RF modules using schematics, component design documents, and basic lab test equipment
  • Developing, planning, executing, and overseeing the integration and test activities for the Payload support electronics box.
  • Ability to provide solutions to a broad variety of RF/Microwave design and test related problems of complex difficulty
  • Demonstrated Technical Team Leadership and ability to work on multi-discipline engineering teams and communicate clearly within integrated product team leads.
  • No clearance required to start, but must be a US Citizen and have the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance with Special Access

Basic Qualifications for RF Microwave Design Engineer Level 4:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or comparable STEM degree with a minimum of 8 years of relevant engineering experience; or 6 years with MS degree; or 3 years with PhD
  • Expert proficiency with industry standard RF/Microwave modeling, simulation and printed circuit board design tools (e.g. Xpedition, ANSYS HFSS/Maxwell, MATLAB,  CST Microwave, Eagleware/Genesys, Keysight ADS, Altium, FEKO, TICRA)
  • RF budgeting, frequency planning, RF chain analysis and modeling
  • Proficient in RF/Microwave and mixed signal circuit design, schematic capture, and PWB/board layout
  • Completed and/or led multiple board designs from schematic capture to board release
  • Demonstrated ability to analyze and troubleshoot RF subsystems, complex mixed-signal ECAs and RF modules using schematics, component design documents, and basic lab test equipment
  • Developing, planning, executing, and overseeing the integration and test activities for the Payload support electronics box.
  • Ability to provide solutions to a broad variety of RF/Microwave design and test related problems of complex difficulty
  • Demonstrated Technical Team Leadership and ability to work on multi-discipline engineering teams and communicate clearly within integrated product team leads.
  • No clearance required to start, but must be a US Citizen and have the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance with Special Access

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Active Top Secret / SCI security clearance
  • Experience in Worst Case Circuit Analysis (WCCA) including logic compatibility, component derating, timing analysis, signal and power integrity analyses
  • Signal integrity analysis (SERDES, Bit error rates, jitter components and contributors, board to board analysis)
  • High-speed digital circuit design experience
  • Familiarity with Point of Load (PoL) design
  • Experience in integrating FPGA/Digital controls on the bench (no VHDL experience required)
  • Understanding of basic signal processing
  • Experience with network analyzers (reading and interpreting Smith Chart)

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:

https://www.northropgrumman.com/space

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.

Northrop Grumman Total Rewards 

Primary Level Salary Range: $108,800.00 - $163,200.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $135,800.00 - $203,600.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

Sign up for Job Alerts