Senior RF Desense Engineer

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Own RF desense architecture, analysis, mitigation, validation, and production support across Zipline aircraft, docks, droids, Zipping Points, and future autonomous logistics platforms.
• Develop receiver desense budgets and performance requirements for next-generation wireless platforms.
• Identify and mitigate receiver sensitivity degradation caused by onboard transmitters, switching power supplies, processors, high-speed digital interfaces, displays, motors, power electronics, and other electronic…
• Analyze conducted and radiated interference mechanisms including broadband noise coupling, harmonics, spurious emissions, blocking, intermodulation, passive intermodulation, and electromagnetic compatibility.
• Characterize RF coupling paths through PCBs, cables, antennas, enclosures, mechanical structures, power systems, and wiring harnesses.
• Develop practical mitigation strategies including shielding, filtering, grounding, PCB layout optimization, clock management, power supply noise reduction, frequency planning, and antenna isolation improvements.
• Define RF design guidelines that minimize desense risks early in product development.
• Define Zipline's end-to-end electromagnetic shielding architecture spanning RF ICs, front-end modules, PCB assemblies, connectors, cable harnesses, LRUs, subsystem enclosures, and complete products.

Job requirements

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience with autonomous aircraft, robotics, aerospace, automotive, or other highly integrated embedded systems.
• Experience supporting RF coexistence validation for complex multi-radio platforms.
• Experience with cellular carrier certification, PTCRB, GCF, and international cellular deployments.
• Familiarity with RF simulation tools such as Keysight ADS, Cadence AWR, Ansys HFSS, CST Studio Suite, Altair FEKO, or equivalent platforms.
• Experience performing EMI/EMC compliance testing, shielding effectiveness characterization, and electromagnetic susceptibility testing.
• Knowledge of RF front-end architectures, antenna integration, MIMO systems, diversity techniques, and advanced LTE/5G radio architectures.
• Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, or equivalent tools for RF analysis, automation, and data processing.