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Lead RF Hardware Engineer

CX2 · El Segundo, CA

Clearance eligibilityU.S. citizenship required

Posted 2026-10-19 · Verified live 2026-10-22

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About this role

CX2 is a next-generation defense technology company founded to deliver spectrum dominance for the United States and our allies. CX2’s AI-enabled hardware and software platforms detect, disrupt and defend the electromagnetic spectrum across land, air, sea and space domains.

CX2 is seeking a Lead RF Engineer to join our growing team. The ideal candidate will have experience in cradle to grave support of various RF components - including software defined radios, amplifiers, antennas, and frequency converters. Experience leading a team of engineers is also strongly preferred.

 

This role requires an onsite presence in our El Segundo, CA HQ; a remote work environment is not considered for this opportunity.

  Key Responsibilities

  • Cradle to grave support of various RF components - requirements capture, schematic capture, layout, bring up, measurement, production, test, and RF system level support.

  • Automate bench measurement setups for RF test data collection, and post-processing to make informed, data-driven conclusions

  • Design, integrate, and maintain complex RF systems at a blazing speed. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in New Product Introduction (NPI), design-for-manufacturing, and design-for-test.

  • Mentor and coach engineers - to effectively do this the ideal candidate would have deep experience with both eCAD and CAD software, a solid understanding of RF fundamentals, and an advanced proficiency in either Python and/or MATLAB.

    • Qualifications

  • BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

  • A minimum of 4 years’ total experience, with a minimum of 2 years’ experience leading a cross-functional engineering team

  • Experience creating link budgets and aligning them to real-world test data

  • Strong understanding of RF system parameters including gain, cascaded noise figure, figure-of-merit, linearity, and band flatness

  • Willingness to debug complex electrical systems and methodically identify root causes of issues

  • Antenna and receiver design across analog/RF/mixed-signal domains: mixers, PLLs/LOs, gain/linearity/noise trades; ability to turn simulations into reality.

  • Channelizers & wideband architectures: filter banks, analog/digital down conversion, sample-rate planning, clocking/synchronization.

  • Willingness to support critical test events that occasionally require extended hours/weekends

  • Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

  • Must be a U.S. Person (see ITAR Regulations below) due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities

    • Bonus Points

  • Experience putting hardware through formal qualification campaigns and implementing robust screening of units in a manufacturing environment

  • Experience with RF systems on UAVs or for military applications

  • Experience with GNU Radio or similar DSP frameworks

  • Experience scaling RF products and technologies

    • What We Offer
  • Competitive salary, stock options and benefits, including health, vision and dental.
  • 401K enrollment at 90 days.
  • Unlimited PTO + most Federal Holidays observed.
  • Collaborative and inclusive work environment.
  • Access to the latest tools and technologies.
  • High levels of responsibility and autonomy.
  • Professional growth and development opportunities.
  • Access to the hardest problems in electronic warfare.
    • ITAR Regulations
  • To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a US Citizen, Green Card holder, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here. 
    • CX2 is a next-generation defense technology company securing spectrum dominance for the United States and its allies. We build AI-enabled hardware and software platforms to detect, disrupt, and defend the electromagnetic spectrum across land, air, sea, and space. Our systems are deployed in the most contested operational environments in the world. We’re backed by leading venture investors in the defense ecosystem and led by founders with track records at Meta, SpaceX, Epirus, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Equal Opportunity Employer CX2 is committed to equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in compliance with the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. To view CX2's privacy policy, please visit: https://www.cx2.com/privacy

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