RF Waveform Analyst

Description

Are you passionate about providing real, immediate impact to the country's toughest national security problems?

Do you enjoy digging into complex RF signals, determining how communications systems work, and developing new approaches to characterize and understand signals and how they tie to protocols?

If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

We are excited to expand our team of RF Waveform Analysts at APL. We are seeking engineers with experience in RF communications, digital signal processing, and communications protocols that are passionate about solving challenging waveform and signal-analysis problems.

As a member of our team, you will analyze, characterize, and evaluate complex RF signals and communications protocols. You will develop algorithms, software, and analysis techniques to detect, process, characterize, and understand RF waveforms collected in laboratory and operational environments. You will have opportunities to lead technical efforts, mentor junior staff, and work directly with sponsors to develop solutions to critical national security challenges.

Specific applications span several mission and research areas across the Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC).

As an RF Waveform Analyst, you will …

• Analyze and characterize complex RF waveforms, modulation schemes, signal structures, and communications protocols.
• Develop signal processing algorithms and software to detect, classify, demodulate, synchronize, and characterize RF signals.
• Perform detailed analysis of known, partially documented, and unfamiliar RF communications systems.
• Analyze communications protocols to identify framing, packet structures, timing, synchronization, channel access, error correction, and system behavior.
• Develop innovative approaches for extracting information and understanding system behavior from RF signals and collected I/Q data.
• Design and execute laboratory and field experiments to evaluate RF waveforms, communications systems, and analysis techniques.
• Use software-defined radios (SDRs), RF laboratory equipment, and specialized analysis tools to collect, generate, replay, and analyze RF signals.
• Develop software and automated analysis tools for processing, visualizing, and exploiting large RF datasets.
• Lead or contribute to multidisciplinary technical efforts involving RF, signal processing, software, hardware, and systems engineering.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to early-career engineers.
• Work directly with sponsors to understand technical challenges, develop requirements, and communicate analysis results and recommendations.
• Document and present technical findings to sponsors and the technical, DoD, and Intelligence communities.
• Identify and evaluate emerging RF technologies, waveform techniques, protocols, and signal processing approaches that could address future mission challenges.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you have:

• A Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or another field relevant to the duties as described above.
• 5+ years of relevant professional experience in RF communications, waveform analysis, digital signal processing, protocol analysis, or related areas.
• Strong understanding of digital communications concepts including modulation, sampling, filtering, synchronization, spectral analysis, and channel effects.
• Experience analyzing analog and digital modulation techniques such as AM, FM, PSK, FSK, QAM, OFDM, or similar waveform structures.
• Experience analyzing communications protocols, packet structures, or network behavior.
• Experience developing signal processing algorithms or analysis software using Python, MATLAB, C/C++, or similar languages.
• Experience working with RF data, including complex in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) samples.
• Experience with software-defined radios or RF laboratory equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector signal analyzers, signal generators, and oscilloscopes.
• Demonstrated ability to independently investigate complex technical problems and develop practical solutions.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including experience communicating technical results to multidisciplinary audiences.
• Ability to work independently as well as lead or contribute to multidisciplinary technical teams.
• The ability to work on-site at APL's main campus as well as at commercial and government test sites.
• Have an active Secret clearance and can ultimately obtain a TS/SCI security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You’ll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you have:

• A Master's or Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field with a focus in communications, RF systems, or signal processing.
• 8+ years of experience in RF waveform analysis, communications systems, signal processing, or protocol analysis.
• Experience analyzing unknown, partially documented, or complex communications waveforms and protocols.
• Deep experience developing demodulation, synchronization, detection, classification, decoding, or signal-identification algorithms.
• Strong understanding of statistical signal processing, detection and estimation theory, communications theory, or information theory.
• Experience with protocol analysis concepts including framing, packet structures, channel access, forward error correction, channel coding, interleaving, and network behavior.
• Experience with software-defined radio platforms and frameworks such as GNU Radio, USRP, or similar development environments.
• Experience developing automated processing pipelines for large collections of RF or I/Q data.
• Experience with wireless communications technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, satellite, tactical communications, or other specialized communications systems.
• Experience designing and leading RF laboratory or field-test activities.
• Experience developing new waveform-analysis techniques from concept through prototype, demonstration, and operational evaluation.
• Experience leading small technical teams, mentoring engineers, or serving as a technical lead on multidisciplinary efforts.
• Experience developing technical concepts, proposals, or new research efforts in RF communications and signal processing.
• Demonstrated ability to engage directly with sponsors, understand mission needs, and translate those needs into technical solutions.
• An active TS/SCI security clearance.

About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL's campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io.

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate

$100,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

$245,000 Annually