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Lead RF Engineer

SpecterSan Francisco
On-site Full-time

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Experience Level

Manager

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in RF engineering, with hands-on experience in the development of SDR systems. You should be proficient in designing RF circuits and systems, with a solid understanding of wireless communication protocols and mesh networking technologies. A Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field is required, along with a track record of leading engineering projects and teams. Experience with automated testing tools and methodologies is a plus.

About the job

At Specter, we are pioneering a revolutionary software-defined control plane for the physical world. Our mission is to empower American enterprises by providing unparalleled perception over their physical assets.

We are developing a cohesive hardware–software ecosystem that leverages advanced multi-modal wireless mesh sensing technology, significantly reducing the cost and time to deploy sensors by a factor of ten. Ultimately, Specter’s platform will act as the perception engine for a company’s physical footprint, facilitating real-time perimeter visibility and enabling autonomous operations management.

Our co-founders, Xerxes Libsch and Philip Clark, have assembled a team of exceptional engineers from Anduril, Tesla, Uber, and the U. S. Special Forces, who are transforming the way machines perceive and interact with the physical world.

The Role

We are seeking a Lead RF Engineer to spearhead the design and development of our modular software-defined radio (SDR) architecture, which serves as the communications backbone for our distributed sensing network.

In this role, you will take ownership of end-to-end RF system design, from initial concept and architecture to prototyping, validation, and deployment. This includes designing a scalable, high-bandwidth, long-range mesh communications layer that seamlessly connects thousands of edge devices into a unified sensing fabric.

As the RF lead, you will define the company’s radio strategy, establish our RF lab and testing infrastructure, and build a small, elite team capable of bringing designs from benchtop prototypes to production-ready hardware.

Responsibilities

  • Design and develop Specter’s modular SDR platform, integrating multi-node mesh networking with real-time software control.

  • Define RF system and software requirements for transceiver, front-end, and antenna subsystems.

  • Lead system-level evaluations to identify the optimal network topology, frequency bands, and modulation schemes within software-defined constraints.

  • Engineer and prototype analog front-end components (LNAs, PAs, filters, matching networks) with close integration to digital baseband and firmware.

  • Create automated RF testing infrastructure and validation workflows (VNA, spectrum analyzer, OTA testing) supported by software-driven test harnesses.

  • Collaborate with firmware, networking, and cloud teams to integrate PHY-layer and OpenWRT-based mesh protocols into the broader control plane.

About Specter

Specter is at the forefront of creating innovative solutions that empower businesses to gain comprehensive visibility and control over their physical assets. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and a talented team of engineers, we are reshaping the future of sensing and operations management.

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