Test Design Engineer Electronic Warfare (All Genders)

About the Team

STARK’s Electronic Warfare team is a systems-focused engineering group delivering software-defined, mass-scalable RF solutions for autonomous systems. Combining deep domain expertise in hardware board design, thermal/structural packaging, real-time C++ signal processing, and resilient directional mesh networking, we rapidly build and field advanced EW capabilities designed to survive and operate in contested spectrum environments.

Your Mission

As a Test Design Engineer (Field Engineer) within the Electronic Warfare (EW) division, you will bridge the gap between development and real-world execution. This role is heavily focused on the test design, validation, and field deployment of advanced RF communications and electronic attack (jamming) systems. You will design rigorous test methodologies, simulate contested electromagnetic environments, and lead field-testing campaigns to ensure our technologies dominate the modern battle space.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive test plans, procedures, and automated test scripts for EW systems, specifically focusing on RF communications, signals intelligence (SIGINT), and electronic countermeasures (ECM/Jamming).

• Lead and execute field-testing campaigns in complex, dynamic, and austere environments. Troubleshoot hardware, software, and RF link issues on-site.

• Design and replicate real-world threat environments using RF signal generators, channel simulators, and software-defined radios (SDRs) to test jamming efficacy and communications resilience (e.g., frequency hopping, LPI/LPD waveforms).

• Collect, process, and analyze massive datasets from field tests using MATLAB, Python, or specialized RF analysis tools to quantify system performance and identify anomalies.

• Partner with systems, hardware, and software engineering teams to feed field data back into the development loop, driving iterative design improvements.

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Aerospace Engineering, or a highly related technical discipline.

• 3+ years of experience in RF engineering, flight test engineering, or electronic warfare testing.

• Strong foundational knowledge of RF propagation, link budgets, antenna characteristics, and modulation techniques (e.g., QAM, OFDM, FSK).

• Deep familiarity with laboratory and field test equipment, including Spectrum Analyzers, Vector Network Analyzers (VNAs), Signal Generators, and Oscilloscopes.

• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW for test automation and post-test data analysis.

Nice-To-Have

• Prior experience with specific electronic attack methodologies (e.g., barrage, spot, sweep, and DRFM-based jamming).

• Hands-on experience with Software Defined Radios (Ettus USRP, BladeRF) and tactile military communications networks.

• Familiarity with government test ranges (e.g., White Sands, China Lake) and range safety/operations protocols.