Sr R&D Engineer

About the Opportunity

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

The Kostas Research Institute (KRI) at Northeastern University (NU) seeks a Senior RF Engineer to support and lead projects within the Assured Communications and Electromagnetic Dominance (ACED) technical thrust area. This position focuses on the design, simulation, prototyping, and testing of RF and microwave systems for defense, sensing, and communication applications.

The Senior RF Engineer will serve as a technical leader within multidisciplinary teams driving innovation in radar, electronic warfare, and secure communications systems. The role involves end-to-end system development, from conceptual design and modeling through laboratory validation and field testing. KRI conducts cutting-edge applied R&D. The institute was founded with a focus on homeland security. Today, KRI strives to advance resilience in the face of 21st century risks across a wide range of technologies, emphasizing a collaborative approach that leverages our R1 university intellectual capital and technologies to develop application-specific solutions to customer needs.

KRI focuses on satisfying customer-driven needs by co-locating a diverse, highly skilled R&D team that can address all aspects of a particular problem across the full range of technology‑readiness levels. KRI headquarters, located at the NU Innovation Campus in Burlington, MA (ICBM), is home to one‑of‑a‑kind research and test facilities for advanced and additive manufacturing, electromagnetic materials and devices for sensing and communications, RF engineering and wireless networks, unmanned and autonomous system technologies, as well as quantum materials and sensing.

KRI is expanding activities to other campuses within the NU network.

The position with KRI at Northeastern University, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NU. The primary office for this position is ough NU, KRI offers an impressive benefits package, including multiple retirement plan options with generous matching, as well as tuition waiver for classes and degree programs. A full description of benefits can be found on the NU website.

The KRI Sr R&D Engineer/Scientist develops and maintains product features leading a small team of engineers: effectively uses issue tracker tools and responds if an external contributor or customer raises a ticket/issue related to their code or prototype. Improves the development capability of their team by enhancing development/prototype tools, testing or validation, and/or code structure. Contributes to code/prototype specifications and participates in small‑scale code/design reviews.

Job title and rank will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s qualifications.

• BS required, MS is preferred, PhD is highly preferred in RF, Electrical Engineering, or a related area.
• At least one year of relevant research and development experience is required; higher years of experience are required for higher rank positions.

• Ability and willingness to obtain DoD security clearance is required.
• BS in Electrical Engineering or related field required; MS or PhD preferred.
• Fundamental understanding of RF and microwave principles, including impedance matching, filters, and antennas.
• Basic experience with circuit simulation or electromagnetic modeling tools (HFSS, ADS, CST, or MATLAB).
• Familiarity with lab measurement tools such as VNAs, signal generators, and spectrum analyzers.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in team environments and communicate clearly in technical discussions.

• Exposure to radar or communications systems development through coursework, internships, or projects.
• Experience with hardware assembly, soldering, or RF prototyping.
• Familiarity with proposal writing, documentation, and test reporting.
• Interest in pursuing professional growth within…