Honeywell Aerospace
Lead RF/Microwave Design Engineer
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Job Description
We are looking for a Lead RF/Microwave Design Engineer to join our team at Honeywell Aerospace in Edinburgh, where you will play a key role in the design, development, and delivery of advanced engineering solutions that drive innovation, performance, and reliability across critical systems.
In this role, you will contribute to the development of sophisticated transceiver solutions for space communications systems including but not limited to lunar missions, ensuring robust design, integration, and performance of components and subsystems.
Your strong technical expertise and hands-on approach will be essential in delivering high-quality, reliable systems that meet demanding mission and customer requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Acts as design authority and technical owner for active RF/Microwave products
- Architect RF design solutions at system and module level
- Assess high-level customer requirements, understand customer end-use application needs, and define lower-level RF system/module requirements accordingly
- Perform RF architectural trade-off, link budget analysis, RF line-up analysis, linearity, and dynamic range calculations
- Design and develop RF hardware for communication systems from UHF to Ka Band for telemetry, telecommand, and payload data transmitter applications
- Design active RF circuits including LNAs, SSPAs, gain blocks, mixers, frequency converters, frequency synthesizers, and PLLs
- Conduct RF simulations using tools such as AWR, ADS, CST, HFSS, and MATLAB
- Develop RF schematics, perform component selection, and support PCB layout team for PCB manufacturing
- Perform RF testing and troubleshooting using VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, oscilloscopes, and noise figure analyzers
- Support environmental and qualification testing campaigns: EMI/EMC, thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, etc.
- Investigate and resolve RF performance issues across development, integration, and production
- Produce technical documentation including design description, test plans, test procedures, verification matrices
- Support product owner and project engineer in product development and meeting technical milestones
- Support customer technical interactions and design reviews
- Support engineering manager in technical proposals and bid preparation
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YOU MUST HAVE
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related field
- Minimum 10 years’ industrial experience in RF/microwave hardware development
- Experience in aerospace, defense, or space communication systems, including exposure to mission-critical RF applications
- Proven experience in developing and delivering RF engineering solutions from requirements through to implementation
- Understanding of RF system development lifecycle and qualification processes, including EMI/EMC, environmental testing, and production
- Experience developing RF architectures and translating customer requirements into engineering solutions
- Strong understanding of RF system design principles, including:
- RF Line-up analysis
- Link budget calculation
- Linearity, Intermodulation, EVM, transmitter performance
- Noise figure, SNR, BER, Receiver sensitivity
- Phase noise and frequency synthesis
- Frequency planning
- Hands-on experience with RF measurements and debugging using vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power sensors, noise sources, etc.
- Experience supporting formal engineering design reviews (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and structured development processes
- Ability to work independently on complex technical tasks with limited supervision
- Ability to lead technical reviews and communicate effectively with customers, suppliers, and multidisciplinary teams
- Attention to detail and commitment to high-quality delivery
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work independently and across multidisciplinary teams
- Commitment to engineering excellence, continuous improvement, and high-quality delivery in a fast-paced environment
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WE VALUE
- Experience in aerospace, defense, or space applications
- Familiarity with ECSS, MIL-STD, or equivalent industry standards
- Experience acting as design authority or product technical lead
- Experience supporting bids, proposals, and customer-facing technical activities
- Demonstrated ability to balance technical excellence with program delivery objectives
- Awareness of manufacturing, supply-chain, and lifecycle considerations
- Experience influencing product strategy and technology roadmaps
- Strong analytical thinking and structured problem-solving capability
Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on aircraft across commercial aviation, defense, and space—from engines and cockpit electronics to cabin systems, mechanical components, and connectivity solutions. Our technology helps operators fly more safely, reduce fuel consumption, improve on-time performance, and deliver a better experience for the people on board.
As aviation continues to evolve, we're also developing systems to support autonomous and supersonic platforms, bringing the same focus on safety and efficiency to the next era of flight. With approximately 36,000 employees worldwide and net sales of $17.4B in 2025, Honeywell Aerospace is one of the largest dedicated aerospace companies in the world. Explore our businesses: https://www.honeywellaerospace.com
Electronic Solutions develops the avionics, navigation systems, sensors, and electromagnetic defense technology that help aircraft perform safely and with precision. Our systems are on board 90% of the world's aircraft—serving commercial aviation, defense, and space operators from integrated flight deck platforms with 30-plus years in service to radiation-hardened systems trusted for human spaceflight.
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