RF Systems Engineer

Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (MSTS) manages and operates the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).  Our MISSION is to help ensure the security of the United States and its allies by providing high-hazard experimentation and incident response capabilities through operations, engineering, education, field, and integration services and by acting as environmental stewards to the Site's Cold War legacy.  Our VISION is to be the user site of choice for large-scale, high-hazard, national security experimentation, with premier facilities and capabilities below ground, on the ground, and in the air. (See for our unique capabilities.) Our 2,750+ professional, craft, and support employees are called upon to innovate, collaborate, and deliver on some of the more difficult nuclear security challenges facing the world today.   

• MSTS offers our full-time employees highly competitive salaries and benefits packages including medical, dental, and vision; both a pension and a 401k; paid time off and 96 hours of paid holidays; relocation (if located more than 75 miles from work location); tuition assistance and reimbursement; and more.  
• MSTS is a limited liability company consisting of Honeywell International Inc. (Honeywell), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Jacobs), and HII Nuclear Inc.

The Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) is a diverse, multi-mission laboratory delivering timely, innovative, high-impact national security solutions. STL is a key player and leader that provides the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and inter-agencies with capabilities that address national security requirements. NNSS-STL is seeking outstanding candidates for an RF Systems Engineer position to work at STL located in Santa Barbara, CA. This position will support STL's core portfolios in Dynamic Experiments, Nonproliferation Research and Development, Cyber Physical Defense, and Strategic Systems and Intelligence in R&D areas spanning sensors, autonomous systems, atmospheric RF propagation, communications, and other areas. 

In this role you will support engineering and scientific efforts by selecting and designing antennas for specific applications, designing circuit boards with demanding RF requirements, developing novel circuitry for compact oscillators, delay structures and communications systems, and designing calibration and tuning procedures for antenna characterization and optimization.  You will develop link budgets for communications links and help troubleshoot hardware.  You will work with a team of engineers, scientists and technicians who cover all phases of technology development from concept to deployment.  Work schedule is flexible and can be negotiated with the manager; employees can work 5-8, 9-80 or 4-10 work-weeks.

Key Responsibilities

Develop new and unique solutions to highly complex technical problems of broad scope. Solutions may require resolving conflicting customer expectations and design requirements, utilizing unconventional technology and materials, and cross-portfolio integration.

• Develop antenna design, fabrication, tuning, and characterizations
• Develop RF simulation and circuit designs
• Power and link budget analysis for communications systems and radars
• Develop digital signal processing and communications system designs
• Conduct oversight of research, data compilation and data analysis.
• Equipment vulnerability assessment & red-teaming
• Hands-on operation and test of hardware and firmware
• Lead small teams and mentor junior staff
• Develop or present education or training in applicable discipline.
• Write and/or contribute on proposals for funded projects and R&D

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) required for Civil, Mechanical and Electrical engineering degrees
  • Or, Calculus-based STEM bachelor's degree in engineering
  • Or Professional Engineer license
• Plus at least 9 years' relevant experience. Skill building experience must demonstrate either deeper technical specialization or additional cross-disciplinary knowledge; graduate research experience may be recognized.
• Ability to interpret codes and standards applicable to the position.
• Familiarity with anechoic chamber operation for antenna characterization.
• Familiarity with wireless communications standards and protocols (Cellular, wifi, Bluetooth, LoRa, Iridium, etc.).
• Familiarity with RF modulation formats (QAM, PSK, m-Ary).
• Familiarity with real-world RF effects such as multipath, fading, atmospheric effects, etc.
• Familiarity with RF chipsets and embedded-hardware (microcontroller/FPGA) techniques for baseband demodulation is desirable.
• Familiarity with worldwide spectrum allocation and FCC / ETSI requirements.
• Familiarity with IoT protocols such as MQTT (encrypted, authenticated) is desirable.
• Willingness to travel to meetings and field tests.
• Demonstrated desire to learn and innovate.
• Demonstrated ability to follow instructions and procedures.
• Should be self-motivated and able to complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision.
• Ideally, the applicant will have strong time-management skills. Be well organized, maintain safe work habits and have a broad range of technical interests and education.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to write reports and technical documents.
• The primary work location will be at the Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) located in Santa Barbara, CA.
• Work schedule for this position will be negotiated with the supervisor; employees can work 5-8, 9-80 or 4-10 work-weeks.
• Pre-placement physical examination, which includes a drug screen, is required. MSTS maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.
• Must possess a valid driver's license

MSTS is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants offered employment with MSTS are also subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. In addition, Applicants for employment must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship, at least 18 years of age. Reference DOE Order 472.2, "Personnel Security". If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Department of Energy Q Clearance (position will be cleared to this level). Reviews and tests for the absence of any illegal drug as defined in 10 CFR Part 707.4, "Workplace Substance Abuse Programs at DOE Sites," will be conducted.  Applicant selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation, required to participate in subsequent reinvestigations, and must meet the eligibility requirements for access to classified matter. Successful completion of a counterintelligence evaluation, which may include a counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination, may also be required. Reference 10 CFR Part 709, "Counterintelligence Evaluation Program."

MSTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. MSTS is a background screening, drug-free workplace.

Annual salary range for this position is: $119, $181,854.40.

Starting salary is determined based on the position market value, the individual candidate education and experience and internal equity.