RF Systems Engineer SME

Description

Markon is seeking a SME-level RF Systems Engineer to support an IC customer with the entire Systems Engineering life cycle. The RF Subject Matter Expert (SME) / Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) professional provides senior-level technical expertise and independent government advisory support for the research, development, acquisition, integration, testing, and operational deployment of RF communication systems.

The RF SME serves as a trusted technical advisor, providing objective assessments, engineering recommendations, technical oversight, and subject matter expertise to support informed programmatic and technical decision-making.

Responsibilities

Product/Capability Investigation

• Manage the deep-dive into new technologies or products offered by OGA’s, academia, or private industry to determine whether or not the offerings present new capabilities or fill technological gaps in an operational setting.
• Mission Enhancement through Innovation: Participate actively in the identification and triage of new—often times bespoke—technologies and to determine the best manner for evaluation.  This includes reaching out to mission partners for collaboration, and working with operations to ensure the testing and evaluations being conducted align with their unique current or future requirements.

Industry Engagement

• Engage with industry leaders and academia to identify trends and new technological advancements
• Attend industry events and participate in joint evaluation exercises
• Lead dry runs of new capabilities

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary RF engineering Subject Matter Expert supporting the design, development, integration, testing, and operational assessment of terrestrial, airborne, and satellite communications systems.
• Provide Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) support to government program managers, engineers, and stakeholders across the full acquisition and system development lifecycle.
• Support the development, analysis, and refinement of system requirements, including RF performance parameters, communications architectures, interface requirements, and operational concepts.
• Conduct technical assessments of RF system designs, architectures, waveforms, antennas, propagation characteristics, link budgets, and overall end-to-end communications performance.
• Evaluate traditional and non-traditional communications methodologies, including:
• Surface Wave and ground-wave communications
• Body-Area-Network (BAN) communications and transmissions
• Small-scale and specialized VLF communications
• Low Probability of Detection/Low Probability of Intercept (LPD/LPI) communications
• Beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) and satellite communications
• Emerging and unconventional RF communications technologies
• Provide technical oversight and independent assessments during system design reviews, including System Requirements Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), and other technical milestones.
• Support end-to-end system engineering activities, including requirements development, architecture definition, trade studies, interface analysis, integration, verification, validation, and performance analysis.
• Develop and assess RF link budgets, propagation models, antenna performance, transmitter and receiver characteristics, interference environments, spectrum utilization, and electromagnetic compatibility considerations.
• Support laboratory, field, developmental, operational, and integrated testing activities.
• Develop test objectives, evaluation criteria, test procedures, and performance measures to assess system capabilities and operational effectiveness.
• Analyze test data and system performance results and provide technically sound recommendations for system improvements, risk reduction, and future development.
• Identify technical risks, capability gaps, integration challenges, and emerging technology opportunities and provide recommendations to government leadership.
• Review contractor technical documentation, engineering analyses, test plans, requirements documentation, and design products to assess technical adequacy and compliance with program objectives.
• Participate in technical interchange meetings, working groups, architecture reviews, and integrated product teams.
• Translate complex technical issues into clear, concise information suitable for government leadership, program managers, engineers, and operational stakeholders.
• Maintain awareness of emerging RF technologies, communications architectures, spectrum challenges, and advanced electromagnetic capabilities relevant to government mission requirements.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 years with BS/BA; Minimum of 10 years with MS/MA; Minimum of 7 years with Ph.D.; an additional four years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph.
• Minimum of 5+ years of experience as a Systems Engineer providing the above services
• Strong written, communications and interpersonal skills with the ability to prepare and brief complex technical and non-technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
• Have demonstrated experience with RF communication systems, technologies, and concepts
• Be a self-starter who will take initiative for helping manage key parts of complex technical developments.
• Possess a desire and ability to work on multiple fast-paced projects and be willing and able to aggressively learn the activities and focus of the organization.
• Must be comfortable working in a dynamic team environment.

Salary Range

USD $170,000.00 - USD $200,000.00 /Yr.

The Markon pay range for this position is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.
Overview

Eager to join a team where your skills are valued, your growth is nurtured, and your impact is profound? Look no further than Markon, a premier consulting firm deeply dedicated to advancing our nation's most critical missions.

At Markon, we don't just offer jobs – we offer opportunities for personal and professional transformation. Empowering our employees to lead, innovate, and excel, we foster an environment where new ideas are not just welcomed but celebrated. As a perennial Washington Post Top Workplace, we prioritize the well-being and success of our team members, ensuring they can bring their best selves to work.

Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, Markon has garnered national recognition for our unwavering dedication to excellence in serving the intelligence community, as well as federal civilian and defense agencies. Our growing reach extends across 17 states, 116 countries, and 5 continents, where our team of dynamic professionals collaborates to deliver unparalleled program and project management services.

Markon values people and the tremendous impact each individual can make – which is why we’re consistently recognized as one of the best places to work in federal government consulting. Here, you can help solve the nation’s most important challenges, surrounded by colleagues who help you grow, advance, and succeed. We are deeply dedicated to what matters – bringing out the best in each other to advance our clients’ missions.

Join us and make a meaningful impact.

Markon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status. This job posting will remain open until the position is filled.

Benefits Offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Training and Tuition Assistance, Paid Time Off, and Holidays