Senior RF Development Engineer

Position:
Senior RF Development Engineer

Location:

Hampton, NH

Ardent Concepts, an Amphenol company, designs and manufactures high-performance multicoax and coaxial interconnect solutions used in next-generation semiconductor, quantum computing, test & measurement, and advanced electronics applications. Our patented technologies deliver high signal integrity in compact, high-performance designs.

Our focus is on helping bring next generation computing to market through novel connector designs for test & measurement, OEM applications, and specialized military applications. Ardent's patented contact technologies are well suited for advanced multi-GHz applications such as board stack connectors, coaxial connectors, FPGA sockets, flex circuit connectors, probe interfaces, and mezzanine card connectors. We have a complete line of high-performance interfaces for the most advanced chipsets such as RF devices, ASICS, switches, processors, and MEMS devices.

We support chip to chip, chip to board, board to board, and flex to board applications.

We are currently seeking an experienced Senior RF Development Engineer to join our R&D team in Hampton, NH. This position will provide technical leadership in the development of next-generation RF and passive-component technologies, including in-line attenuators, filters, IR filters, terminations, and related RF components, from initial concept through prototype, validation, qualification, and production.

This role will own projects from concept through prototype, validation, qualification, and production while working closely with internal engineering teams, customers, suppliers, and external technology partners. The ideal candidate is a hands-on RF engineer who is comfortable moving between design, simulation, laboratory testing, troubleshooting, and product development.

This position is located in our Hampton, NH office.

• Lead RF and passive-component development from concept through production.
• Translate system requirements into component architectures, specifications, and designs.
• Perform RF/microwave modeling, simulation, and analysis.
• Design, build, test, and evaluate prototypes, fixtures, and measurement hardware.
• Develop and execute RF characterization and validation using VNAs, TDRs, spectrum analyzers, power meters, and related equipment.
• Analyze RF performance and drive design, material, and manufacturing improvements.
• Lead internal and external development efforts with suppliers, technology partners, and contract manufacturers.
• Establish technical requirements, qualification plans, and acceptance criteria for new components.
• Collaborate across mechanical, electrical, signal integrity, manufacturing, quality, and R&D teams.
• Support RF component development for cryogenic and other extreme-environment applications.
• Lead technical troubleshooting and root-cause investigations.
• Support the transition of new designs into manufacturing and provide technical support to customers and Sales/Application Engineering teams.
• Mentor engineers and help strengthen RF design and development capabilities across the team.

• BS in Electrical Engineering, RF/Microwave Engineering, or a related field; MS or PhD preferred.
• 5+ years of industry experience in RF, microwave, passive-component, interconnect, or related product development.
• Experience independently taking RF products from concept through prototype, validation, and production.
• Strong RF/microwave fundamentals, including transmission lines, impedance matching, S-parameters, insertion/return loss, attenuation, VSWR, and electromagnetic behavior.
• Hands-on experience developing or characterizing passive RF components such as attenuators, filters, couplers, terminations, or matching networks.
• Experience with RF test equipment and measurement methods, including VNAs, TDRs, calibration, de-embedding, and test fixtures.
• Experience with RF/microwave simulation tools such as Ansys HFSS, Ansys Designer, Keysight ADS, or equivalent.
• Experience working with suppliers, technology partners, or contract manufacturers.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, and communication skills.
• A hands-on mindset and ability to independently drive multiple technical projects.
• Nice to Have:
  Experience with cryogenic/extreme-environment applications, RF materials, or CAD/mechanical design tools.

This position requires access to controlled technology that is subject to US export controls. Qualified candidates must be a US Person (including US Citizen,…