Sr Hardware Engineer, Radio Frequency

Sr Staff Hardware Engineer, Radio Frequency

Mountain View, CA

CARIAD is an automotive software development team with the Volkswagen Group. Our mission is to make the automotive experience safer, more sustainable, more comfortable, more digital, and more fun. To achieve that we are building the leading tech stack for the automotive industry and creating a unified software platform for over 10 million new vehicles per year. We’re looking for talented, digital minds like you to help us create code that moves the world.

Together with you, we’ll build outstanding digital experiences and products for all Volkswagen Group brands that will transform mobility. Join us as we shape the future of the car and everyone around it.

The Sr Staff Hardware Engineer, Radio Frequency serves as a technical leader within CARIAD’s Hardware Platform Development team, driving the design, validation, and optimization of advanced RF systems and circuits. This role demands deep expertise in RF architecture, antenna design and tuning, EMI/EMC mitigation, and complex system integration to enable robust, high-performance wireless communication across vehicle platforms. As a senior technical authority, you lead, manage and deliver hands‑on design and troubleshooting of high‑quality, scalable solutions, set direction for RF technology roadmaps, define best practices, mentor cross‑functional teams, and influence hardware architecture decisions.

Technical Leadership & Strategy (40%)

• Define and communicate technical direction and best practices for RF hardware design and validation across the Hardware Platform Development team.
• Shape and influence RF technology roadmaps and ensure alignment with long‑term product and platform strategies.
• Lead supplier engagement and evaluation of RF technologies, ensuring forward‑looking adoption of next‑generation solutions.
• Act as the primary technical authority on RF architecture decisions, ensuring robust system integration and signal integrity.

RF Design & Development (30%)

• Drive design, simulation, and optimization of RF circuits, antennas, and transmission lines, setting benchmarks for high‑frequency performance.
• Establish design guidelines and mentor teams in advanced RF PCB layout practices, impedance matching, and antenna integration.
• Proactively address challenges in noise reduction, power efficiency, and manufacturability, balancing performance with scalability.

Testing, Validation & Compliance (20%)

• Define and lead quality testing methodologies, automation frameworks, and validation strategies to ensure reliable RF performance.
• Oversee EMI/EMC mitigation approaches and ensure global regulatory compliance (FCC, CE, etc.).
• Review and sign off on test plans, performance evaluations, and compliance results, setting the bar for engineering rigor.
• Anticipate and guide teams through complex RF troubleshooting, establishing best practices for technical execution and enabling scalable problem‑solving.

Mentorship & Cross‑Functional Influence (10%)

• Mentor junior and mid‑level engineers, fostering technical growth in RF design, testing, and validation.
• Collaborate with firmware, software, and system architecture teams to align RF integration with cross‑functional roadmaps.
• Represent RF engineering in strategic discussions with stakeholders, ensuring technical feasibility informs product direction.

• Analytical and conceptual thinking
• Experience in developing strategies for R&D
• Communication skills – interpersonal, presentation and written
• Integration – joining people, processes or systems
• Influencing and negotiation skills
• Strategic/visionary minded

• Subject matter expert for RF hardware design and system integration, setting technical direction for the Hardware Platform Development team.
• Strong understanding of RF circuit design, impedance matching, transmission line theory, and antenna design/tuning for wireless communication systems.
• Expertise with RF test equipment (network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters) and automated test methodologies.
• Specialized experience in PCB design for RF applications, including layout…