Senior RF Test & Qualification Engineer

Opportunity

SII UK is seeking an experienced Senior RF Test & Qualification Engineer to support the design maturity, qualification, and transition to production of advanced RF receiver hardware for space applications. This role will take technical ownership of PCB and tile‑level qualification activities, definition and execution of environmental and RF test campaigns, and the delivery of formal qualification reports. The engineer will work closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to establish test infrastructure, develop new test routines, and provide hands‑on engineering support through qualification and early production phases.

• Mature the design definition of complex RF PCB assemblies, ensuring readiness for qualification and production.
• Define and lead the Engineering Qualification Model (EQM) test campaign, including authoring PCB and tile‑level Qualification Test Plans.
• Deliver and commission a PCB Assembly Test Site within an RF and Environmental laboratory environment:
  • Ensure lab infrastructure is compatible with RF receiver PCBs.
  • Specify and integrate required test equipment.
  • Develop and validate test software and detailed test procedures.
  • Liaise with external engineering resources where specialist support is required.
• Execute and support the EQM tile qualification campaign, including:
  • Pipe‑cleaning and validating new test routines and test setups.
  • Providing hands‑on engineering support during initial testing.
  • Supporting environmental testing activities such as vibration, thermal vacuum (TVAC), and EMC.
• Generate formal EQM Qualification Reports, including test results, analysis, non‑conformance investigation, and conclusions.
• Support the transition into production, including:
  • Application of TRAC (or equivalent) processes.
  • Technical support to Proto‑Flight and Flight Model builds.

• Strong RF design and test knowledge, ideally up to 30 GHz.
• Proven competency with RF test equipment, such as:
  • Vector Network Analyzers
  • Signal generators
  • Spectrum analyzers
  • Power meters and associated RF instrumentation
• Understanding of RF receiver architectures and concepts such as amplitude and phase control within beam‑forming or networked RF assemblies.
• Ability to develop and debug test procedures and test software in a laboratory environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to diagnose test issues and drive technical resolution.

• Demonstrable experience working on space hardware qualification programmes.
• Practical experience delivering PCB‑level and unit‑level qualification testing.
• Background in supporting or leading environmental test campaigns (vibration, TVAC, EMC).
• Familiarity with aerospace / space industry processes and documentation standards.
• Experience acting as an Equipment Responsible Engineer (ERE) or equivalent technical authority.
• Experience supporting hardware through EQM to production transition is highly desirable.