Job Title: Radio Frequency (RF) Design Engineer - Experienced Level (Maryland)

Responsibilities:
Every day, NSA solves unique intelligence problems for scenarios not found anywhere else in the defense of our nation. Are you interested in applying your knowledge to cutting-edge technologies having far-reaching applications and global implications? Do you want the opportunity gain new skills that support fulfilling our country's most critical intelligence needs? If so, RF Engineering, a core component capability development activity within NSA, may be for you!

The communications of our foreign adversaries are accelerating and gaining in complexity. NSA's Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Cybersecurity missions must keep pace with advances in the high speed, multi-functional technologies of communications in order to guard against possible harm to our Nation and stay ahead of potential threats. From short wave radio to sophisticated satellites, transmissions in the RF spectrum crowd the airwaves. NSA's goal is to intercept those signals and collect the ones most likely to produce timely and valuable foreign intelligence needed by US military and national policymakers.

Our highly technical RF workforce is dedicated to keeping pace with advances to address threats to our Nation and our Allies. NSA is responsible for designing, developing, building, and deploying small form factor, mobile systems as well as larger sustained systems. We also build the underlying framework to run systems for data collection and processing to meet national intelligence mission requirements.

NSA is seeking talented colleagues to join world class team of analysts, engineers, researchers and developers who create RF technologies, communications, and capabilities to acquire target signals, condition them for follow-on processing, and deliver end-to-end solutions for survey, collection and emitter location and follow on analysis for advancing global advantage in both information gathering and national defense. RF Engineers work on projects using antenna and receiver design, signals analysis, digital signal processing (software defined radio), end-to-end system design, and emitter location and direction finding techniques in order to design, develop and deploy advanced survey and collection capabilities to propel our mission.

As an RF Engineer, your responsibilities can include:

- Design, build, test and deploy end-to-end RF systems, from the antenna through follow-on processors.
- Design, build, test and deploy communications systems using commercial off the shelf (COTS)/government off the shelf (GOTS) radios, software-defined radios (SDR) and SDR frameworks, as well as field programmable gate array (FPGA) technologies.
- Design, develop, construct, test and maintain hardware and software processing components; typically subsystems of communication, collection, processing or analysis systems.
- Conduct RF site surveys and include results in the design and performance assessments of RF systems.
- Work with and/or lead project teams to satisfy operational requirements for RF systems.
- Analyze results of RF collection in support of national mission requirements
- Lead new advances in RF engineering and push the leading edge of RF communications technologies:
- Antenna theory, design, and fabrication techniques with particular focus on beam-forming technologies - Modulation (BPSK, QPSK, spread spectrum, etc.), demodulation and signal separation techniques
- Low power, space and cooling environments (including embedded systems)
- Commercial telecommunication standards, protocols and topologies
- Compression and other bandwidth optimization techniques
- RF interference detection and mitigation approaches
- Active RF techniques
- Low probability intercept (LPI) and low probability of detection (LPD) techniques
- Service-oriented architectures

When submitting your application, please ensure that you fully populate all sections of the resume tool with all relevant skills, experience, and education, as the resume entered into the tool will be the primary resume used to evaluate your application.Please do NOT populate the resume tool with - see resume.

Please attach an unofficial copy of your transcripts from all schools attended when applying for this position. Providing a copy of your transcripts is especially critical to ensure the position's coursework obligations have been met.

Skills:
The ideal candidate is someone with excellent problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills who is able to:

- Work equally well independently and in a team environment
- Effectively address multiple concurrent projects
- Synthesize information to solve complex problems
- Apply knowledge of communications theory to RF engineering problems
- Develop, diagnose, and operate survey and collection systems
- Identify customer needs and validate system design
- Operate in a fast-paced environment

Knowledge and experience in one or more of the following is desired:

- Applying principles, methods, analysis, and applications of radio frequency theory such as radio wave propagation, antenna theory, antenna usage
- Applying principles, methods, and applications of communication theory such as signal processing, decision theory, estimation theory and modulation-demodulation
- Applying concepts, theories, and methods for designing, analyzing, testing, and integrating electrical and communications systems; includes aspects of energy conversion, electrical power generation, and energy transmission, control, distribution, or use
- Applying principles of math, physics, electronics theory, electrical network theory, and control systems to the design, fabrication, and testing of devices that are designed to operate in the radio frequency spectrum
- Hardware design; includes analog (A/D, amplifiers, power supplies, switches), board-level (board layout, circuit analysis, firmware), chip technologies (ASIC, CMOS, VHDL, VLSI), and digital (control logic, control systems, DSP, serial communications)
- Programming (e.g. Assembly Language; high level languages such as JAVA, Matlab, Python, Ruby, Shell Script; and hardware description languages VHDL, and SystemVerilog)
- Computer networking (e.g., communication protocols, distributed systems, Internet of Things, real-time systems, routing and switching)
- Lab equipment (e.g. spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, network analyzers, etc.)
- Amateur or HAM Radio clubs
- Open-source Wi-Fi tools

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule:
Pay: Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position.

Salary Range: $102,477 - $187,662 (Full Performance, Senior)
Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position.

On the job training, internal NSA courses, and external training will be made available based on the need and experience of the selectee.

Benefits: NSA offers excellent benefits to include relocation assistance, flexible work schedules, generous leave programs, paid personal fitness time, training and continuing education classes, health and life insurance, Federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and a Federal retirement plan.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).



How To Apply - External:
Apply soonest, as job postings can close earlier than stated end dates due to changes in requirements. It is important to review and note the minimum qualifications, as only those applicants who meet the required qualifications will be contacted to continue the employment process. Please populate the resume tool to showcase any relevant work experience and education related to the position and answer any applicable screening questions. Information collected will be used to determine eligibility, and failure to provide accurate information may result in disqualification for this position.

A confirmation email will be sent after submission of the first application and also after any future updates to submitted applications. **Due to time sensitive communications regarding applications, please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept email from noreply@intelligencecareers.gov. For job vacancies that include stated testing requirements, also include the following: @uwe.nsa.gov, @nsa.gov, and @pearson.com**

U.S. Citizenship is required for all applicants. NSA is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations. All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process where appropriate. Please visit our Diversity link for more information https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/NSA/diversity-and-inclusion.

DCIPS Disclaimer:
The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you may be asked to submit documents verifying your eligibility.