
Junior Radio Frequency (RF) Engineer/Spectrum Engineer
Washington, DC · HybridJob$70–126K/yrSeen 4 days agoSeen in employer's feed 4 days ago
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Job overview
Leidos seeks a Junior RF/Spectrum Engineer to support the FAA Spectrum Engineering Services Group with spectrum management and technical analysis of C-UAS activities for potential impacts to the National Airspace System. The role evaluates requests, assesses interference and compatibility, develops mitigation recommendations, and prepares technical documentation. It is hybrid, with three days onsite in Washington, D.C. and two days remote, including classified work in a SCIF.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Description
Leidos’ NISC IV program is seeking a Junior Radio Frequency (RF) Engineer/Spectrum Engineer to support the FAA Spectrum Engineering Services Group (AJW-194) in the area of National Defense and Electronic Attack.
The ideal candidate will have an educational background in radio frequency (RF) engineering/ spectrum engineering with coursework and an interest in EMI/EMC and interference analysis, RF propagation/modeling, and/or geospatial analysis. The engineer will provide technical engineering and spectrum management support to evaluate Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) test, training, and operational activities for potential impacts to the National Airspace System (NAS). Prior C-UAS experience is desirable but not required.
This is a hybrid position requiring regular on-site presence 3 days in Washington, D.C. to access a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) to perform work involving classified information and 2 days remote work.
Core Responsibilities:
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Conduct RF spectrum compatibility and interference analyses of C-UAS detection and mitigation systems, including frequency deconfliction, RF propagation, and geospatial analysis, to identify potential impacts to FAA and National Airspace System (NAS) communications, navigation, surveillance, and other safety-critical systems.
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Evaluate C-UAS test, training, and operational requests submitted by FAA and interagency partners, review technical parameters for completeness, determine required engineering analyses, and provide technical support for FAA C-UAS testing and evaluation activities.
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Assess NAS impacts and develop mitigation recommendations using RF modeling and simulation tools, spectrum databases, geographic information, aeronautical charts, and other engineering data. Identify appropriate technical controls such as frequency, power, geographic, or operational restrictions necessary to protect FAA/NAS systems.
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Prepare and process Special Temporary Authorization (STA) requests using the Automatic Frequency Manager system to support temporary C-UAS spectrum operations.
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Utilize RF spectrum engineering tools and databases , including the Technical Compatibility and Analysis Tool (TCAT) and Government Master File (GMF), to perform circle searches, transmitter/receiver analyses, Desired-to-Undesired (D/U) signal ratio calculations, and other RF compatibility assessments.
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Prepare technical reports, white papers, briefings, and engineering documentation communicating analysis results, spectrum impacts, mitigation recommendations, and other technical information to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Basic Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or closely related technical discipline.
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1+ years of relevant experience in RF/spectrum engineering, EMI/EMC and interference analysis, RF propagation/modeling, geospatial analysis, frequency coordination, or spectrum management.
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Experience or knowledge on reviewing and interpreting RF technical specifications and engineering data, including frequencies, bandwidths, power levels, antenna and emission characteristics, receiver characteristics, and geographic operating parameters.
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Ability to perform technical analysis to identify potential RF interference, spectrum compatibility, or frequency deconfliction issues between systems operating within the same or adjacent frequency bands.
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Experience using RF/spectrum engineering, modeling and simulation, propagation analysis, GIS/geospatial, or other technical analysis tools.
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Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate complex technical information and develop technically supportable recommendations.
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Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate technical information to engineering, program management, government, and other stakeholders.
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Must be a U.S. citizenship and possess and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance or able to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.
Preferred but Not Required:
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Experience with RF spectrum management, spectrum compatibility analysis, frequency assignment/coordination, or spectrum certification in a federal government, military, aviation, telecommunications, or similar environment.
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Knowledge or experience with Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS), Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), electronic warfare, radar, RF detection systems, or RF-based mitigation technologies.
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Familiarity with FAA National Airspace System (NAS) infrastructure and Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) systems.
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Knowledge of federal spectrum management regulations, policies, and processes, including NTIA and FCC requirements, the NTIA Manual and frequency assignment and protection practices.
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Experience using federal spectrum management databases or systems such as the Government Master File (GMF), Automatic Frequency Manager (AFM), or similar frequency management databases and tools.
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Experience using aeronautical charts, GIS, or other geospatial information to evaluate potential RF, operational, or aviation impacts.
If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.
Original Posting:
October 23, 2026
For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.
Pay Range:
Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00
The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand 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.
About Leidos
Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com .
Pay and Benefits
Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits .
Securing Your Data
Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [email protected] .
If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/) .
Commitment to Non-Discrimination
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.
#Featuredjob
REQNUMBER: R-00195328
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. Leidos will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in accordance with relevant Laws. Leidos is an equal opportunity employer/disability/vet.
How this job compares
Set against the 716 open RF Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 29, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$70–126K/yr
- US median$125–195K/yr492 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $98K, is 38% below the US median midpoint ($158K) — in the lowest quarter of RF Engineer salary ranges across the US.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 13 open RF Engineer jobs in Washington, D.C. and 716 across the US. Under 1% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most across the US
- SpaceX85 open
- RTX Corporation46 open
- Lockheed Martin38 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 1 year of experience — less than three in four RF Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 597 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 496 of the 716 open RF Engineer jobs (69%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 29, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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