JobsMotorola Solutions

Sr. RF Engineer

Motorola Solutions · Schaumburg, IL

Posted May 11, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time a PA or LNA design didn't meet spec once you got it into the lab. What did you do?

debugging process and comfort moving between simulation and real hardware

Tell me about a project where you worked directly with a customer to define requirements. How did the requirements change once you got into the design, and how did you handle that?

real-world experience translating ambiguous customer needs into engineering specs

Describe a time you had to write test procedures or interface control documents that other teams relied on. What did you make sure to include?

documentation discipline and awareness that others depend on clear specs

Tell me about a project that changed direction midstream, maybe requirements shifted or a customer changed scope. How did you adjust without losing momentum?

comfort with variety and ambiguity, since the role explicitly demands flexibility across very different projects

Technical

Walk me through an RF front end you designed from the ground up, from architecture to bring-up. What frequency range was it and what were the toughest tradeoffs?

whether the candidate has genuinely owned end-to-end RF design, not just contributed to a piece of one

How do you approach an Rx lineup calculation? Tell me how you'd budget noise figure and IM performance across stages.

depth of hands-on RF systems engineering knowledge versus textbook familiarity

Which simulation tools have you used most, ADS, HFSS, CST, or others, and what's a case where simulation didn't match measured results? What did you learn from that gap?

practical fluency with the specific tool stack and honesty about simulation limits

Describe your experience with schematic capture and PCB layout, particularly anything involving high speed interfaces or careful impedance matching.

whether the candidate can carry a design from schematic through to a physical, working board

What RF test equipment are you most comfortable with, and walk me through how you'd characterize a transmitter's harmonic suppression on the bench.

hands-on lab competence versus theoretical knowledge only

Have you worked with antenna design or measurement? Tell me about a specific antenna challenge you solved.

breadth beyond core circuit design, since the posting flags antennas as a plus

Have you used Python or LabVIEW to automate lab testing? Give me an example of a test setup you automated and why.

efficiency mindset and practical scripting skill for repeatable RF measurements

Situational

Say you're asked to design a battery-powered RF device where current drain is the top priority but customers still expect full transmit power. How would you approach that tradeoff?

ability to balance competing constraints like power budget against performance requirements

You're on a small team, maybe four or five people covering hardware, software, and FPGA, and two disciplines disagree about how to handle an interface. How do you get everyone aligned?

cross-functional influence and communication skill in a small-team, high-ownership environment

This role sits close to government contracts and may require security clearance. Is there anything in your background that would affect your ability to obtain one, and how do you feel about the citizenship requirement?

basic eligibility screening for a clearance-dependent defense-adjacent role

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The full job description

As published by Motorola Solutions.

Company Overview At Motorola Solutions, we believe that everything starts with our people. We’re a global close-knit community, united by the relentless pursuit to help keep people safer everywhere. We build and connect technologies to help protect people, property and places. Our solutions foster the collaboration that’s critical for safer communities, safer schools, safer hospitals, safer businesses, and ultimately, safer nations. Connect with a career that matters, and help us build a safer future. Department Overview Our Applied Technology organization puts some of Motorola Solutions' brightest minds on unique, highly challenging projects. Based on decades of experience with our customers, we apply leading-edge technologies to support security and safety throughout the world. We engineer our products from start to finish and manufacture them in-house. We're known for low volume and high capability with focused specialization in areas including software-defined radios, advanced antenna solutions, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, signals intelligence and more. We can't tell you much more about what we do, but we can tell you it's amazing. Job Description Applied Technology is seeking a highly talented and technically strong individual to fulfill an RF Circuit Design Engineering role.  In this technical position, the role will have unique and varied responsibilities. Candidates for this position are engineers with diverse knowledge and a wide variety of interests. As a key resource across multiple products, the successful candidate will handle these type of tasks: • Generate schematics that include RF, Analog, power circuits, interface logic, sensors, peripherals, etc. • Create hardware designs with a focus on Discrete RF circuits, PAs, LNAs, backend, etc. • Develop RF front ends operating from sub-GHz up to mmWave • Simulate circuit performance using ADS, CST, Spice, and other simulation software. • Perform RF lineup calculation for both Rx (Noise Figure, IM, etc.) and Tx (Multiple PA technologies and modes of operation, harmonic suppression, etc). • Design and optimize circuits for minimal current drain to maximize battery life • Implement analog circuits (A/D & D/A converters, op-amps, LEDs, etc), power supplies & voltage regulators • Use schematic and layout tools (Cadence a plus) for PCB routing, high speed interface, impedance matching, power routing, etc. • Drive product and feature requirements, architecture, design, and test strategy with customers and engineering teams • Write test procedures, interface control documents and other documentation • Support full product development life-cycle: architecture, design, bring-up, integration of initial HW/SW, factory support, test & validation, and customer support • Seek out opinions and build trust & buy-in across all functional teams (hardware, software, FPGA, mechanical, etc), as well as management and customers • You must be a flexible, results-oriented problem-solver who requires minimal supervision. Projects can vary greatly from one to the next, so you must thrive on variety and enjoy taking on new challenges. • You will be a member of a small (1-6 person) multi-disciplinary team, and will work directly and regularly with customers to develop product requirements and will communicate technical status verbally, written, and in regular customer meetings. Specific Skills/Knowledge: • Discrete RF circuit design experience required including amplifiers, transmitters, receivers, synthesizers, etc.  • 5+ years RF Circuit design experience • Thorough understanding of RF test equipment and measurement tools,such as signal analyzers, signal generators, network analyzers, oscilloscopes, soldering stations, etc. • Detailed understanding of RF circuits simulation tools (ADS, MATLAB, HFSS, CST, PSPICE, etc.), and lab automation (Python, LabView). • Experience with Schematic capture and layout tools, Cadence Allegro a plus • Wide breadth of Hardware design preferred - including power supplies, A/D's, peripherals, batteries, charging circuits, etc • Product & feature architecture, requirements, design, and development experience • Understanding of Antennas - design, simulation tools and measurements preferred • Self starter who can work independently and as a member of a team • As you will be working in a small project team and regularly interacting with customers, excellent communication and teamwork skills are essential. Target Base Salary Range: $101,300 - $202,600 USD Consistent with Motorola Solutions values and applicable law, we provide the following information to promote pay transparency and equity. Pay within this range varies and depends on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The actual offer will be based on the individual candidate. #LI-ONSITE ​#LI-JM2 #AppliedTech Basic Requirements • Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Master's Degree preferred • Must be a U.S. citizen with the ability to obtain necessary security clearance as required by government contracts. Some contracts may have higher-level clearance requirements. Travel Requirements Under 10% Relocation Provided None Position Type Experienced Referral Payment Plan Yes Our U.S. Benefits include: • Incentive Bonus Plans • Medical, Dental, Vision benefits • 401K with Company Match • 10 Paid Holidays • Generous Paid Time Off Packages • Employee Stock Purchase Plan • Paid Parental & Family Leave • and more! EEO Statement Motorola Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other legally-protected characteristic.  We are proud of our people-first and community-focused culture, empowering every Motorolan to be their most authentic self and to do their best work to deliver on the promise of a safer world. If you’d like to join our team but feel that you don’t quite meet all of the preferred skills, we’d still love to hear why you think you’d be a great addition to our team. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruiting experience for candidates with disabilities, or other physical or mental health conditions. To request an accommodation, please complete this  Reasonable Accommodations Form  so we can assist you.

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