Principal Radio Frequency Engineer

Principal Radio Frequency Hardware Engineer

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Location: Bristol (hybrid min. 3 days on-site)

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occasional customer-site travel

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Clearance: Must be eligible for UK SC

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Salary: up to £95,000

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Further benefits listed below

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The company

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CleanTech Talent are partnered with one of the fastest-growing engineering businesses, building mission-critical systems with a production facility onsite in Bristol, they're 100% in house with ownership and manufacturing. This is a hands on engineer's dream place to work.

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If you want your RF work to end up in the field rather than in a report, this is that role.

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As they continue to scale their processes, team and product pipeline to match the need, it's an ideal time to join.

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This is a rare chance to get in early and build something: you'll help shape and lead the RF PCB design and layout function as it grows, with genuine ownership and technical influence rather than a seat in a large, established team.

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The role

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This is a highly senior individual-contributor role with real technical leadership.

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You'll lead RF hardware development on projects — from RF system design and schematic capture through to RF PCB layout — working alongside the RF lead across separate initiatives and helping shape engineering process as the team scales.

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You'll join a small, high-calibre team, so you'll need to add value quickly and lead from the front.

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It's a genuinely hands-on principal role: concept and architecture through to schematic, layout, bench and field.

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Responsibilities

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• Lead RF hardware development on projects: RF system design and schematic capture through to RF PCB layout.
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• Integrate packaged / surface-mount RF components onto multi-layer boards (this is integration-focused, not bespoke filter or amplifier design from scratch).
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• Make circuit-design and PCB-layout decisions driven by the implications of frequency, across RF systems typically spanning ~30 MHz to 6 GHz.
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• Own RF PCB design and layout
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• Contribute to SDR-based product development, including the client's in-house SDR.
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• Provide technical leadership on hardware projects and help shape processes and procedures as the team grows.
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• Work across the design–test–iterate cycle, feeding real-world performance findings back into design.
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Essential Attributes

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• Solid RF hardware engineering experience across schematic design and, ideally, RF PCB layout.
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• A solid understanding of how frequency drives circuit-design and PCB-layout decisions - exact experience across 30 MHz–6 GHz isn't required, but you must grasp the implications.
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• Experience integrating packaged / SMD RF components onto multi-layer boards.
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• Solid RF fundamentals, valued above any specific tool - KiCad is the priority, Altium is transferable and welcome.
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• Senior enough to add value fast with limited hand-holding (this small team needs a contributor, not a project).
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• Technical leadership capability — leading hardware development and helping shape process as the function grows.
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• A solid RF generalist background (defence, EW or comms domain experience is a nice-to-have, not a requirement).
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• Excellent communication — able to clearly explain your technical thinking in live, whiteboard-based technical discussion.
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Desirable attributes

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• Software-defined radio (SDR) experience — much of the product range is built around SDR.
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• High-speed digital design alongside RF.
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• Exposure to defence, electronic warfare or communications systems.
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• Experience helping shape hardware processes in a fast-scaling engineering team.
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What's on offer

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• A salary of up to £95,000, dependent on experience.
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• A genuine leadership seat: shape and lead the RF PCB design and layout function as it grows.
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• Technical lead role on upcoming product initiatives, with real ownership and influence.
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• Hands-on RF and SDR product work, including an in-house-developed SDR.
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• The energy of one of the region's fastest-growing engineering businesses, at the point where you can still shape how it builds.
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• Private medical insurance
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• 25 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays + Christmas closure (typically 3 days)
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• Healthcare cashback scheme
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• Income protection and life insurance
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• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
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• 5% matched pension
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• Electric car scheme
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• Cycle-to-work scheme
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• Financial wellbeing platform and private financial coach
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• Training and development budgets
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• Comprehensive tech package provided
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• On-site gym plus monthly yoga sessions
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• Daily lunches and snacks in the office
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• Flexible working arrangements
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• Quarterly Socials
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Bristol-based. On-site presence ~3 days per week is important given the hands-on hardware and test work; some flexibility can be discussed for the right person. Relocation support may also be open for discussion.

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Next steps

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For a confidential, no-pressure conversation about the role and the business, contact Daniel Salway at CleanTech Talent or apply with your CV and we'll come back to you quickly.

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Please note: candidates must be eligible for UK SC clearance.