RF Lead Engineer
Location: Cambridge, UK
Team: Engineering
Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time
About Us:
Forefront RF is a fabless semiconductor company developing breakthrough RF technology that radically simplifies RF front-end architectures for mobile and connected devices. Our long-term vision is to empower anyone to treat global connectivity as a commodity, effortlessly adding it to any device. We lead through innovation, solving our customers’ toughest challenges, enabling them to stay ahead by pushing the boundaries of RF design.
Our Values:
Our values are the quiet nudge that help us to be our best in every interaction.
- One team: We are one team. Collaboration is at the heart of how we work – we listen, share, and build solutions together. We support one another, embrace challenges and fun, and celebrate collective success. Together with our stakeholders, we turn collaboration into outcomes that matter.
- Innovation with intent: We operate at the forefront of technology, building innovative pathways to the future that meets real customer needs.
- Solutions driven: We deliver effortless connectivity through innovative, manufacturable designs that solve real world challenges.
- Customer focused: We act with integrity and hold ourselves accountable to deliver customer focused solutions. All decisions we make are guided by a deep commitment to meeting our customers’ expectations.
- Sustainable: We make responsible choices in design, supply chain, and operations.
- We simplify where possible, reducing waste, and contributing to a more efficient and sustainable RF ecosystem.
Role Overview:
We are seeking a skilled RF Lead Engineer to join our growing development team in Cambridge, UK.
You will lead the detailed RF design, development, and delivery of RF subsystems within a defined system architecture. This role is hands-on and delivery-focused, combining deep RF technical expertise with team leadership, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration. You will be responsible for ensuring RF designs meet performance, quality, and schedule requirements, working closely with the System Architect and other engineering disciplines.
Key Responsibilities:
RF Technical Leadership
- Lead RF design activities across assigned projects in line with system-level requirements and architecture
- Own subsystem performance, implementation, and technical delivery
- Lead design reviews and provide technical approval for RF designs
RF Design & Development
- Design, simulate, and validate RF circuits and subsystems (e.g. LNAs, PAs, filters, Duplexers)
- Translate system and architectural requirements into detailed RF designs
- Support RF trade-offs and optimisation within given architectural constraints
Testing & Verification
- Define and execute RF test plans and verification activities
- Analyse RF measurements including S-parameters, NF, phase noise, EVM, ACPR, and linearity
- Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of RF performance issues
Mentorship & Team Development
- Provide technical guidance and mentoring to RF engineers
- Promote best practices in RF design, documentation, and verification
- Support skills development and knowledge sharing within the RF team
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with the System Architect, and full multi-disciplinary team
- Provide RF input to project planning, risk management, and technical decision-making
- Support manufacturing, production test, and in-service support activities