RF Design Engineer

Who is Elve? Elve, Inc is a deep-tech startup in Davis, CA, specializing in the design and manufacturing of high-efficiency lightweight millimeter-wave and near-THz RF power amplifiers. Our groundbreaking technology enables 100x faster wireless internet access in urban settings and remote locations, revolutionizing the future of wireless connectivity well beyond 5G. We are looking for RF design engineers to play key roles in bringing our technology to market. If you are passionate about the future of RF electronics, additive manufacturing, precision assembly, microfabrication, vacuum systems, advanced materials processing, and working on a small and energetic team - we can’t wait to meet you! Job Description An RF design engineer at Elve is responsible for the design, analysis, and characterization of Elve products and systems. This will include performing RF simulations on amplifiers and passive components and operating test high-voltage test equipment (up to 20 kV), as well as creating and documenting the design process. . Given our team's size, there are many opportunities to grow, be challenged, and take on new opportunities, skills and responsibilities. This is a full-time salaried position. The goal of this position is to allow us to rapidly iterate and validate our design process and approaches. Responsibilities The full-time assignment may include performing product tuning, testing, and troubleshooting of RF microwave devices. This will include measuring S-parameters of passive and active devices. It will include measuring gain and power transfer information on amplifiers and assessing stability. In addition to standard test equipment such as oscilloscopes and multimeters, you will use signal generators, diode detectors, power meters, vector network analyzers, and spectrum analyzers. You will work with waveguide and waveguide couplers, coaxial cables, and high-voltage power supplies. Work Environment May be a combination of the following but not limited to: Manufacturing facility ISO 5 - ISO 7 Cleanroom Laboratory Machine shop Warehouse Office Requirements Qualifications Familiarity with electromagnetic design and simulation software Familiarity with amplifier design, including matching, stability, and transfer characteristics Familiarity with oscilloscopes, multimeters, and other electrical test equipment Willing to learn and adaptable Self-motivated Experience working in a team environment Be able to quickly switch between tasks Detail-oriented Good to have: Experience with electron beam optics Experience with finite element electromagnetic analysis software Familiarity with the Smith chart Familiarity with RF communication systems, including link budgets and high data rate waveforms Experience using a network analyzer and other RF test equipment/accessories Experience with waveguide hardware Hands-on experience building devices (of any kind) Experience with Ultra-High-Vacuum systems Coding…