Principal / Lead Hardware Engineer – RF

GridCrest – Company Profile

GridCrest is a leading Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Provider (AMISP) in India. We manufacture over 5 lakh smart energy meters monthly with a fully captive ecosystem spanning Design, Development, Validation, Software, and Managed Services teams. With a turnover of ₹600 Crore and exponential growth, we are expanding into smart water and gas metering. Our secure and data-intensive ecosystem is supported by our state-of-the-art facilities in Hyderabad and Kolkata.

Job Description & Roles, Responsibilities, Accountability- Principal / Lead Hardware Engineer – RF

Position: Principal / Lead Hardware Engineer – RF

Location: Delhi / Kolkata

Industry Preference: Smart Metering / IoT / Telecom / Embedded Hardware

Role Summary:

Lead end-to-end RF and hardware design strategy for smart metering and IoT communication devices. Drive cross-functional hardware teams and ensure market-relevant product outcomes across multiple design silos.

Key Responsibilities:

1. RF System Architecture & Trade-off Authority

• Architect complete RF chains across:
• Sub-GHz ISM (169/433/868/915 MHz)
• Cellular IoT (NB-IoT, LTE-M, 2G fallback where applicable)
• Perform first-principles link budget derivation including:
• Path loss models (urban/rural, indoor penetration)
• Fade margins, interference envelopes, coexistence margins
• Define and own:
• Receiver sensitivity targets vs power budget
• Selectivity, blocking, intermodulation performance
• Noise figure cascades and system linearity (IP3/IP2)

2. Antenna Engineering & Electromagnetic Integration

• Lead antenna selection, design, and co-design with enclosure
• Deep involvement in:
• Impedance tuning under real housing conditions
• Ground plane optimization in constrained meter form factors
• Radiation pattern shaping for installation variability
• Own:
• TRP/TIS optimization in near-field disturbed environments (metal enclosures, cabinets)
• Drive simulation-to-reality correlation using:
• CST / HFSS / EM solvers vs chamber measurements

3. RF Front-End & Circuit Design Authority

• Architect RF front-end blocks:
• LNAs, PAs, switches, filters (SAW/BAW), matching networks
• Deep understanding of:
• Harmonic suppression, spurious management
• Coexistence (multi-radio interference: cellular + sub-GHz + GNSS)
• Define multi-band matching strategies and reconfigurable front-ends

4. PCB & Layout for RF Integrity

• Establish organization-wide standards for:
• Controlled impedance routing (microstrip/stripline)
• Return current paths and grounding topology
• RF shielding strategies
• Own layout reviews for RF-critical designs , including:
• Isolation between noisy digital and RF domains
• Power integrity impact on RF performance

5. RF Validation, Debug & Failure Analysis (Expert Level)

• Lead deep debug using:
• VNA, Spectrum Analyzer, Signal Generators, Network Analysis
• Diagnose:
• Desense issues
• Spurious emissions
• Field failures due to environmental variability
• Own correlation between:
• Lab results ↔ field deployment anomalies

6. Regulatory & Global Certification Strategy

• Not just execution— strategic ownership
• Optimize design for:
• FCC / ETSI / CE / BIS / PTCRB / carrier certifications
• Anticipate failure modes in:
• Radiated emissions
• Conducted spurs
• Drive pre-compliance frameworks internally

7. Metering-Specific RF Complexity

• Design for:
• Harsh EMI environments (transformers, switchgear, industrial noise)
• Deep indoor penetration (basements, meter boxes)
• Balance:
• Ultra-low power vs reliable connectivity
• Understand:
• Deployment realities (utility cabinets, dense installations)

RRA

Role

• RF System Architect & Authority
• Hardware Platform Leader
• Cross-functional Technical Integrator

Responsibilities

• Define RF architecture across all product lines
• Ensure first-pass success in certification cycles
• Lead complex RF debugging and field issue resolution
• Drive platform reuse and design standardization

Accountabilities

• RF performance in field deployments (not just lab success)
• Certification success without multiple costly redesigns
• Time-to-market impact of RF decisions
• Scalability of RF design across geographies and SKUs

Key Competencies

- Deep RF expertise

- System-level thinking

- Leadership and decision-making

- Cross-functional collaboration