Senior Ka-Band Phased Array PCB Design Engineer

We are seeking a Senior Ka-Band Phased Array PCB Design Engineer to lead the design and development of high-performance phased-array antenna electronics for satellite and advanced wireless communication systems.

You will be responsible for the complete PCB development lifecycle—from RF architecture and stack-up definition through schematic capture, layout supervision, fabrication, assembly, bring-up, and RF validation. The role requires deep expertise in Ka-band RF design, phased-array architectures, antenna-in-package or antenna-on-PCB implementations, and high-density mixed-signal PCB development.

You will work closely with antenna, RFIC, mechanical, thermal, digital, FPGA, manufacturing, and systems engineering teams to deliver flight-ready phased-array hardware.

• Lead the design of Ka-band phased-array antenna PCBs operating across applicable uplink and downlink frequency bands.
• Develop PCB architectures integrating antenna elements, beamformer ICs, RF front-end components, frequency-conversion circuitry, power distribution, control electronics, and high-speed digital interfaces.
• Design antenna-on-PCB, antenna-in-package, tile-based, or modular phased-array solutions.
• Define low-loss, high-layer-count RF PCB stack-ups, materials, copper structures, surface finishes, impedance requirements, and fabrication tolerances.
• Perform transmission-line, transition, via, connector, filter, matching-network, and RF power-distribution design at Ka-band frequencies.
• Design and optimize microstrip, stripline, grounded coplanar waveguide, substrate-integrated waveguide, and other RF interconnect structures.
• Develop low-loss transitions between PCB structures, beamformer ICs, RF connectors, waveguides, antennas, and packaged devices.
• Manage RF routing, phase matching, amplitude matching, channel-to-channel isolation, polarization purity, and array calibration requirements.
• Address coupling, scan blindness, grating lobes, surface-wave effects, thermal deformation, and manufacturing variation within the array design.
• Collaborate with antenna engineers to optimize element spacing, array geometry, feed architecture, polarization, scan range, gain, sidelobe performance, and axial ratio.
• Perform or support electromagnetic simulation using tools such as Ansys HFSS, CST Studio Suite, Keysight ADS, or equivalent.
• Conduct signal-integrity and power-integrity analysis for high-speed digital control, clocking, memory, and data-converter interfaces.
• Design robust power-distribution networks for beamformer ICs, power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, converters, FPGAs, and supporting electronics.
• Work with mechanical and thermal teams on heat spreading, cold-plate interfaces, shielding, enclosure integration, flatness, and coefficient-of-thermal-expansion constraints.
• Select RF laminates, prepregs, adhesives, connectors, shielding materials, and packaging technologies appropriate for Ka-band and space environments.
• Create schematics, PCB layout constraints, fabrication drawings, assembly drawings, impedance tables, material specifications, and manufacturing notes.
• Review PCB layouts and provide detailed guidance to internal or external PCB layout engineers.
• Work directly with PCB fabricators and assembly partners to resolve design-for-manufacturing, yield, registration, plating, via, lamination, and assembly challenges.
• Develop RF test coupons and calibration structures for validating fabricated board performance.
• Lead board bring-up, troubleshooting, and characterization using vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, noise-figure analyzers, oscilloscopes, and near-field or far-field antenna test systems.
• Correlate simulated and measured results and implement corrective design changes.
• Support phased-array calibration, beam steering, beam pattern measurements, gain-to-noise-temperature measurements, EIRP verification, and over-the-air testing.
• Perform design reviews, failure analysis, root-cause investigations, and design-risk assessments.
• Support environmental qualification, including thermal cycling, thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, radiation, and reliability testing.
• Mentor junior engineers and establish internal design rules, simulation methodologies, documentation standards, and PCB review processes.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, Microwave Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related discipline.
• At least 7 years of experience designing RF, microwave, or millimeter-wave PCB hardware.
• Demonstrated experience developing hardware operating at Ka-band or comparable millimeter-wave frequencies.
• Strong understanding of phased-array antenna architectures, beamforming, RF channel matching, array calibration, and beam-steering principles.
• Experience designing multilayer RF PCBs using low-loss materials such as Rogers, Taconic, Panasonic Megtron, Isola, or equivalent laminates.
• Strong knowledge of PCB transmission lines, impedance control, dielectric loss, conductor loss, dispersion, surface roughness, via parasitics, resonances, and electromagnetic coupling.
• Experience integrating RFICs, beamformer ICs, LNAs, PAs, mixers, PLLs, frequency synthesizers, filters, switches, attenuators, and phase shifters.
• Proficiency with at least one electromagnetic simulation platform.
• Proficiency with professional PCB design tools such as Cadence Allegro, Siemens Xpedition, Altium Designer, or equivalent.
• Experience working with PCB fabrication and assembly vendors on complex, high-frequency designs.
• Hands-on experience with RF laboratory equipment and millimeter-wave measurement techniques.
• Ability to independently lead complex PCB designs from requirements through production and qualification.
• Strong technical documentation, design-review, troubleshooting, and cross-functional communication skills.

• Experience designing active electronically scanned arrays (AESA) for satellite communications, radar, 5G, defense, aerospace, or high-capacity wireless systems.
• Experience with Ka-band satellite systems and communication links.
• Experience with dual-polarized arrays and advanced polarization techniques.
• Experience integrating phased arrays with FPGAs, RFSoCs, and high-speed digital systems.
• Familiarity with hybrid beamforming and tile-based architectures.
• Experience with advanced PCB technologies including HDI and microvias.
• Understanding of thermal management for high-density RF systems.
• Experience designing space-qualified electronics.
• Familiarity with aerospace PCB standards.
• Experience transitioning prototypes to production.
• Familiarity with RF calibration and testing.
• Experience leading technical teams.

Within the first year, the successful candidate will:

• Establish PCB architecture and stack-up for a Ka-band phased-array antenna tile.
• Complete prototype hardware development and validation.
• Demonstrate strong correlation between simulation and measurement.
• Resolve key RF and manufacturability challenges.
• Establish reusable design rules and processes.
• Support successful beam-steering demonstrations.
• Develop a path to scalable production.

• Position: Senior Ka-Band Phased Array PCB Design Engineer
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Team: RF & Antenna Systems
• Seniority: Senior / Staff / Principal (depending on experience)
• Work Arrangement: On-site (Bengaluru)
• Travel: Occasional