Senior Principal RF PA Design Engineer

Job Title

Senior Principal RF PA Design Engineer

Role Summary

Lead the design and prototyping of high-performance RF power amplifiers and integrated RF front-end modules for mobile handset and SATCOM CPE markets using 5V e-mode GaN-on-Si technology. Serve as the primary technical authority for the mobile handset and SATCOM roadmap and report to the Director of Engineering.

Experience Level

Senior-level. The role requires extensive industry experience (source specifies 20+ years in RF semiconductor design).

Responsibilities

Deliver advanced RF PA designs and guide cross-functional development from architecture to production.

• Develop and document novel circuit architectures and techniques for the company IP portfolio.
• Design high-performance MMIC/hybrid PAs optimized for Envelope Tracking (ET) and Average Power Tracking (APT).
• Integrate Finwave’s e-mode GaN-on-Si process to improve power density and energy efficiency.
• Drive end-to-end development: architecture, tape-out, prototype characterization, debugging, and transfer to high-volume production.
• Perform RF/mm-wave simulations and co-simulations with MMIC and laminate structures.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure manufacturability, thermal management, and product documentation.
• Lead characterization and validation using network analysis, source/load-pull, probe-station, and modulated-signal test methods.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills, experience, and eligibility.

• 20+ years of experience in RF semiconductor design with a record of shipping high-volume PA products for smartphones.
• Deep knowledge of RFFE requirements for Tier-1 smartphone OEMs and current 3GPP standards.
• Expert use of Keysight ADS and Ansys HFSS for MMIC and laminate co-simulation.
• Proven expertise in device physics for GaN (preferred) or III/V technologies, including modeling and application to PA design.
• Strong thermal design experience for high-power-density flip-chip applications.
• Hands-on experience with RF test equipment: network analyzers, probe stations, source/load-pull systems, and noise/signal analyzers.
• Excellent communication, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Work authorization: must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident (Green Card), or otherwise authorized to work in the United States.

Education Requirements

Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering, RF/Microwave Engineering, Physics, or a closely related technical field (explicitly listed in source).

About the Company

Company: Finwave Semiconductor

Headquarters: Waltham, MA, USA

Fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Waltham, MA that develops GaN-on-Si transistor technologies and RF power amplifier solutions for mobile handsets, SATCOM, aerospace & defense, medical devices, and cloud computing applications.