---
title: 'Lead RF Hardware Engineer at CX2'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-rf-hardware-engineer-cx2-el-segundo-yyd562zgavh1'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-11'
---

# Lead RF Hardware Engineer at CX2

- **Company:** CX2
- **Location:** El Segundo, CA
- **Compensation:** $190k–$225k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-19
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-11
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/cx2/4a92db11-a71d-4d03-9315-1aae4b6ab80e

## Job description

CX2 is a next-generation defense technology company securing spectrum dominance for the United States and its allies. CX2 builds AI-enabled hardware and software platforms to detect, disrupt, and defend the electromagnetic spectrum across land, air, sea, and space. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, CX2 develops technology designed to give warfighters the ability to see, understand, and act across the invisible battlefield.

CX2 is seeking a Lead RF Engineer to join our growing team. The ideal candidate will have experience in cradle to grave support of various RF components - including software defined radios, amplifiers, antennas, and frequency converters. Experience leading a team of engineers is also strongly preferred.

This role requires an onsite presence in our El Segundo, CA HQ; a remote work environment is not considered for this opportunity.

## Key Responsibilities

- Cradle to grave support of various RF components - requirements capture, schematic capture, layout, bring up, measurement, production, test, and RF system level support.

- Automate bench measurement setups for RF test data collection, and post-processing to make informed, data-driven conclusions

- Design, integrate, and maintain complex RF systems at a blazing speed. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in New Product Introduction (NPI), design-for-manufacturing, and design-for-test.

- Mentor and coach engineers - to effectively do this the ideal candidate would have deep experience with both eCAD and CAD software, a solid understanding of RF fundamentals, and an advanced proficiency in either Python and/or MATLAB.

## Qualifications

- BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

- A minimum of 4 years’ total experience, with a minimum of 2 years’ experience leading a cross-functional engineering team

- Experience creating link budgets and aligning them to real-world test data

- Strong understanding of RF system parameters including gain, cascaded noise figure, figure-of-merit, linearity, and band flatness

- Willingness to debug complex electrical systems and methodically identify root causes of issues

- Antenna and receiver design across analog/RF/mixed-signal domains: mixers, PLLs/LOs, gain/linearity/noise trades; ability to turn simulations into reality.

- Channelizers & wideband architectures: filter banks, analog/digital down conversion, sample-rate planning, clocking/synchronization.

- Willingness to support critical test events that occasionally require extended hours/weekends

- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

- Must be a U.S. Person (see ITAR Regulations below) due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities

Bonus Points

- Experience putting hardware through formal qualification campaigns and implementing robust screening of units in a manufacturing environment

- Experience with RF systems on UAVs or for military applications

- Experience with GNU Radio or similar DSP frameworks

-

## Experience scaling RF products and technologies

## What We Offer

- Competitive salary, stock options and benefits, including health, vision and dental.
- 401K enrollment at 90 days.
- Unlimited PTO + most Federal Holidays observed.
- Collaborative and inclusive work environment.
- Access to the latest tools and technologies.
- High levels of responsibility and autonomy.
- Professional growth and development opportunities.
- Access to the hardest problems in electronic warfare.

ITAR Regulations

- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a US Citizen, Green Card holder, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR [here](https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/?id=ddtc_kb_article_page&sys_id=24d528fddbfc930044f9ff621f961987).

*Please note our interview process concludes with in-person interview and whiteboarding exercise (required).

CX2 is a next-generation defense technology company securing spectrum dominance for the United States and its allies. We build AI-enabled hardware and software platforms to detect, disrupt, and defend the electromagnetic spectrum across land, air, sea, and space. Our systems are deployed in the most contested operational environments in the world. We’re backed by leading venture investors in the defense ecosystem and led by founders with track records at Meta, SpaceX, Epirus, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

## Equal Opportunity Employer

CX2 is committed to equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in compliance with the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

To view CX2's privacy policy, please visit: https://www.cx2.com/privacy

## About CX2

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: CX2 builds AI-enabled hardware and software systems that detect, disrupt, and dominate electromagnetic threats across land, sea, air, and space for military applications.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Incubator/Accelerator stage; total raised $46.12M)
- **Headquarters**: El Segundo, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Porter Smith (CEO/Co-Founder), Lee Thompson (CTO/Co-Founder), Nathan Mintz (Co-Founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense technology / Electronic Warfare (EW) / Unmanned Systems
- **Target customers**: Military and allied defense organizations (B2G – government/defense)
- **Mission**: To ensure our allies always have the upper hand in the electromagnetic spectrum – illuminate the unseen battlefield, outmaneuver adversaries, and enable decisive action anywhere, anytime.

## Products & Services
- **Airborne RF Recon & Targeting**: Autonomous ISR platforms that detect, classify, and geolocate hostile emitters in GNSS-denied or jammed environments.
- **Group 2 UAS**: Unmanned aerial systems designed for electronic warfare and targeting missions.
- **Open Architecture Systems**: Platforms that integrate with existing sensors, C2 tools, and tactical networks – no vendor lock-in.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding raised – $46.12M (latest round: Incubator/Accelerator, $120K ~9 months ago as of mid-2026)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), 8VC, Point72 Ventures, Pax Ventures, Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), and 7+ other investors.
- **Growth Signals**: Founded in 2024 and already raised over $46M; leadership includes veterans from SpaceX (RF engineering), U.S. Army Special Operations, and defense unicorn Epirus; strong investor backing from top-tier VC firms.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep operational insight**: Co-founders bring direct military experience (Porter Smith flew Apaches and Little Birds for U.S. Army SOCOM) and cutting-edge RF engineering (Lee Thompson led RF at SpaceX; Nathan Mintz founded Epirus).
- **AI-driven spectrum dominance**: Combines AI with hardware to enable machine-speed detection and targeting.
- **Open architecture**: Designed to avoid vendor lock-in, ensuring interoperability with existing defense systems.
- **Speed and adaptability**: Culture of “move fast, build what we need, never stop adapting” – typical of a well-funded startup.

## Strategic Focus
- Rapidly develop and deploy autonomous RF detection and disruption systems for contested environments.
- Expand capabilities across land, sea, air, and space domains.
- Secure government contracts and partnerships with allied defense organizations.
- Continue to attract top engineering and operational talent for building mission-critical defense tech.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Emphasizes trust, accountability, and a shared commitment to getting things done; “truth is valued over comfort.”
- **Engineering focus**: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI, RF, and unmanned systems with a team that includes former SpaceX, Raytheon, and Boeing engineers.
- **Impact**: Directly contribute to national security and warfighter advantage.
- **Location**: Based in El Segundo, CA (Los Angeles area) – part of a growing defense tech ecosystem.
- **Work policy**: Not explicitly stated; likely on-site given hardware/defense nature (verify during interview).

## Sources
1. [cx2.com – About Us](https://www.cx2.com/)
2. [cx2.com – Mission & Products](https://www.cx2.com/?tpcc=NL_Marketing)
3. [CB Insights – CX2 Profile](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/cx2)
4. [Lever Careers – CX2](https://jobs.lever.co/cx2)

## Other roles at CX2

- [Software Engineer - Software Infrastructure (Cybersecurity)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-software-infrastructure-cybersecurity-cx2-el-segundo-78fharj5nt2h) — El Segundo, CA
- [Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-cx2-el-segundo-dgdgg3b7hkd4) — El Segundo, CA
- [Signal Processing Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/signal-processing-engineer-cx2-el-segundo-9yj0b9nv7fsj) — El Segundo, CA
- [RF Hardware Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/rf-hardware-engineer-cx2-el-segundo-mw4jgv3r1h7m) — El Segundo, CA