--- title: 'Lead Systems and RF System Engineer at STR' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-systems-and-rf-system-engineer-str-melbourne-y1r566413j44' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-11' --- # Lead Systems and RF System Engineer at STR - **Company:** STR - **Location:** Melbourne, Australia - **Posted:** 2026-07-10 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/systemstechnologyresearch/jobs/4696165006 ## Job description About the Team: The STR Sensors Division specializes in the development of advanced sensor systems, with a particular focus on airborne and surface-based radar, space-based sensing, electronic warfare, and underwater acoustics. This position is within the Space Missions and Sensing (SMS) Sector of the Sensors Division. In this sector, we develop and deliver technology to advance space-based sensing, space control, and counter-sensing missions. The Role: The SMS Sector is seeking a RF System Engineer to lead small teams to design, develop, integrate and test novel sensing and counter sensing systems for radar, electronic warfare, and signal processing systems.  This position offers significant opportunities for career growth within a fast-paced and rapidly expanding company. What you will do: - Lead and work with small, multi-disciplinary teams to design, build, and test RF hardware systems. Systems are predominantly field deployable prototypes with the objective of transitioning to low-volume product systems. - Lead the team to quantify goals, system performance objectives, metrics, dependencies, and risks to guide your work. - Lead the design of RF hardware systems, tasking and guiding other engineers on your team to create drawings, select parts and components, and write specifications for components such as antennas, positioners, cables, transceiver assemblies, amplifiers, filters, etc. - Lead the integration and test of complete RF systems including antennas, feeds, waveguides, positioners, processing hardware, and the software providing system control, waveform processing, calibration, health and status functions and the user interface. - Work with mechanical engineers, software and firmware developers, system engineers, and test engineers to troubleshoot, identify, and resolve issues - Conduct performance trade studies and analyses of proposed hardware architectures and work with Systems Engineers and other team leads to derive, develop, and verify requirements - Develop component and system test plans and lead testing to verify system compliance with requirements and demonstrate/document system performance - Conduct over-the-air system demonstrations, identifying hardware readiness, test architecture, performance metrics, data management, operational procedures, and performance reports - Work with signal processing team to develop test concepts and methods - Conduct performance analysis through simulations and real-world testing to validate system performance - Review system effectiveness and identify opportunities to advance and/or mature subsystems and system capabilities - Prepare documentation, design specifications, test plans, and reports Who you are: - This position requires the ability to obtain a security clearance, for which U.S. citizenship is required by U.S. Government - BS in Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or a related technical discipline - 10+ years experience working with RF components and subsystems, including T/R modules, rotary joints, antennas, positioners, filters, radiating structures, isolators, amplifiers, ADCs/DACs, and system signal processing, calibration and control software - Experience with developing requirements and verification plans for complex systems and subsystems - Design experience with RF system, subsystem and/or component analysis (frequency planning, link budget analysis, transceiver architectures, cascade analysis) - RF testing and characterization experience from component to system level - Experience leading teams for the integration and test of RF systems including front- end hardware, back-end hardware and software - Proficiency in MATLAB and/or Python and/or other higher-level languages - Strong mathematical, troubleshooting, written, and verbal communication skills Even Better: - Active Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI Clearance - Local to Woburn, MA - Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or a related technical discipline - Experience with: - RF systems engineering and technologies in one or more of the following areas: sensing and electronic warfare applications including electronic attack, electronic protection, cognitive EW, radar, and advanced ESM techniques - EM Field Solvers (ANSYS HFSS, Sonnet) - Interacting with decision-makers and customers to translate mission needs into an end-to-end analytical solution - RF Integrated Circuits - RF Transceiver building blocks (power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, oscillators, mixers, filters) - High-power RF design and testing - Automated or semi-automated digital and RF test set development and implementation - Knowledge of: - Mechanical design - Software development, integration, and familiarity with C/C++ and Python - Designing and debugging for EMI/EMC requirements - FPGA hardware inference designs - Background in designing for manufacturability, producibility, and cost constraints - Ability to apply novel, innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to challenging engineering problems - Ability to create and present briefings to customers and senior management to provide both high-level and deep technical solution explanations Join us and be part of a team that's making an impact at the forefront of technology and innovation. Pay Information Full-Time Salary Range: $160,000 - $220,000 The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions. STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, Carlsbad, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Denver, CO. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us. STR is committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer. STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at [www.str.us](http://www.str.us/) for more info. STR is an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at appassist@str.us and provide your contact info. Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws. ## About STR ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: STR (Systems & Technology Research) develops and applies advanced technology to solve emerging national security challenges for the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence community. - **Entity Type**: Private (employee-owned) - **Headquarters**: Woburn, Massachusetts, United States - **Founded**: 2010 - **Founders**: Not publicly available ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: National security technology, defense, cybersecurity, sensing, analytics, systems engineering - **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense, intelligence community, government agencies (B2G) - **Mission or purpose statement**: “Making the world a safer place” by delivering high-impact technology solutions to the nation’s hardest problems. ## Products & Services - **Cyber**: Applies reverse engineering, vulnerability assessment, formal methods, and AI/ML to solve critical cybersecurity and operational problems for the DoD. - **Sensors**: Develops hardware and algorithm prototypes for radar, underwater acoustics, electronic warfare, and advanced RF/EOIR sensing concepts. - **Analytics & C2**: Transforms information into advantage through command & control, autonomous systems, machine learning, graph analytics, and data visualization. - **Systems Development**: Delivers resilient, high-impact capabilities at scale using model-based systems engineering, DevSecOps, and mission-focused integration. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company) - **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue $100M–$500M (LinkedIn estimate) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Employee-owned; primary customer is the U.S. Department of Defense. Key talent sources include Leidos, L3Harris, BAE Systems, MITRE, RTX, Draper, and MIT Lincoln Laboratory. - **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 15% YoY (644 employees); active job postings increased 155.8% year-over-year (133 current openings); operates 7 U.S. offices. ## Competitive Advantages - **Employee-owned structure** aligns incentives with long-term mission impact rather than short-term returns. - **Multi-disciplinary expertise** spanning cyber, sensors, analytics, and systems engineering enables integrated solutions. - **“The STR Triangle”** – combines world‑renowned researchers, growing talent, and skilled engineers to rapidly mature ideas into fielded capabilities. - **Meeting‑free Fridays** and flexible schedules support deep technical work and work‑life balance. ## Strategic Focus - Continue to solve emerging national security challenges by investing in AI/ML, autonomous systems, cyber resilience, and advanced sensing. - Scale delivery through model‑based systems engineering and DevSecOps practices. - Attract and retain top technical talent by fostering a culture of purpose, diversity, and professional growth. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: “Choose‑your‑own‑adventure” career model – employees can pursue research, product development, engineering, or management paths. Emphasis on unconventional thinking, diverse perspectives, and real impact. - **Remote/Hybrid**: Some roles are remote (e.g., Lead Mission Engineer Full Stack); most positions are on‑site at one of seven U.S. locations (Woburn MA, Arlington VA, Dayton OH, Carlsbad CA, Palm Bay FL, San Diego CA, Melbourne FL). - **Notable perks**: Great health/dental/vision coverage, generous 401k matching, tuition reimbursement, results‑based bonuses, active interest groups, social events, snacks & coffee. Interns focus on real‑world problems, not busy work. - **Engineering culture**: Strong mentorship, collaboration with national security experts, and opportunities to work on cutting‑edge technology from research through deployment. ## Sources 1. [str.us](https://str.us/) 2. [str.us/careers](https://str.us/careers/) 3. [str.us/life-at-str](https://str.us/life-at-str/) 4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/systemstechnologyresearch](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/systemstechnologyresearch) 5. 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