RF PLL Silicon Validation Engineer (m/f/d)
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 6, 2026. First seen by Alion on Nov 5, 2026. Apple scores A on the Alion truth index.
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Our team is responsible for validating the RF performance of top-notch, monolithic cellular transceivers. We are looking for an experienced RF engineer to lead the validation of complex PLL and frequency synthesis subsystems. In this role, you will work cross functionally with Design, Firmware, and System teams to ensure our silicon meets rigorous specifications. You will drive our shift to agentic engineering, scaling validation throughput with AI agents without compromising the quality bar, to enable uncompromised connectivity in future Apple products.
Description
As an RF PLL Silicon Validation Engineer, you will own the bring-up and characterization of frequency generation subsystems in market-leading transceivers. Your work style is collaborative and proactive, driving technical solutions across interdisciplinary teams. You will work in an agentic work flow, you scope the problem and define pass/fail criteria, delegate implementation and execution to AI agents, and verify every result against the specification.
Minimum Qualifications
Strong cross-functional leadership skills; ability to communicate complex technical findings clearly to Chip Design, Firmware, and System Verification teams.
Expertise in Python for test automation and data analysis (NumPy/Pandas), and demonstrated experience working with AI coding agents beyond script generation - delegating multi-step tasks, defining acceptance criteria, and validating agent output against specifications.
Proven track record in systematically debugging complex silicon issues and isolating root causes across hardware, firmware, or test setups.
Hands-on mastery of RF lab equipment including Spectrum/Phase Noise Analyzers, VNAs, and high-speed Oscilloscopes.
Preferred Qualifications
Deep understanding of RF transceiver architecture with specific expertise in frequency synthesis (PLLs, DCOs) and key metrics like Phase Noise, Lock Time, and Cross-Talk Isolation.
Experience with cellular standards (5G NR, LTE) and mixed-signal building blocks (ADCs/DACs) is highly desirable.
Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering or equivalent with 5+ years of relevant experience in RF/Mixed-Signal validation or design.
Experience building agentic workflows or tooling (e.g., custom agents, tool integrations, LLM-driven test automation) in an engineering environment.