RF Test Engineer

RF Test Engineer

New Product Development | Beaverton, Oregon | Full-time, Exempt

ROLE FOCUS RF and microwave component characterization and automated production test for ASICs and other high-performance microelectronic devices at wafer and packaged-device level.

About Tektronix Component Solutions

Tektronix Component Solutions is a U.S.-based OSAT and microelectronics services provider specializing in high-reliability test, assembly, manufacturing, and engineering services. We partner closely with customers, often operating as an extension of their engineering teams, to solve complex technical challenges through disciplined execution, responsive support, and deep domain expertise. With 56 years of microelectronics test and manufacturing experience across a broad range of product architectures and applications, we are known for quality, reliability, and practical engineering solutions.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced RF Test Engineer to join our New Product Development team. You will develop custom hardware and software test solutions for high-performance RF, microwave, precision analog, mixed-signal, and digital ASICs and microelectronic components. The work spans early test strategy, characterization, calibration, fixture design, test automation, correlation, qualification, and transfer into repeatable wafer-level and packaged-device production.

This is a hands-on component test role centered on signal integrity, low-noise measurement, and measurement accuracy. It is not primarily a wireless systems, Wi-Fi, radio network, or communications protocol role. The strongest candidates will have direct experience applying RF test and measurement techniques to semiconductor devices, packaged components, hybrids, modules, or closely related hardware.

What You Will Do

• Develop, qualify, document, and release automated test solutions for RF, microwave, precision analog, mixed-signal, and digital devices into wafer-sort and packaged-device production.

• Translate device specifications and customer requirements into practical test methods, test limits, hardware architectures, and software routines.

• Use vector network analyzers (VNAs), spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters and sensors, noise sources, oscilloscopes, source-measure units, precision DMMs, and related instrumentation to characterize and validate device performance.

• Develop RF measurement methods involving calibration, reference-plane management, fixture characterization, de-embedding, signal integrity, low-noise measurements, and test accuracy and uncertainty.

• Design and implement custom test hardware, including rack-and-stack systems, switching and interconnect architectures, load boards, probe interfaces, fixtures, and circuit boards; perform schematic capture and support layout review.

• Create maintainable test automation software and data workflows that control instruments, sequence tests, apply calibration and correction, evaluate results, and support production decision-making.

• Develop and integrate wafer sort applications with probers and packaged-device applications with handlers and other factory equipment.

• Perform hands-on troubleshooting of RF, analog, digital, electrical, mechanical, and software subsystems using schematics, layout files, measurement data, and structured experiments.

• Validate and correlate test applications against customer specifications, bench methods, reference systems, golden units, and other appropriate standards.

• Partner with Product Engineering, Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Program Management, suppliers, and customers to move new products from development into controlled, repeatable production.

• Create clear design records, test plans, validation reports, operating instructions, and training materials; train technicians and operators to operate and maintain released test solutions.

• Participate in peer reviews, root-cause investigations, Kaizen events, and continuous-improvement activities supporting quality, yield, cycle time, uptime, and long-term maintainability.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related technical field, with a minimum of five years of relevant engineering experience, or an equivalent combination of education and directly applicable military or industry experience.

• Demonstrated experience developing test or characterization solutions for RF or microwave semiconductor devices, ASICs, packaged components, hybrids, modules, or comparable high-performance electronic hardware.

• Hands-on proficiency with VNAs and spectrum analyzers, plus practical experience with complementary RF instrumentation such as signal generators, amplifiers, noise sources, power meters or sensors, and RF switching systems.

• Working knowledge of RF measurement fundamentals, including S-parameters, calibration, impedance and reference planes, insertion and return loss, gain, dynamic range, noise figure, linearity, signal integrity, and measurement uncertainty.

• Working knowledge of RF PCB and interconnect design considerations, including controlled impedance, grounding, shielding, connector and cable selection, parasitic effects, and signal-path loss.

• Experience developing maintainable software for instrument control and automated test, including test sequencing, calibration and correction, data acquisition, limit evaluation, and results reporting, using Python, C/C++, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or a comparable environment.

• Ability to read and troubleshoot schematics and layout information and to contribute to the design of custom test PCBs, fixtures, cables, interconnects, and electromechanical assemblies.

• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills, with the ability to isolate interactions among the device under test, test hardware, instrumentation, software, calibration, and production interfaces.

• Clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across engineering, operations, quality, and customer-facing teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with wafer-level test, wafer probers, probe cards, calibration substrates, or wafer sort application development.

• Experience with packaged-device handlers and integration of handlers, probers, switching systems, and test instrumentation.

• Experience designing RF test fixtures and applying fixture characterization or de-embedding methods.

• Experience developing test applications on automated test equipment (ATE) or custom rack-and-stack platforms.

• Experience with high-reliability microelectronics, aerospace or defense products, or regulated quality environments such as ISO 9001 or AS9100.

• Experience with statistical analysis, test correlation, guard-banding, capability analysis, yield improvement, or production test optimization.

• Experience with precision analog or mixed-signal test, laser trim systems, BER test, high-speed digital test, networked test systems, or Windows/Linux system configuration.

• Experience presenting technical findings to customers and supporting test-method reviews, product qualifications, or manufacturing readiness reviews.

Success in This Role

• You are strongest at the intersection of RF measurement science, semiconductor component behavior, custom hardware, software automation, and manufacturing execution.

• You can move between bench characterization and production test without losing measurement integrity, documentation discipline, or practical maintainability.

• You use evidence, correlation, and structured experimentation to distinguish device behavior from fixture, instrument, calibration, or software effects.

• You communicate tradeoffs clearly and build solutions that technicians and operators can run reliably after development transfer.

• You balance urgent program needs with scalable architecture, controlled change, and continuous improvement.

Candidate Self-Check

This role may be a strong fit if you can describe specific examples of: developing RF component test methods, using VNAs or spectrum analyzers to resolve difficult measurement challenges, automating instrumentation and data collection, and transferring a custom solution into wafer-level or packaged-device production test. Experience focused primarily on wireless protocols, radio networks, Wi-Fi system integration, or application-level communications will not, by itself, provide the component-test background needed for this position.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is continually required to stand; walk; balance; crouch, stoop, twist, kneel; use hands to handle, grasp, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The work may include overhead push/pull activities averaging 50 pounds and occasional lifting of more than 50 pounds, as well as climbing, crouching, crawling, talking, or hearing. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to view fine resolution on a computer monitor. The employee may occasionally operate lifts or hoists.

Compliance and Eligibility Requirements

This position performs primary and essential functions that are subject to U.S. Government ITAR compliance requirements under current government contracts. Only U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, also known as Green Card holders, will be considered. Candidates must provide required proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residency before beginning work in this position.

Pre-Employment Requirements

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of applicable pre-employment requirements, which may include drug screening, background and criminal history checks, a motor vehicle record search, a financial record check, and any other screening required for the position or work location.