Lead RF Engineer

I'm working with a UK-based engineering business in County Durham developing advanced RF and millimetre-wave technology for telecommunications and defence applications. They are looking for a Lead RF Engineer to manage and develop an RF engineering team while remaining close enough to the technology to provide technical direction and support delivery.

As Lead RF Engineer, you'll take responsibility for the day-to-day leadership of a team working across RF and mmWave product development. This isn't a role where you need to be the strongest RF designer in the room. The priority is someone who can lead engineers effectively, manage workload and technical delivery, support individual development and keep projects moving. You'll still be involved technically, particularly around design reviews, problem solving and engineering decisions, but the role is broader than hands-on design alone.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing and developing a team of RF engineers
• Allocating work and supporting project delivery
• Providing technical guidance across RF/mmWave development
• Leading design reviews and helping manage technical risk
• Supporting engineers with problem solving and design decisions
• Working across RF, mechanical, PCB, manufacturing and test teams
• Helping improve engineering processes and best practice
• Ensuring projects are delivered against technical, cost and schedule requirements

What they're looking for

Our client is looking for an experienced RF or microwave engineer who has moved into team leadership or engineering management and enjoys getting the best out of other engineers.

You'll ideally have:

• Previous experience managing or formally leading engineers
• A solid background in RF, microwave or mmWave engineering
• The ability to manage people, priorities and technical delivery
• Experience mentoring and developing engineers
• Enough technical depth to challenge designs and support technical decisions
• Strong communication skills across engineering and project teams

Experience with RF design tools such as ADS, Microwave Office, CST or EMPro would be useful, but this role is much more about combining RF understanding with strong leadership than being a highly specialised individual contributor.

Why consider it?

This Lead RF Engineer position offers the chance to take genuine ownership of an RF engineering team within a business that designs, manufactures and tests advanced RF/mmWave hardware in-house.

It would suit someone who still wants to stay connected to RF engineering, but whose strengths increasingly lie in leading people, developing teams and delivering projects successfully.