RF Protocols Engineer (AU)

Work with cutting edge technology, making the world a safer and more secure place. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) offers an opportunity to solve some of world’s most challenging technical problems in the Electronic Warfare, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, RF sensing, Sensor Fusion and distributed systems. Working with high profile customers across militaries, government agencies, airports, critical infrastructure, law enforcement and many others.

With one of the largest listed defence company market capitalisations in Australia and having raised approximately $250m in 2024 alone, DroneShield is undergoing hypergrowth stage, fuelled by rapidly increasing use of drones for nefarious applications, from battlefield, to terrorism, to contraband delivery and commercial espionage.

This role is in the DroneShield Sydney headquarters in Pyrmont, Sydney. There are approximately 300 staff based in the 4,000sqm facility today, scheduled to grow to approximately 350 staff by end of 2025. Overseas on the ground presence includes Virginia (USA), Denmark, Germany and Dubai, as well as distributors in over 70 countries globally.

About the role

DroneShield is seeking an RF Protocols Engineer with relevant experience to join the team in Sydney, Australia. The position will report to the RFAI-ATK Team Lead.

The primary focus of the role is to develop and maintain DroneShield’s RFAI-ATK Disruptor Capability, working closely with ML/AI, Data Science, RF and infrastructure teams to innovate and enhance DroneShield’s world leading Anti-Drone technology. It represents an exceptional opportunity for a result-driven individual in a new niche but exploding market.

Responsibilities, Duties and Expectations 

• Designing and developing RF jamming systems for countering unmanned aerial systems (UAS). 

• Working closely with the product development team to integrate jamming technology into portable, vehicle-mounted, and stationary anti-drone systems. 

• Adapting to the evolving landscape of drone technology and counter-drone measures to ensure that jamming systems remain effective against new threats. 

• Optimising RF system performance by analysing and resolving interference issues, and improving signal quality, to increase range and reliability. 

• Performing field tests of jammer systems to validate their effectiveness in real-world scenarios and environments. 

• Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including hardware engineers, software engineers, and project managers, to ensure that RF design considerations are integrated into the overall system design from the outset. 

• Staying up-to-date with the latest RF technologies and industry trends to ensure that designs are innovative and competitive. 

• Reading and interpreting technical specifications that describe communications protocols. 

Qualifications, Experience and Skills 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, or a related field. 

• 3+ years of experience in RF, communication protocols, and digital signal processing, preferably in the context of counter-UAS or electronic warfare systems. Demonstrable in-depth hobbyist experience also considered. 

• The following attributes would be essential: 

• • Strong understanding of practical RF systems, including modulation, demodulation, and signal propagation. 

• • Knowledge of RF communication protocols and modulation schemes such as Wi-Fi, LTE, FHSS, FSK, QAM, etc. 

• • Knowledge of multi-antenna techniques and procedures such as MIMO, beamforming, etc. 

• • Knowledge of positioning and ranging based services and solutions. 

• • Knowledge of Digital Signal Processing (DSP) fundamentals and applications. 

• • Experience with RF test equipment, including spectrum analyzers, signal generators, VNAs, oscilloscopes, etc. 

• The following attributes would be highly desirable: 

• • Knowledge of electronic warfare (EW) systems and counter-UAS technologies. 

• • Knowledge of machine learning concepts and how they are applied to solve problems in RF sensing. 

• • Programming experience in Python, MATLAB, C++, or similar languages for signal processing and analysis. 

Note for recruitment agencies: We do not accept unsolicited candidates from external recruiters unless specifically instructed.