RFIC Characterization and Validation Lead
Apple · San Diego
- RFIC Characterization and Validation Lead
- San Diego, California, United States
- Hardware
- Submit Resume
- Summary
- Posted:
- Oct 23, 2026
- Role Number:
- 200690224-3543
- The wireless RFIC team architects, designs, and validates radio transceivers integrated into complex wireless SoCs. Our transceivers have powered wireless connectivity solutions for Apple wearable products, enabling the smallest form factor at the lowest power envelope. You will have the opportunity to do innovative development in transceiver design while working closely with systems and product teams at Apple. In this role, you will lead the RFIC validation and characterization team: set the validation strategy and plan, guide engineers through bring-up, characterization, and calibration development, and serve as the technical owner of RF silicon readiness for our wireless SoCs. You will stay hands-on in the lab and in the test code. Would you like to join us and lead this dynamic team?
- Description
- In this role, you will be a key leader of our team, delivering end-to-end RF integration solutions for our advanced wireless SoC products.
- You will enable the entire product lifecycle, from pre-silicon emulation and design development through mass production.
- You will own the critical first bring-up of the RF in our wireless SoCs, final silicon validation, and compliance with rigorous standards.
- You will own the validation methodology and schedule across pre-silicon (emulation and simulation-based validation), first silicon, characterization, and the hand-off to production test.
- You will report status and risk to design, systems, integration, and program management.
- This is a unique opportunity to deepen your technical expertise across both hardware and software domains, including wireless transceiver architecture, RF systems, DSP, embedded systems, and the full productization of world-class products.
- Your work will involve hands-on bench testing, debug, and system characterization to ensure our RF IPs meet and exceed performance targets.
- Responsibilities
- Own test plan development, bring-up preparation and execution: define the validation and characterization plan, coverage and exit criteria for each silicon revision, and track it to closure.
- Plan and prioritize the team's work, allocate lab, equipment, and board resources, and keep the schedule realistic against tape-out, bring-up, and production milestones.
- Mentor and develop engineers through technical guidance, design and code review, feedback, and growth plans; participate in hiring and interviews.
- Drive the bring-up and functional validation of new wireless SoCs, from first silicon to final product.
- Establish a clear flow between pre-silicon validation, post-silicon characterization, and ATE test development, so that tests, calibration code and lessons are reused rather than rewritten.
- Perform and review hands-on bench testing, characterization, and debug of RF SoC IP, including transmitters, receivers, PLLs, power amplifiers, and ADCs/DACs.
- Characterize and optimize key RF performance metrics such as EVM, spectral mask, phase noise, sensitivity, IP3, NF, and ACPR.
- Automate RF measurements and data analysis by writing robust scripts (e.g., Python) to control test equipment and the device under test (DUT); define the common automation framework and coding standards for the team.
- Design and develop radio calibrations, including algorithm creation and optimization.
- Develop and support RF calibration and test routines for ATE mass production environments.
- Debug complex chip-level and board-level issues, including desense and EMI problems; act as the escalation point for the hardest issues and drive root cause across design, systems, and integration.
- Design external matching networks to optimize transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) radio performance.
- Collaborate with RF Systems, Design, and Integration teams on board layout, test methodology, and calibration programming.
- Generate comprehensive RF design verification, characterization, and test reports.
- Be the primary interface to RF Design, RF Systems, SoC Integration, Test/ATE, and Product teams; communicate status, risks, and findings to senior management.
- Drive continuous improvement of test coverage, measurement accuracy, and turnaround time, and of the supporting documentation and tooling.
- Minimum Qualifications
- BS and a minimum of 10 years relevant industry experience.
- Significant experience in RF test development, hands-on debug, performance characterization, and reporting, including ownership of a validation effort through at least one silicon bring-up.
- Demonstrated technical leadership: leading a project or a small team, mentoring engineers, and driving cross-functional work to completion.
- Strong scripting and automation skills in Python (highly desired), Perl, TCL, C++, or similar languages.
- Hands-on experience with standard RF test equipment, including network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, vector signal analyzers, and signal generators.
- Strong understanding of RF fundamentals, wireless transceiver architectures, and digital communication systems.
- Strong knowledge of RF, PLL, and wireless system measurements (e.g., IP3, NF, ACPR, phase noise, lock time).
- Experience with RF PCB design, layout, and debug.
- Familiarity with RFIC block-level schematics and design/simulation environments.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including reporting to senior management.
- Preferred Qualifications
- Master's or PhD degree in electrical engineering or a related field.
- Prior people management or large-scale project management experience, demonstrating strong leadership.
- Strong RF background and a solid understanding of RF systems fundamentals.
- Experience with wireless standards (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread/802.15.4) and their compliance measurements.
- Exposure to RFIC design and simulation/verification, including pre-silicon validation of RF and digital interfaces.
- Exposure to SoC design and simulation/verification