RF and Compute Hardware Lead Engineer
SkySafe
Other Engineering
San Diego, CA, USA
USD 175k-225k / year + Equity
Posted on Feb 12, 2026
About SkySafe
SkySafe is the leader in drone detection and airspace intelligence, delivering unmatched visibility into drone activity. As the only company offering advanced drone detection, deep analytics, and forensics, SkySafe enables organizations to detect, analyze, and act on drone activity with precision in real time. Its cloud-based SaaS platform provides comprehensive drone data, helping distinguish between authorized drones and potential threats. By transforming complex drone data into actionable insight, SkySafe empowers organizations to act with clarity and confidence and provides the intelligence needed for smarter decision-making and safer skies.
About the Role
SkySafe is evolving its hardware platform to support the next generation of drone detection systems. We’re looking for an RF and Compute Hardware Engineer to define and drive the technical direction of our detection hardware—spanning RF front ends, compute architecture, and system-level tradeoffs. In this role, you will lead the design and evaluation of future detection systems, including decisions around CPU vs GPU acceleration, FPGA utilization, memory architecture, and SDR platforms. You’ll work closely with software, internal tools, and operations teams to ensure our hardware roadmap supports scalable, reliable, and field-deployable systems. This is a hands-on technical leadership role with significant architectural ownership and influence over SkySafe’s long-term detection capabilities.
Key Responsibilities - Detection Hardware Architecture
- Lead the design of next-generation drone detection hardware systems
- Evaluate and define compute architecture for future platforms, including: CPU selection and scaling + GPU acceleration for signal processing or ML workloads + FPGA utilization on SDR platforms
- Determine system-level requirements for: RAM capacity and bandwidth + Storage and data throughput + Thermal and power constraints
- Drive architectural trade studies balancing performance, cost, power, and deployability
RF & SDR Systems
- Lead RF system design and integration for SDR-based detection platforms
- Evaluate RF front-end architectures, bandwidth, sampling rates, and signal chains
- Define requirements and interfaces for FPGA-based signal processing
- Partner with software teams to align hardware capabilities with DSP, ML, and detection pipelines
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with: Internal Tools Lead Engineer on telemetry, diagnostics, and control interfaces + Software teams on DSP, detection algorithms, and system integration + Field operations teams to ensure designs are deployable and serviceable
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship across Hardware and RF domains
Prototyping & Validation
- Lead prototyping, testing, and validation of new hardware platforms
- Define test methodologies for RF performance, system stability, and environmental resilience
- Support field trials and iterate designs based on real-world data
Required Skills & Experience
- 8+ years of experience in electrical engineering, RF engineering, or related fields
- Strong background in RF systems and SDR platforms
- Experience designing systems using: CPUs, GPUs, and/or FPGAs + High-speed data interfaces and memory systems
- Deep understanding of signal processing pipelines and hardware constraints
- Experience performing system-level architecture tradeoffs
- Ability to translate detection requirements into hardware specifications
- Strong communications skills and experience leading technical direction
Nice-to-Have
- Experience with Ettus or similar SDR platforms
- FPGA development experience (e.g., VHDL/Verilog, HLS)
- Experience with GPU-accelerated signal processing or ML inference
- Experience with real-time or near-real-time RF detection systems
- Familiarity with embedded Linux platforms
- Experience supporting deployed, fielded hardware systems
Personal Qualities
- Systems thinker who enjoys designing for the future, not just the next revision
- Comfortable making high-impact architectural decisions under uncertainty
- Collaborative mindset and enjoyment working across hardware and software teams
- Curious, pragmatic, and driven to build reliable real-world systems
Within 1 Month, You Will
- Complete onboarding and develop a strong understanding of SkySafe’s mission, products, and detection architecture
- Review existing hardware platforms, RF systems, and field deployments
- Build relationships with software, tools, and operations teams and understand how hardware supports their workflows
Within 3 Months, You Will
- Contribute to architectural discussions and trade studies for next-generation detection hardware
- Evaluate compute and RF platform options to support future detection, DSP, and ML workloads
- Begin shaping hardware requirements and interfaces in collaboration with software and RF teams
Within 6 Months, You Will
- Lead the design and prototyping of new hardware platforms or major system revisions
- Drive validation of RF performance, system stability, and environmental resilience
- Support field trials and iterate designs based on real-world data and operational feedback
Within 12 Months, You Will
- Own the long-term hardware architecture roadmap for SkySafe’s detection systems
- Lead high-impact architectural decisions that shape future generations of drone detection technology
- Mentor engineers across RF and hardware domains and influence engineering best practices
Why Join Us?
Competitive salary and benefits, including full health coverage, unlimited PTO, and flexible work hours. A supportive and innovative team environment that values collaboration and creativity. The chance to deliver high-impact solutions, contributing to the success of a small, fast-moving team where your work will make a tangible difference
If you're excited about the prospect of pushing the boundaries of what's possible in an entirely new industry, then SkySafe might be right for you!
We do not work with outside staffing agencies
This position requires access to technology, materials, software or hardware that is controlled by US export laws. In order to be eligible for this position, you must be a US person under US export laws or, eligible for approval for a U.S. Government export license. A US Person includes a US citizen, lawful Permanent Resident, refugee or asylee.
Compensation range $175,000 – $225,000
Our salary ranges are based on paying competitively for our size and industry. Salary is just one part of our total compensation package that includes equity, perks & benefits, and development opportunities at SkySafe. Individual pay decisions are based on several factors, including qualifications for the role, experience level, skillset, geography, and balancing internal equity relative to other SkySafers.