About this job

ALCAN is a start-up company working towards a future where every moving vehicle (cars, ships, trains, planes) has broadband connection by using ALCAN’s ground-breaking liquid crystal based smart antennas. ALCAN’s patented technology enables ultra-thin, lightweight flat panel antennas which can track satellites fully electronically without any moving parts.

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who want to be a part of this exciting change and work towards developing these antennas to make a global impact by enabling communication easier for every human being.

We have an open full-time position for a Senior RF Product Test Engineer in Darmstadt, Germany.

ALCAN offers a generous relocation package to cover the moving costs if the employee is outside of the southern Frankfurt Rhein-Main area.

Responsibilities

The Senior RF Product Test Engineer primary responsibilities will be to define and develop test processes for new product conceptions. Foremost, they will implement and support optimum test strategies throughout each product’s life cycle.

The candidate will work with Product Development, Production and R&D Departments to implement product changes to enhance the Design For Testability (DfT) and Design for Manufacturability (DfM), provide diagnostic input during development, product debug training and troubleshooting support to internal and external technical resources e.g. the contract manufacturers.

The position will work with staff to design, build, and release test solutions used for product verification, validation and product testing. Furthermore, it will plan and execute test tasks that include interpreting test requirements, writing test plans, designing test hardware, software testing and debugging deliverable hardware.

Responsibilities

• Develop RF and Electrical Manufacturing Tests and procedures for sub-components, systems in external subcontractors and assembly manufacturers´ sites and facilities.
• Specify, design fixtures, test equipment, software for new and existing systems in a production process.
• Perform validation, integration, system, and acceptance testing on new and existing products.
• Record and analyse failure modes to result in product quality improvement.
• Compose test plans.
• Determine and select the appropriate methods and test equipment required.
• Implement automated RF calibration and software procedures in a revision-controlled structure.
• Write test automation software using object-oriented scripting language while employing a mindset for optimal code re-use.
• Maintain a knowledge base of various system issues and possible resolutions.

• Support R&D through the development and automation of production floor test equipment.
• Formulating test verification methods and systems, supporting resolution of manufacturing and test issues and driving continuous improvement projects.
• Monitoring of production floor test data on a periodical basis to identify defect trends and working with process and manufacturing engineering to resolve any issues identified
• Implementing needed electrical design changes, verifying the performance of modified circuits, and updating corresponding electrical requirements and specifications.
• International Travel

Other Duties & Responsibilities

• Master’s Degree in telecommunication, electronics or comparable discipline + 2 years industry experience or Bachelor’s Degree in a similar program + 5 years industry experience
• Solid understanding of phased array theory and electronically steerable arrays
• Competency in using EM simulation tools like ADS, CST, HFSS, AWR and programming with MATLAB
• Experience with FCC and ITU Regulations

Work Environment

• Office: 40%
• Production Floor: 60%

Travel

• To subcontractor production facilities
• Up to 60% of working time in a year
• The facilities can be in the EU (mainly in Germany) and/or Turkey.

Communication Language

• Office language is English.

Profile

• Undergraduate and/or Master´s degree in Electrical, Electronics Engineering.
• 8 years of hands-on experience in the production testing of RF circuits, RF products test environment or RF semiconductor devices
• Experience in the authoring of requirements and verification documentation, inclusive of test plans and procedures.
• A comprehensive understanding of and the ability to clearly explain and test the RF/Microwave concepts (e.g. S-Parameters, Gain Compression, Noise figure, Isolation, Harmonics, Spurious, Intermodulation Distortion, Insertion Loss, VSWR/Return Loss, Insertion Phase/Phase Linearity/Group Delay, Phase Noise, Switching Time, Pulsed RF Measurements, etc.
• A comprehensive understanding of RF/Microwave components and functional blocks
• A comprehensive understanding of how to calibrate and measure RF signal levels and losses (e.g. Amplitude, VSWR/Return Loss, Phase and Group Delay).
• A functional understanding of digital interfaces (e.g. I2C, SPI, TTL, RS-232, Ethernet, USB, GPIB control systems and drivers for serial communication etc.)
• Knowledge of production and assembly of RF/Microwave products.
• Experience in use and automation of network and spectrum analysers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, power meters., power Supplies, peak power analyzers, pxi products etc.
• Experience in object-oriented programming or scripting languages such as C, Python, Perl, SQL or Visual Basic.
• Experience in simulation and design tools like CST, MATLAB, AWR, LTSPICE, XDX.
• Experience with 5G systems is a plus.
• Background and understanding of antenna theory and testing is a plus.Experience
• electronic Surface Mount Technology (SMT) assembly manufacturing processes/standards.S
• upport defect resolution and root cause analysis efforts through performing test and data analysis
• Support continuous improvement of test fixturing, test setup, and test
• Able to work extended hours.Able to travel internationally
• Strong communication skills, ability to adjust detail and level to audience from engineer level to technician level with in-house and with external parties.
• Must have Multi-tasking and problem-solving skills.
• Broad willingness to help out with other duties as needed for project initiatives