How to hire an associate radio frequency engineer

How to hire an associate radio frequency engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step associate radio frequency engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an associate radio frequency engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new associate radio frequency engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an associate radio frequency engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect associate radio frequency engineer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of associate radio frequency engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Associate Radio Frequency Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Radio Frequency Engineer	Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs).	$26-50
   Controls Designer	Controls designers both design and draft systems of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical controls for equipment and machines. The designers make diagrams of the logic system for timing and sequence control... Show more	$33-58
   Engineering Trainee	An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research... Show more	$20-39

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Troubleshoot
   • Mixers
   • Data Collection
   • Switches
   • Tems
   • Handover
   • Coverage Analysis
   • KPI
   • Post Processing
   • LTE
   • UMTS
   • E911
   • Transmitters
   • GPS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Process improvement efforts and/or other opportunities to automate these processes with computer applications with C++ and/or Java where applicable.
   • Perform field collection data techniques for CDMA, GSM, UMTS, LTE, and VoLTE wireless technology environments.
   • Perform data processing for various carriers and technology including GSM, WCDMA, CDMA, WIMAX and LTE.
   • Change parameters and implement other network enhancing features to meet the aggressive KPI's for UMTS network.
   • Coordinate with RF engineers to resolve day-to-day issues and support regions to deliver KPI of every UMTS cluster
   • Test, identify and troubleshoot problems in the field with cellular networks as well as with data collection equipment.

   More associate radio frequency engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your associate radio frequency engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An associate radio frequency engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an associate radio frequency engineer in West Virginia may be lower than in Virginia, and an entry-level associate radio frequency engineer usually earns less than a senior-level associate radio frequency engineer. Additionally, an associate radio frequency engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average associate radio frequency engineer salary

   $77,833yearly

   $37.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate radio frequency engineer salary

   $56,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average associate radio frequency engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Michigan	$94,730	$46
   2	California	$93,333	$45
   3	Maryland	$89,373	$43
   4	Illinois	$83,700	$40
   5	Colorado	$82,845	$40
   6	Alabama	$82,214	$40
   7	New Jersey	$81,684	$39
   8	Washington	$80,765	$39
   9	New York	$78,891	$38
   10	New Mexico	$78,800	$38
   11	Massachusetts	$78,068	$38
   12	Georgia	$77,707	$37
   13	Texas	$77,591	$37
   14	Oklahoma	$76,709	$37
   15	Missouri	$76,486	$37
   16	Tennessee	$73,372	$35
   17	North Carolina	$72,292	$35
   18	Oregon	$69,877	$34
   19	Arkansas	$69,788	$34
   20	Louisiana	$69,579	$33

   Average associate radio frequency engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Crown Castle International	$92,016	$44.24	3
   2	Amdocs	$91,422	$43.95
   3	T-Mobile	$91,197	$43.84
   4	GTA	$86,473	$41.57
   5	MITRE	$86,342	$41.51
   6	Optimos	$86,340	$41.51
   7	Nexius	$84,977	$40.85
   8	U.S. Cellular	$84,643	$40.69
   9	Astranis	$83,784	$40.28	3
   10	B T S, Inc.	$83,780	$40.28
   11	Northrop Grumman	$83,681	$40.23	24
   12	Glow Networks	$83,672	$40.23
   13	3S Network	$83,622	$40.20
   14	TeleWorld Solutions	$83,381	$40.09	12
   15	Celcite	$83,287	$40.04
   16	MobileNet Services	$83,216	$40.01
   17	Huntington Ingalls Industries	$83,026	$39.92	27
   18	Lectrosonics	$82,113	$39.48
   19	Martin Brower	$80,045	$38.48
   20	Lockheed Martin	$75,832	$36.46	57

4. Writing an associate radio frequency engineer job description

   An associate radio frequency engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an associate radio frequency engineer job description:

   Associate radio frequency engineer job description example

   Astranis is connecting the four billion people in the world who do not currently have access to the internet. We are building the next generation of smaller, lower-cost spacecraft to bring the world online.
   
   We are well-funded by some of the best investors in the business and have raised over $350 million to date. We have a world-class team that is passionate about building amazing technology. And we have a fun and collaborative work environment where you will learn a lot and make a huge impact no matter where you are in your career. Just check out our Glassdoor reviews to see what our team has to say about working at Astranis.
   Our team is growing fast. Apply now!
   
   RF System Engineer Associate
   
   As RF systems engineers on the team, you'll be responsible for defining the RF systems roadmap, trades, technology incubation and driving RF subsystems budgets and requirements, modeling for the commercial and US satellites payload and TT&C systems. You'll take ownership of the full lifecycle for your ideas and work collaboratively with engineers across the organization to develop creative and innovative solutions that will push the envelope of satellite technology.
   RoleSystem budgeting of gain, noise, linearity, distortion, interference, capacity (link budgeting) Test planning and execution at the integrated system level as well as board level Architectural trades and a range of design decisions all the way down the the component/circuit level
   Requirements RF system level design and budgeting RF testing and test design Highly organized and process oriented Strong technical communication skills (oral and written) Familiar with analog/RF components and associated impairments Familiar with software development (Python, and some C/C++), and fast to learn new toolsA passion for working in a fast-paced environment and constantly learning US Citizenship or Green Card40 hours per week minimum Must be onsite in San Francisco 3 days a week minimum Don't meet them all? Not a problem. Please apply even if you do not meet all these criteria.
   BonusFamiliarity with satellite radio systems (ground segment and/or space segment) Comfortable with software, especially Python, git Experience designing Antenna/RF hardware (RFIC, RF board-level circuit) Familiarity with satellite waveforms and modems (DVB-S2/x, DVB-RCS2)
   U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required
   (To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3))
   
   Our mission and our products are meant to connect the world and everyone in it, regardless of gender, race, creed, or any other distinction. We believe in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we encourage all people to join our team and bring their unique perspective to help make us stronger.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find associate radio frequency engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any associate radio frequency engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level associate radio frequency engineers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your associate radio frequency engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit associate radio frequency engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with associate radio frequency engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new associate radio frequency engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the associate radio frequency engineer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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