Principal / Lead Hardware Engineer– RF, Raniganj

GridCrest– Company Profile GridCrest is a leading Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Provider (AMISP) in India. We manufacture over 5 lakh smart energy meters monthly with a fully captive ecosystem spanning Design, Development, Validation, Software, and Managed Services teams. With a turnover of 600Crore and exponential growth, we are expanding into smart water and gas metering. Our secure and data-intensive ecosystem is supported by our state-of-the-art facilities in Hyderabad and Kolkata.Job Description&Roles, Responsibilities, Accountability- Principal / Lead Hardware Engineer– RF Position: Principal / Lead Hardware Engineer – RF Location: Delhi / Kolkata Industry Preference: Smart Metering / IoT / Telecom / Embedded Hardware Role Summary: Lead end-to-end RF and hardware design strategy for smart metering and IoT communication devices. Drive cross-functional hardware teams and ensure market-relevant product outcomes across multiple design silos.Key Responsibilities: 1. RF System Architecture&Trade-off Authority Architect complete RF chains across: Sub-GHz ISM (169/433/868/915 MHz) Cellular IoT (NB-IoT, LTE-M, 2G fallback where applicable) Perform first-principles link budget derivation including: Path loss models (urban/rural, indoor penetration) Fade margins, interference envelopes, coexistence marginsDefine and own: Receiver sensitivity targets vs power budget Selectivity, blocking, intermodulation performance Noise figure cascades and system linearity (IP3/IP2) 2. Antenna Engineering&Electromagnetic Integration Lead antenna selection, design, and co-design with enclosure Deep involvement in: Impedance tuning under real housing conditions Ground plane optimization in constrained meter form factors Radiation pattern shaping for installation variability Own: TRP/TIS optimization in near-field disturbed environments (metal enclosures, cabinets)Drive simulation-to-reality correlation using: CST / HFSS / EM solvers vs chamber measurements 3. RF Front-End&Circuit Design Authority Architect RF front-end blocks: LNAs, PAs, switches, filters (SAW/BAW), matching networks Deep understanding of: Harmonic suppression, spurious management Coexistence (multi-radio interference: cellular + sub-GHz + GNSS) Define multi-band matching strategies and reconfigurable front-ends4. PCB&Layout for RF Integrity Establish organization-wide standards for: Controlled impedance routing (microstrip/stripline) Return current paths and grounding topology RF shielding strategies Own layout reviews for RF-critical designs , including: Isolation between noisy digital and RF domains Power integrity impact on RF performance5. RF Validation, Debug&Failure Analysis (Expert Level) Lead deep debug using: VNA, Spectrum Analyzer, Signal Generators, Network Analysis Diagnose: Desense issues Spurious emissions Field failures due to environmental variability Own correlation between: Lab results field deployment anomalies 6. Regulatory&Global Certification Strategy Not just execution— strategic ownership Optimize design for: FCC / ETSI / CE / BIS / PTCRB / carrier certifications Anticipate failure modes in: Radiated emissions Conducted spurs Drive pre-compliance frameworks internally 7. Metering-Specific RF ComplexityDesign for: Harsh EMI environments (transformers, switchgear, industrial noise) Deep indoor penetration (basements, meter boxes) Balance: Ultra-low power vs reliable connectivity Understand: Deployment realities (utility cabinets, dense installations) RRA Role RF System Architect&Authority Hardware Platform Leader Cross-functional Technical Integrator Responsibilities Define RF architecture across all product lines Ensure first-pass success in certification cycles Lead complex RF debugging and field issue resolution Drive platform reuse and design standardization AccountabilitiesRF performance in field deployments (not just lab success) Certification success without multiple costly redesigns Time-to-market impact of RF decisions Scalability of RF design across geographies and SKUs Key Competencies - Deep RF expertise - System-level thinking - Leadership and decision-making- Cross-functional collaboration