Electronic Warfare Systems Architect
Vadum Inc· Defense & Space· Jul 17, 2026 · 3mo agoPosted 102 days ago
Raleigh, NC
In office
Full-time
Principal
$141K–$216K est.
10+ years exp
Before you apply
Ghost Signal:
Open since July 17, 2026 — 102 days, and still accepting applications.
Job description
Since 2004, Vadum has built a brand known for practical innovation that delivers solutions to customers in the competitive field of national defense research and development.
We are seeking a visionary Electronic Warfare Systems Architect to lead the conceptualization, design, and implementation of advanced RF and digital processing systems. As the technical lead, you will bridge the gap between mission requirements and hardware/software implementation, driving the technical roadmap for our next-generation EW and radar capabilities.
Key Responsibilities:
System Architecture & Technical Leadership
- Define end-to-end radar and EW system architectures, from RF front end and digitalization through digital processing, exploitation, and user outputs.
- Decompose mission requirements into system-level specifications and performance allocations.
- Lead architecture trade studies considering performance, latency, SWaP, compute resources, and scalability.
- Establish technical roadmaps for signal processing and exploitation capabilities.
- Serve as technical lead or chief engineer on radar/EW programs.
- Mentor and guide engineering teams in architectural best practices and technical rigor.
Radar & Electronic Warfare Signal Processing
- Architect and oversee development of advanced signal processing techniques including:
• Pulse compression and Doppler processing
• Detection and CFAR algorithms
• Beamforming and array processing
• Target tracking and state estimation
• Emitter detection, classification, and geolocation
- Guide the integration of machine learning techniques for RF signal classification and sensor exploitation.
- Ensure algorithm designs are robust, testable, and suitable for real-time or near-real-time deployment.
Hardware/Software Integration
- Align algorithm development with hardware constraints (FPGA, GPU, CPU, embedded systems).
- Define digital signal processing requirements and data flows across system interfaces.
- Support integration, validation, and performance verification efforts.
- Review and approve technical designs, interface control documents, and verification plans.
Customer & Program Engagement
- Present technical approaches and results to internal leadership and government customers.
- Contribute to proposals, technical volumes, and white papers.
- Identify technical risks and develop mitigation strategies.
- Support long-term technology and product roadmap planning.
Requirements
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in radar or electronic warfare systems.
• Demonstrated experience architecting complex sensing or RF exploitation systems.
• Deep expertise in radar signal processing, including detection, estimation, tracking, and classification.
• Experience designing systems under real-time or embedded constraints.
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Python for algorithm development and system integration.
• Experience developing and validating algorithms in MATLAB .
• Familiarity with FPGA, GPU, embedded systems, or high-performance computing architectures.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Active security clearance or ability to obtain one.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience transitioning algorithms from MATLAB/Python prototypes to optimized C++ implementations.
• Experience with real-time Linux or embedded environments.
• Experience applying machine learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) to RF data.
• Prior technical leadership, Chief Engineer, or Principal Engineer experience.
• Experience with airborne, ground-base, maritime, or passive radar systems.
• Experience with electronic support (ESM) or electronic attack (EA) systems.
Why Join Us?
• Work on cutting-edge technology that directly impacts national security.
• Collaborate with a team of elite engineers.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, retirement, and growth opportunities.
Vadum, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Vadum is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact the HR Manager at (919) 341-8241 ext.: 180.
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