Test Engineer I - RF/EMC
Early-career test engineer in Alarm.com's Device Engineering lab at its Tysons, VA headquarters, running RF and EMC bench tests on IoT hardware (security panels, gateways, cameras), driving Z-Wave and Matter wireless certifications, maintaining lab equipment, reworking PCBAs, and scripting test automation in Python/Bash.
- Compensation
- $77.7K–$95K / yr
- Location
- Tysons, Virginia
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Junior
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 0+ years
- Category
- Qa
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field, or equivalent experience
- 0–2 years of professional experience; internships, co-ops, research, capstone, or personal projects in RF, embedded, or test work count
- Hands-on use of oscilloscopes, DC power analyzers, spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers, and signal generators
- Reads electronic schematics; solders, reworks PCBAs, and builds cable harnesses
- Comfortable on a Linux command line: SSH or serial to a device, flashing firmware, collecting logs
- Rigorous attention to detail: follows test plans exactly, records deviations, delivers complete documentation
- Follows through on commitments; communicates progress, blockers, and questions early; knows when to escalate
- Curious about how radios, hardware, and software meet; eager to learn from review and mentorship
- Clear written and verbal communication; collaborates well on a team
Nice to have
- Familiar with wireless protocols (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sub-GHz) and networking basics
- Z-Wave, Matter, Zigbee, Thread, or Bluetooth LE, or any conformance or interoperability certification program
- Familiarity with regulatory certification processes (FCC, ISED, CE/RED) and preparing devices for external laboratories
- Python or Bash scripting for lab tests and data processing, including AI-assisted tools
- Raspberry Pi or other single-board computers; packet-capture or protocol-sniffer tools
- Antenna impedance matching for single-band antennas
- Calibration processes and lab inventory practices
Full description
POSITION OVERVIEW
is a rapidly expanding technology company developing innovative cloud and device solutions across a wide range of cutting-edge technologies that provide a unified, connected service to millions of residential and commercial properties in the US and abroad. We are looking for a talented and passionate early-career test engineer to join the Device Engineering team and help us define the future of the IoT for residential and commercial properties by creating and integrating devices including security panels, networking gateways, and video cameras. You will be working with a team of talented engineers across a diverse set of technological backgrounds to design devices, build and manufacture hardware, architect and implement software, and collaborate in an agile and fast-paced environment.
You will work in the Device Engineering lab at our Tysons, Virginia headquarters: running RF and EMC tests on hardware we design, keeping the lab running, and carrying our products through wireless certification programs such as Z-Wave and Matter. Certification experience is not required. You will learn the programs from the engineers who run them, and the work rewards care, consistency, and curiosity.
What You'll Learn and Work On
Areas the team owns; prior exposure is a plus, not a prerequisite.
- RF and EMC bench testing of cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and sub-GHz radios against product and regulatory requirements.
- IoT protocol certification: unit preparation, Z-Wave Alliance and Matter conformance test tools, results documentation, and external test laboratories through to a pass.
- Regulatory certification support: sample preparation and witnessing at external EMC and RF laboratories.
- Lab operations: instrument upkeep and calibration, inventory, and PCBA rework.
- Test automation: scripted measurements and log collection.
Responsibilities:
- Perform RF performance and EMC pre-compliance tests to product specifications and test plans; document and analyze results.
- Run Z-Wave and Matter certification suites with the Alliance tools; record results; escalate failures with logs and reproduction steps.
- Prepare, flash, and configure test units; write update and test instructions; ship and track samples with external certification laboratories through to a pass.
- Maintain certification records, forms, and portal submissions under the direction of the responsible engineer.
- Prepare samples for external regulatory certification and witness testing at external laboratories.
- Maintain lab equipment, coordinate calibration, and keep inventory and lab records current.