Principal R&D Engineer

Company Overview

​At Motorola Solutions, we believe that everything starts with our people. We’re a global close-knit community, united by the relentless pursuit to help keep people safer everywhere. Our critical communications, video security and command center technologies support public safety agencies and enterprises alike, enabling the coordination that’s critical for safer communities, safer schools, safer hospitals and safer businesses. Connect with a career that matters, and help us build a safer future.

Department OverviewSilvus Technologies was acquired by Motorola Solutions in 2025, and is now part of its ecosystem of safety and security technologies.

With deep roots in DARPA research, Silvus Technologies develops world-class advanced communications technologies that are reshaping the tactical communications landscape. From pure line-of-sight to extreme non-line-of-sight, Silvus radios form a self-healing, self-forming mesh network, enabling secure and reliable connectivity, including video and high-bandwidth data.
Job Description

THE OPPORTUNITY

Silvus is seeking a Principal R&D Engineer who will report to the Vice President of Research & Development on the R&D team.  The successful individual in this role will oversee and participate in the planning, design, implementation, prototyping, and verification of wireless technology projects.

This position is based at Silvus Technologies’ headquarters in the heart of vibrant West Los Angeles, CA, and is on a hybrid schedule.  A minimum of 3 days onsite per week is expected. On-site days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

The following is a list of at least some of the current essential job functions of the position. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time at its discretion.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Technical management of Research and Development projects and programs to include:
  • Responsibility for overall system design and requirement specification.
  • Setting and tracking development schedules and tasks.
  • Participating in the hands-on design, simulation, and verification work.
  • Overseeing relevant simulation, software, FPGA, and testing efforts.
  • Customer-facing engagement and technical material preparation when needed.
  • Reporting to management, as required for strategic planning and assessment.
• Participate in Research and Development business development and capture efforts to include:
  • Whitepaper and proposal preparation.
  • Understand current technology and pitch future enhancements and strategies.
  • Communicate (telephone/email/in-person) engagement with government and industry.
• Work collaboratively within the senior Research and Development team on the following:
  • Executing larger, team-wide projects.
  • Setting a comprehensive team-wide technology portfolio and pipeline.
  • Perform other related duties of which the above represent.
• Supervisory/Management Responsibilities
  • Supervise a team of engineers to fulfill functions or project needs.
  • Participate in the drafting of job descriptions and screening/ interviewing engineering candidates.
• Travel Requirements - Infrequent travel to support customer interactions or test and demonstration events

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related communication and/or engineering technology field (i.e., wireless communications, signal processing, networking, RF design, etc.).
• Minimum 10 years of experience in the design and development of wireless systems.
• 5 years of demonstrated experience in technical project leadership (i.e., principal investigator).
• Participation in the complete technology development cycle: design to field testing.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen due to clients under U.S. government contracts.
• All employment is contingent upon the successful clearance of a background check.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Simulation and prototyping software: C/C++, MATLAB, Python, etc.
• Radio frequency propagation, channel modeling, digital communication.
• Wireless ad-hoc mesh networking, medium access, and routing algorithms.
• Signal processing algorithms, MIMO, OFDM, beam-nulling, etc.
• Cognitive radio congested and contested spectrum, interference mitigation.
• Radio frequency sensing, signal detection, classification, etc.
• Technical writing, proposal preparation, and technical presentation.

COMPENSATION: $180,000 - $250,000 / annually

This pay range is NOT a guarantee. It is based on market research and peer data and will vary depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.
Basic Requirements

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related communication and/or engineering technology field (i.e., wireless communications, signal processing, networking, RF design, etc.).
• Minimum 10 years of experience in the design and development of wireless systems.
• 5 years of demonstrated experience in technical project leadership (i.e., principal investigator).
• Participation in the complete technology development cycle: design to field testing.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen due to clients under U.S. government contracts.

Travel Requirements10-25%
Relocation ProvidedDomestic
Position TypeExperienced
Referral Payment PlanYes

Our U.S. Benefits include:

• Incentive Bonus Plans

• Medical, Dental, Vision benefits

• 401K with Company Match

• 10 Paid Holidays

• Generous Paid Time Off Packages

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

• Paid Parental & Family Leave

• and more!

EEO Statement

Motorola Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other legally-protected characteristic. 

We are proud of our people-first and community-focused culture, empowering every Motorolan to be their most authentic self and to do their best work to deliver on the promise of a safer world. If you’d like to join our team but feel that you don’t quite meet all of the preferred skills, we’d still love to hear why you think you’d be a great addition to our team.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruiting experience for candidates with disabilities, or other physical or mental health conditions. To request an accommodation, please complete this Reasonable Accommodations Form so we can assist you.