RF Hardware Intern (Fall 2026)

Job description

About Tacit We are an early-stage, deep tech startup based in San Francisco, developing innovative hardware that rethinks human-computer interaction. We are backed by General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures, and Greylock Partners, with a founding team from Stanford, BrainGate, Oculus, and Tesla. While we can’t reveal too much just yet, our team is tackling cutting-edge engineering challenges to bring revolutionary products to life. ABOUT THE ROLE We're seeking motivated RF Hardware interns to contribute to the development and validation of RF systems for our cutting-edge sensing technology. Depending on your experience, interests, and the needs of the team, your work may focus on exploring new RF architectures or on validating and improving the performance of existing RF systems. Projects may involve prototyping new circuit concepts, evaluating RF components and system architectures, bringing up RF transceiver and evaluation hardware, developing automated measurement infrastructure, or characterizing hardware performance across devices, builds, and operating conditions. For this fall, the primary focus areas are (a) systematic, per-build characterization of our RF signal chain against expected performance, and (b) bring-up of RF transceiver evaluation hardware, combining embedded firmware work with RF exploration. Each intern will own a focused project area and work closely with RF and validation engineers to turn experimental results into engineering recommendations. This role offers hands-on experience across RF hardware, embedded firmware, test automation, and data analysis, along with collaborative learning, technical mentorship, and direct involvement in product development within a dynamic startup environment. This position is primarily for a fall-start internship. WHAT YOU'LL DO Depending on your project area, you may: - Run systematic, per-build characterization of the RF signal chain: execute defined test sets across all RF blocks and compare measured results against datasheet-based expected performance, flagging typical vs. atypical behavior - Bring up RF transceiver evaluation hardware: radio configuration and control, RF performance exploration, and integration into our measurement infrastructure - Prototype and evaluate RF components, circuits, and sensing architectures - Design and assemble evaluation boards, test fixtures, and PCB prototypes - Characterize RF signal-chain components such as amplifiers, mixers, filters, switches, couplers, and antennas - Investigate architectural tradeoffs involving sensitivity, bandwidth, noise, power consumption, size, and system complexity - Develop test methods to characterize RF system performance, repeatability, and reliability - Measure parameters such as gain, loss, sensitivity, noise, linearity, frequency response, and device-to-device variation - Build automated test setups using Python, laboratory instruments, and embedded hardware - Develop validation procedures and test coverage for new hardware revisions - Investigate performance limitations and support root-cause analysis - Contribute to embedded firmware (C/C++) used for hardware bring-up, radio configuration, test control, calibration, and diagnostics - Analyze experimental data and compare results against simulations, component specifications, and system requirements - Document test procedures and clearly present engineering findings, tradeoffs, and recommendations REQUIREMENTS - Currently enrolled in (or completing) an MS or PhD program in Electrical Engineering, RF & Applied Electromagnetics, Microwave & Wireless Engineering, or a closely related field - Available for a fall-start internship, onsite in San Francisco STRONG CANDIDATES MAY HAVE - Experience with RF circuits, wireless systems, antennas, or microwave engineering - Familiarity with RF concepts such as S-parameters, impedance matching, gain, noise figure, compression, phase noise, and link budgets - Experience using RF laboratory equipment such as a VNA, spectrum analyzer, signal generator, oscilloscope, or power meter - Experience with embedded C/C++ on microcontrollers, including peripheral interfaces such as SPI/I2C/UART and register-level device configuration - Experience with Python for measurement automation and data analysis, or with PCB design - Experience with Altium Designer or another PCB design tool - Experience with analog or mixed-signal design at the system or PCB level - Experience bringing up COTS RF transceivers, radio modules, or SDR platforms - Familiarity with RF simulation tools such as ADS, HFSS, CST, or similar tools - Experience automating measurements or analyzing experimental data - Strong hands-on debugging and problem-solving skills - Independent work ethic, flexibility, and resourcefulness - Effective written and verbal communication skills - Comfort working in a fast-moving startup environment and excitement about building and testing hardware independently COMPENSATION RANGE $40–$60/hr