Radio Frequency (RF) Engineering Intern at City of Boulder · Fleet…

Summary: The City of Boulder is dedicated to enhancing the safety and quality of life for its residents and visitors. They are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated RF Engineer Intern to join their Public Safety Communications team, where the intern will assist in designing and optimizing radio communication systems used by first responders and public safety agencies. Responsibilities: - Assist in RF System Design: Work with senior engineers to help design, simulate, and optimize radio frequency (RF) systems for public safety applications, including base stations, repeaters, dispatch center radio consoles and portable/mobile radios. Focus on enhancing communication coverage and reliability throughout the City of Boulder and surrounding areas - Testing & Validation: Support field and laboratory testing to ensure that radio communication systems meet performance standards and city-specific requirements. Analyze data and provide recommendations to optimize coverage, signal quality, and reliability - Field Measurements: Assist in performing RF surveys and measurements throughout Boulder to assess system performance in various environments (e.g., urban areas, mountainous terrain, underground facilities). Work on identifying areas with coverage gaps or signal interference - Troubleshooting & Optimization: Participate in diagnosing RF system issues related to coverage, interference, and equipment failures. Recommend solutions for improving system performance in critical public safety scenarios - Documentation: Contribute to technical reports and maintain detailed documentation of testing procedures, results, assets and design specifications to ensure accurate records for system maintenance and future upgrades - System Integration: Assist in integrating RF components and communication equipment into existing infrastructure, ensuring compatibility with Boulder’s public safety systems. Help ensure compliance with industry standards for mission-critical communication - Collaboration: Work with a cross-functional team that includes hardware, software, and systems engineers. Participate in meetings and contribute ideas for enhancing communication reliability for Boulder’s first responders and public safety teams Required Qualifications: - Ability to demonstrate an interest in contributing to public safety and improving communication systems that support first responders - Ability to demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on optimizing system performance - Ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment with a strong commitment to delivering reliable, high-quality solutions - Knowledge and awareness of public safety communication systems (e.g., P25, TETRA, DMR) or related standards is a plus - Knowledge and basic understanding of RF principles, including signal propagation, modulation, and antenna design. Amateur radio license is a plus - Skills at an excellent level in communication, both written and verbal - Must hold and maintain a valid drivers' license - Must successfully pass a background check before first day of work - Currently pursuing trade skill certifications or degree path in Electrical Engineering, RF Systems, IT Telecommunications, or a related field Preferred Qualifications: - Experience with radio systems used by public safety agencies, including repeaters, mobile radios, and base stations. Experience as an end-user in the field is also beneficial - Prior internship or academic projects related to RF systems, communications infrastructure, or public safety technologies - Knowledge and familiarity with RF testing equipment such as spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and network analyzers - Current or former public safety Explorer, Cadet or other volunteer is a plus Required Skills: Radio frequency (RF) system design, Public safety communication systems, P25, TETRA, DMR, RF principles, Signal propagation, Modulation, Antenna design, Spectrum analyzer, Signal generator, Network analyzer, Radio repeaters, Mobile radios, Base stations, Amateur radio license