GridCrest – Company Profile
GridCrest is a leading Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Provider (AMISP) in India. We manufacture over 5 lakh smart energy meters monthly with a fully captive ecosystem spanning Design, Development, Validation, Software, and Managed Services teams. With a turnover of 600 Crore and exponential growth, we are expanding into smart water and gas metering. Our secure and data-intensive ecosystem is supported by our state-of-the-art facilities in Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Job Description & Roles, Responsibilities, Accountability- Principal / Lead Hardware Engineer – RF
Position: Principal / Lead Hardware Engineer – RF
Location: Delhi / Kolkata
Industry Preference: Smart Metering / IoT / Telecom / Embedded Hardware
Role Summary:
Lead end-to-end RF and hardware design strategy for smart metering and IoT communication devices. Drive cross-functional hardware teams and ensure market-relevant product outcomes across multiple design silos.
Key Responsibilities:
1. RF System Architecture & Trade-off Authority
- Architect complete RF chains across:
- Sub-GHz ISM (169/433/868/915 MHz)
- Cellular IoT (NB-IoT, LTE-M, 2G fallback where applicable)
- Perform first-principles link budget derivation including:
- Path loss models (urban/rural, indoor penetration)
- Fade margins, interference envelopes, coexistence margins
- Define and own:
- Receiver sensitivity targets vs power budget
- Selectivity, blocking, intermodulation performance
- Noise figure cascades and system linearity (IP3/IP2)
2. Antenna Engineering & Electromagnetic Integration
- Lead antenna selection, design, and co-design with enclosure
- Deep involvement in:
- Impedance tuning under real housing conditions
- Ground plane optimization in constrained meter form factors
- Radiation pattern shaping for installation variability
- Own:
- TRP/TIS optimization in near-field disturbed environments (metal enclosures, cabinets)
- Drive simulation-to-reality correlation using:
- CST / HFSS / EM solvers vs chamber measurements
3. RF Front-End & Circuit Design Authority
- Architect RF front-end blocks:
- LNAs, PAs, switches, filters (SAW/BAW), matching networks
- Deep understanding of:
- Harmonic suppression, spurious management
- Coexistence (multi-radio interference: cellular + sub-GHz + GNSS)
- Define multi-band matching strategies and reconfigurable front-ends
4. PCB & Layout for RF Integrity
- Establish organization-wide standards for:
- Controlled impedance routing (microstrip/stripline)
- Return current paths and grounding topology
- RF shielding strategies
- Own layout reviews for RF-critical designs, including:
- Isolation between noisy digital and RF domains
- Power integrity impact on RF performance
5. RF Validation, Debug & Failure Analysis (Expert Level)
- Lead deep debug using:
- VNA, Spectrum Analyzer, Signal Generators, Network Analysis
- Diagnose:
- Desense issues
- Spurious emissions
- Field failures due to environmental variability
- Own correlation between:
- Lab results field deployment anomalies
6. Regulatory & Global Certification Strategy
- Not just execution—strategic ownership
- Optimize design for:
- FCC / ETSI / CE / BIS / PTCRB / carrier certifications
- Anticipate failure modes in:
- Radiated emissions
- Conducted spurs
- Drive pre-compliance frameworks internally
7. Metering-Specific RF Complexity
- Design for:
- Harsh EMI environments (transformers, switchgear, industrial noise)
- Deep indoor penetration (basements, meter boxes)
- Balance:
- Ultra-low power vs reliable connectivity
- Understand:
- Deployment realities (utility cabinets, dense installations)
RRA
Role
- RF System Architect & Authority
- Hardware Platform Leader
- Cross-functional Technical Integrator
Responsibilities
- Define RF architecture across all product lines
- Ensure first-pass success in certification cycles
- Lead complex RF debugging and field issue resolution
- Drive platform reuse and design standardization
Accountabilities
- RF performance in field deployments (not just lab success)
- Certification success without multiple costly redesigns
- Time-to-market impact of RF decisions
- Scalability of RF design across geographies and SKUs
Key Competencies
- Deep RF expertise
- System-level thinking
- Leadership and decision-making
- Cross-functional collaboration
