Radio Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Radio Design Manager

Company: Morse Micro

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Engineering Operations / Technical Management

Date Posted: 2025-08-28T06:54:18

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and manage a team of radio design engineers, overseeing the entire lifecycle of wireless IC development.

• Drive the strategic direction and execution of radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuit (IC) design projects.

• Ensure robust processes, infrastructure, and staffing are in place to meet silicon development milestones from design to tapeout.

• Foster a collaborative and high-performance engineering culture focused on innovation and timely delivery of cutting-edge Wi-Fi technology.

• Act as a key technical liaison, coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure silicon performance, reliability, and market readiness.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Radio Design Manager," the responsibilities and required experience clearly indicate a senior leadership role focused on the engineering and operational execution of radio design projects. The role necessitates strong technical acumen in RF and mixed-signal design, coupled with proven people management and project delivery capabilities. This is not a purely individual contributor role but a leadership position managing a team and a critical product development function.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of radio design engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.

• Oversee the end-to-end design, development, and verification of Morse Micro's wireless ICs, ensuring adherence to project timelines and quality standards.

• Drive the implementation of robust engineering processes and infrastructure required for efficient silicon development, from initial concept to tapeout and beyond.

• Manage cross-functional project execution, collaborating closely with verification, systems, firmware, and product teams to align on requirements and deliverables.

• Define and lead chip qualification, product engineering, and the debugging of functional and performance-related issues encountered during silicon bring-up and validation.

• Interpret and analyze simulation results and bench measurements against system design specifications, ensuring parity and identifying any discrepancies.

• Contribute to strategic technical initiatives that support Morse Micro's future growth and market leadership in Wi-Fi technology.

• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the competitive landscape, including area, power consumption, and figure-of-merit (FOM) of state-of-the-art circuits.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities emphasize end-to-end ownership of the radio design process, including team leadership, project management, technical oversight, and cross-functional collaboration. The role requires a proactive approach to problem-solving and a deep understanding of the entire IC development flow, from design conception to product qualification.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 15 years of experience leading cross-functional engineering teams in a similar technical management capacity.

• Minimum of 15 years of hands-on experience within the wireless domain, with a strong focus on RF and mixed-signal IC design.

• Proven track record of taking wireless chips from initial design through to mass production.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated technical project management skills, with experience leading and coordinating cross-functional engineering teams.

• Proven technical leadership capabilities, including the ability to guide and mentor junior team members effectively.

• Sound working knowledge of adjacent technical specialities relevant to IC design and wireless communication systems.

• Comprehensive understanding of the broader implications of technology and product development, including market landscape analysis.

• Expertise in overseeing circuit design, verification, and modeling of RF and mixed-signal components.

• Experience in managing chip bring-up activities on the bench and leading the debugging of complex silicon issues.

• Proficiency with industry-standard IC design flows and tools from leading vendors such as Cadence or Synopsys.

• Deep understanding of CMOS transistor operation and its implications for circuit design.

• Familiarity with the IEEE 802.11 standard, particularly its application in IoT devices.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective stakeholder engagement and team coordination.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with TSMC 40nm and 22nm processes.

• Expert-level circuit design skills in areas such as Receive/Transmit (Rx/Tx) chains, operational amplifiers (op-amps), data converters, Power Management Units (PMUs), and Phase-Locked Loops (PLLs).

• Familiarity with a GNU/Linux development environment.

• Familiarity with analog modeling languages such as Verilog-A.

• Familiarity with simulation and analysis tools like Matlab/Octave.

• Experience with bringing up complex mixed-signal chips in a lab environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications highlight a blend of deep technical expertise in RF/mixed-signal IC design and substantial experience in technical leadership and project management. The emphasis on a postgraduate degree and extensive years of experience underscores the seniority and technical depth required for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrable experience in managing the complete IC design lifecycle, from concept and specification to tapeout and production.

• Proven ability to lead teams in delivering complex, high-performance wireless chips, evidenced by successful product launches or tapeouts.

• Examples of implemented process improvements within engineering workflows that enhanced efficiency, reduced time-to-market, or improved product quality.

• Documentation or case studies showcasing successful management of cross-functional teams and complex project deliverables, highlighting problem-solving methodologies.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates are expected to be able to articulate their methodologies for workflow design and optimization within an IC development context.

• Experience in documenting and implementing efficient processes for circuit design, simulation, verification, and tapeout is highly valued.

• The ability to describe how performance metrics are tracked, analyzed, and used to drive continuous process improvement is crucial.

• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git) and bug tracking/project management tools (e.g., Jira) for managing engineering processes is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: While a formal "portfolio" in the traditional sense might not be explicitly required for a management role, candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience through case studies and examples that demonstrate their leadership in managing design processes, teams, and complex projects. The focus will be on their approach to process implementation, optimization, and leadership in driving engineering outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

The salary for a Radio Design Manager with 15+ years of experience in Sydney, Australia, typically falls within the range of AUD $200,000 to $300,000+ per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior engineering management roles in the semiconductor sector in major Australian tech hubs, considering the specialized skills and leadership responsibilities. Factors such as specific expertise, performance, and the company's financial health can influence the final offer.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary

• Excellent Stock Option Package

• Performance Bonus Opportunity

• Income Protection Insurance

• Healthy Work Environment (sit/stand desks, large screens)

• Lots of snacks & drinks (including barista coffee)

• Friday team lunches

• Access to high-quality beers

• Flexible Working Hours

• Work From Home Policy

Working Hours:

• 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered. The company supports flexible working hours, allowing for adjustments to accommodate personal needs and optimize productivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is an estimate based on industry data for comparable roles in Sydney. The comprehensive benefits package offered by Morse Micro is highly attractive, particularly the stock options and the focus on employee well-being and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Semiconductor / Wireless Technology (Wi-Fi for IoT)

Company Size: Morse Micro is a rapidly growing VC-backed company, indicating a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The specific number of employees is not provided, but its global presence across multiple offices suggests a significant and expanding team.

Founded: Morse Micro was founded with the mission to build the world's lowest power Wi-Fi technology for the Internet of Things (IoT). Its founding date is not specified, but its focus on next-generation Wi-Fi and IoT positions it in a cutting-edge technology sector.

Team Structure:

• The Radio Design Manager reports to the VP of ASIC Engineering & Product, indicating a direct line of leadership within the core engineering function.

• The role involves leading a dedicated Radio team, implying a specialized group focused on RF and mixed-signal design.

Methodology:

• The company's approach is driven by innovation and a commitment to delivering high-performance, low-power Wi-Fi solutions for the burgeoning IoT market.

• Data-driven decision-making and rigorous technical validation are fundamental to the IC development process.

• Emphasis is placed on agile development practices and efficient project execution to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.

• A strong focus on collaboration and knowledge sharing is fostered to tackle complex technical challenges.

Company Website: https://www.morsemicro.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Morse Micro operates in the highly competitive and rapidly evolving semiconductor industry, specializing in IoT connectivity. The company culture is likely to be innovative, fast-paced, and results-oriented, with a strong emphasis on technical excellence and collaborative problem-solving.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior leadership position within the engineering operations and technical management domain. It is a critical management role responsible for a core technical function – radio design – which is fundamental to the company's product success.

Reporting Structure: The Radio Design Manager reports directly to the VP of ASIC Engineering & Product. This structure places the role at a significant level of influence within the engineering department, with direct oversight of a key technical team.

Operations Impact: The role has a profound impact on the company's ability to deliver its core product offering. Successful radio design is critical for the performance, power efficiency, and reliability of Morse Micro's Wi-Fi chips, directly influencing customer adoption, product competitiveness, and ultimately, revenue generation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into broader engineering management roles, such as Director of RF Engineering or VP of Engineering, overseeing larger or multiple technical teams.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the technical roadmap and strategic direction of radio technology development within the company.

• Mentorship & Talent Development: A chance to build and lead a high-performing engineering team, contributing to the development of future leaders in the wireless semiconductor industry.

• Industry Recognition: Contributing to breakthrough technologies can lead to industry recognition and opportunities for speaking at conferences or contributing to standards bodies.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant career progression opportunities within a high-growth semiconductor company. The impact of the role is directly tied to the company's core technology, providing a clear path for advancement for a successful leader.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While not explicitly stated, the mention of "Healthy work environment with sit/stand desks and large screens" suggests a modern, well-equipped office space designed for engineer productivity and well-being.

Office Location(s): The company has a global presence with offices in Sydney & Picton (Australia), Irvine, Bay Area & Boston (USA), Bangalore (India), Cambridge (UK), Hangzhou (China), Taipei (Taiwan), and Tokyo (Japan). The specific role is based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is described as "dynamic & fun," with ample "snacks & drinks, including barista coffee, Friday team lunches & some of the world’s best beers," indicating a company culture that values employee engagement and a positive workplace atmosphere.

• The "Work from home policy" and "Flexible working hours" suggest a hybrid work model that balances in-office collaboration with remote flexibility.

Work Schedule:

• The standard working hours are 40 hours per week, but the company offers flexible working hours, allowing employees to manage their schedules effectively. This flexibility is beneficial for managing complex design cycles and personal commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Morse Micro appears to foster a supportive and engaging work environment that prioritizes employee well-being and offers flexibility. The Sydney office is a key hub for their operations, and the hybrid work policy allows for a good balance between collaboration and personal work styles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and qualifications, likely conducted by HR or a hiring manager, to assess your fit for the role.

• Technical Interview(s): In-depth discussions focusing on your RF/mixed-signal design expertise, leadership experience, project management skills, and understanding of the IC development lifecycle. Expect questions on CMOS transistor operation, circuit design principles, simulation techniques, and debugging methodologies.

• Leadership & Management Interview: An assessment of your management style, team leadership capabilities, experience in mentoring engineers, and ability to drive cross-functional collaboration. Questions will likely probe your approach to strategic planning, problem-solving, and fostering a positive team culture.

• VP/Director Level Interview: A final discussion with senior leadership (e.g., VP of ASIC Engineering & Product) to evaluate your strategic thinking, cultural fit, and alignment with the company's vision and goals.

• Potential Case Study/Presentation: You may be asked to prepare a presentation on a past project, detailing a complex technical challenge you faced, your approach to resolving it, the outcomes, and the lessons learned. This would serve as a proxy for a portfolio review.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: When discussing past projects, emphasize the impact of your technical decisions and leadership on project success, product performance, and business outcomes. Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "reduced design cycle time by 15%").

• Process & Methodology: Clearly articulate your engineering processes, design methodologies, and project management strategies. Highlight how you ensure quality, efficiency, and on-time delivery.

• Leadership Examples: Prepare specific examples that demonstrate your ability to mentor engineers, resolve team conflicts, and foster a collaborative environment.

• Technical Depth: Be ready to delve into the technical details of your work, showcasing your expertise in RF/mixed-signal design and problem-solving.

• Company Relevance: Tailor your examples to be relevant to Morse Micro's focus on Wi-Fi for IoT, demonstrating an understanding of their technology and market.

Challenge Preparation:

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Be prepared for hypothetical problem-solving scenarios related to IC design challenges, project delays, or team management issues.

• Technical Deep Dives: Brush up on fundamental semiconductor physics, RF design principles, mixed-signal circuit architectures, and common IC design tools and flows.

• Leadership Scenarios: Think about how you would handle common management situations, such as performance management, conflict resolution, or resource allocation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely to be rigorous, assessing both technical depth and leadership capabilities. Candidates should prepare to articulate their experience through concrete examples and demonstrate a strategic understanding of engineering management and product development in the semiconductor industry.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• IC Design Suites: Cadence (e.g., Virtuoso, Spectre, Innovus) and Synopsys (e.g., Design Compiler, IC Compiler, PrimeTime) are essential for circuit design, simulation, synthesis, and place-and-route.

• Simulation & Analysis: Matlab/Octave for algorithm development, signal processing, and data analysis; SPICE simulators (e.g., Spectre, HSPICE) for detailed circuit simulation; possibly RF simulation tools (e.g., ADS, Genesys).

• Verification Tools: Familiarity with verification methodologies and tools, though the specific tools used by Morse Micro would need to be confirmed.

• Modeling Languages: Verilog-A for analog behavioral modeling.

• Development Environment: GNU/Linux for software development and toolchain management.

• Project Management & Collaboration: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Git, and internal tracking systems are commonly used for managing development processes and team collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role's core engineering function, but an understanding of how engineering outputs feed into broader business processes managed by CRM systems might be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with industry-standard IC design tools from Cadence and Synopsys is a critical requirement. The role also demands strong analytical skills, likely supported by tools like Matlab, and a familiarity with the Linux development environment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation: A drive to push technological boundaries and develop next-generation Wi-Fi solutions for the IoT.

• Excellence: A commitment to high-quality design, rigorous testing, and reliable product delivery.

• Collaboration: Working effectively across diverse engineering teams and global offices to achieve common goals.

• Efficiency: A focus on optimizing processes, resource utilization, and time-to-market for silicon development.

• Impact: A desire to make a tangible difference in the world by enabling billions of IoT devices through superior connectivity technology.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role requires seamless collaboration with systems architects, verification engineers, firmware developers, and product marketing to ensure a holistic product development approach.

• Open Communication: A culture that encourages open dialogue, constructive feedback, and proactive problem-solving among team members and across departments.

• Knowledge Sharing: Promoting an environment where best practices, technical insights, and lessons learned are shared freely to accelerate learning and innovation.

• Agile Methodologies: Embracing agile principles for project management, allowing for flexibility and rapid adaptation to changing requirements or technical challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Morse Micro likely values a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and strong teamwork. The emphasis on a global team and cross-functional collaboration suggests a need for excellent communication and interpersonal skills from the candidate.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Wi-Fi Standards: Navigating the intricate details and evolving landscape of IEEE 802.11 standards, especially for IoT applications.

• Time-to-Market Pressure: The fast-paced nature of the semiconductor industry and the competitive IoT market demand rapid product development cycles.

• Team Leadership in a High-Growth Environment: Effectively managing and scaling a team of highly skilled engineers while maintaining a high performance culture.

• Technical Problem Solving: Debugging and resolving complex issues that arise during the IC design, verification, and bring-up phases.

• Global Team Coordination: Managing and aligning efforts across geographically dispersed teams with potentially different working styles and time zones.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced RF/Mixed-Signal Design: Opportunities to stay at the cutting edge of RF and mixed-signal circuit design techniques and technologies.

• Leadership Skill Enhancement: Development through managing a team, strategic planning, and potentially formal leadership training programs.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining deep insights into the IoT market, competitive technologies, and the semiconductor product lifecycle.

• Mentorship: Providing mentorship to junior engineers, fostering their growth and contributing to the development of future talent within the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant technical and leadership challenges, common in the advanced semiconductor industry. However, these challenges are coupled with substantial opportunities for professional growth and impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Technical Strategy: "How would you approach the design and verification of a new RF front-end for a low-power Wi-Fi chip targeting the IoT market, considering potential challenges with interference and range?" (Focus on process, key design considerations, and verification methodology).

• Team Leadership: "Describe a situation where you had to motivate a team through a difficult project phase. What strategies did you employ, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight leadership style, communication, and problem-solving).

• Project Management: "How do you ensure that complex IC design projects are delivered on time and within budget, especially when dealing with unforeseen technical hurdles?" (Discuss planning, risk management, and resource allocation).

• Cross-functional Collaboration: "Walk me through how you would collaborate with systems and firmware teams to ensure seamless integration of your radio design with the overall product." (Emphasize communication, alignment, and proactive engagement).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Company Vision: "What excites you most about Morse Micro's mission and the future of Wi-Fi for IoT?" (Showcase understanding of the company's direction and market).

• Team Dynamics: "How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your engineering team?" (Discuss your approach to team building, feedback, and skill development).

• Problem Solving: "Describe a time you encountered a significant technical challenge in IC design. How did you diagnose the problem, what solutions did you consider, and what was the final resolution?" (Detail your analytical process and decision-making).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation around 1-2 key projects that best showcase your leadership in radio design and team management.

• Narrative: Tell a story: outline the problem, your strategic approach, the technical details of your solution, the challenges faced, how you overcame them, and the ultimate impact (performance, efficiency, market success).

• Data-Driven: Use data and metrics to support your claims. Show performance improvements, design validation results, or project delivery metrics.

• Visuals: Use clear diagrams, schematics, simulation plots, or photos of test setups where appropriate to illustrate technical concepts.

• Conciseness: Be clear, concise, and focused on the most impactful aspects of your experience. Practice your delivery to ensure it fits within the allotted time.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss your technical expertise in RF/mixed-signal design, your leadership philosophy, and your ability to manage complex projects with tangible results. Demonstrating a clear understanding of Morse Micro's technology and market position will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.

• Portfolio Preparation: While a formal portfolio may not be required, prepare a concise summary of your most impactful IC design projects, highlighting your leadership, technical contributions, and team management successes. Be ready to discuss these in detail during interviews.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 15+ years of experience in wireless IC design leadership, project management, team mentorship, and specific technical skills (e.g., RF design, mixed-signal circuits, Cadence/Synopsys). Quantify achievements whenever possible.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Morse Micro's products, technology (Wi-Fi HaLow/802.11ah), market position, and company culture. Understand their competitive landscape and business objectives.

• Technical & Behavioral Preparation: Review core concepts in RF/mixed-signal design, IC development flows, and prepare for behavioral questions related to leadership, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.