F

FIRST RF Tech Stack

Defense RF and antenna systems for radar, comms, and electronic warfare

Defense and Space Manufacturing Boulder, CO 51–200 employees Founded 2003 Privately Held

FIRST RF designs and manufactures advanced antenna and RF systems for defense and aerospace, with a tech stack anchored in electromagnetic simulation (HFSS, FEKO), embedded systems (C/C++, FPGA, Zynq), and modern web tooling (Python, React, Node.js). The active project mix—millimeter-wave RF, phased-array radar, embedded firmware architecture, and FPGA logic design—reflects a hardware-first engineering culture, supported by an organization where 14 of 21 open roles are engineering positions, predominantly mid and senior level.

Tech Stack 33 technologies

Core StackPython React JavaScript Node.js Django Docker Linux SolidWorks Vector Network Analyzer HFSS FEKO HTML CSS Visual Studio Code Altium Designer Embedded C/C++ RTOS Embedded Linux SPICE C Verilog VHDL FPGA Yocto Zynq PCIe I2C AXI Aurora Microsoft Office+3 more

What FIRST RF Is Building

◆Challenges

Reducing downtime
Improving accuracy
Extending system life
Winning new opportunities
Production transition
Reducing design flaws
Improving test efficiency
Streamlining qualification testing
Resolving risks or non-compliance issues
Maintaining compliance with existing contracts

▲Active Projects

Communication systems development
Production transition
Internal development efforts
Radar product portfolio development
Millimeter-wave rf systems development
Active rf system development
Embedded firmware architecture
Advanced characterization and performance optimization
Active rf systems for next-generation products
Fpga logic design and verification

Hiring Activity

Decelerating20 roles · 5 in 30d

Department

Engineering

14

Manufacturing

3

Product

2

Legal

1

Security

1

Seniority

Mid

8

Senior

5

Intern

4

Lead

3

Junior

1

Notable leadership hires: HDL Technical Lead

Company intelligence

Find more companies like FIRST RF by tech stack, pain points and active projects

Get started free

About FIRST RF

FIRST RF is a product-development company specializing in advanced antennas and RF systems for the defense and aerospace sectors. The company serves government and prime contractors across radar, communications, electronic warfare, conformal antennas, and millimeter-wave applications. Based in Boulder, Colorado, FIRST RF operates in-house engineering and manufacturing capabilities and reports having delivered over 250,000 antenna systems across land, air, sea, and space platforms. The organization combines electromagnetics expertise with embedded systems and FPGA design, supported by world-class R&D facilities and significant annual R&D investment.

HeadquartersBoulder, CO

Company Size51–200 employees

Founded2003

Hiring MarketsUnited States

Frequently Asked Questions

What technology does FIRST RF use to design antennas?

FIRST RF uses HFSS and FEKO for electromagnetic simulation, complemented by SolidWorks for mechanical design and Altium Designer for PCB layout. Embedded design relies on C/C++, Python, FPGA tools (Verilog, VHDL, Zynq), and RTOS.

What products is FIRST RF developing?

Active projects include millimeter-wave RF systems, radar product portfolio expansion, phased-array and conformal antenna designs, embedded firmware architecture, and FPGA logic design for next-generation defense and aerospace platforms.