Disclosed are systems and techniques for efficient joint communications and radio frequency (RF) sensing. For example, a method for communications and sensing can include receiving, by a receiver, a first signal based on a reflection of a second signal from a target, wherein the first signal comprises a waveform including a plurality of communications instances and a plurality of sensing instances. The method can include determining, using radio frequency sensing, at least one characteristic of the target based on information in at least one of the plurality of sensing instances.