Full Job Description
Exempt: Yes
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION
The Senior RFIC Design Engineer develops high-performance RF and analog integrated circuits for advanced wireless and sensing products. Works with circuit architecture, transistor-level design, layout, verification, silicon characterization, and productization. Works closely with RF Systems, Layout, Package, Test, Firmware, and Product Engineering teams to translate product requirements into robust, production-ready silicon.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Design and verify RF, analog, and mixed-signal circuit blocks from specification and topology selection through transistor-level implementation, layout, extraction, and signoff.
• Analyze circuit tradeoffs involving performance, power, area, noise, linearity, gain, bandwidth, matching, stability, process variation, and reliability.
• Contribute to the development of RFIC building blocks such as amplifiers, mixers, oscillators, frequency-generation circuits, data converters, filters, bias circuits, regulators, detectors, and calibration circuits.
• Work with system engineers to derive block-level specifications, allocate design margins, and evaluate interactions between circuit blocks and the overall signal chain.
• Plan and run schematic, post-layout, PVT, Monte Carlo, EM, mixed-signal, and reliability simulations; document results and address performance gaps.
• Partner with layout engineers on floorplanning, critical-device placement, routing, shielding, matching, parasitic control, physical verification, and design-for-manufacturability.
• Support RFIC-package-PCB co-simulation and evaluate the impact of interconnects, passives, coupling, supply integrity, and thermal effects on circuit performance.
• Develop characterization plans, support laboratory measurements and silicon debug, and correlate measured results with simulation across operating conditions.
• Collaborate with Test, Product, Applications, Firmware, and Manufacturing Engineering during validation, yield improvement, and product ramp.
• Prepare clear specifications, design-review material, verification plans, and characterization reports; contribute to continuous improvement and intellectual property development.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or a related field with specialization in RF, analog, mixed-signal, or microwave/mmWave IC design; no industry experience required. Alternatively, M.S. in Electrical Engineering or a related field with at least 3 years of relevant industry experience.
• Strong foundation in analog and RF circuit design, including device physics, feedback, noise, linearity, mismatch, stability, frequency response, and circuit tradeoffs.
• Academic or industry experience with transistor-level design and simulation of RF, analog, or mixed-signal integrated circuits.
• Working knowledge of CMOS and/or SOI technologies, deep-submicron design considerations, RF passives, and critical analog/RF layout techniques.
• Proficiency with Cadence Virtuoso and Spectre or comparable IC design tools; familiarity with RF and EM simulation, extraction, and physical-verification tools is preferred.
• Ability to analyze simulation and measurement data, isolate root causes, and communicate technical conclusions clearly.
• Laboratory experience with RF or analog measurements is desirable, including use of oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, signal generators, or related equipment.
• Familiarity with Verilog-A, Verilog, SystemVerilog, MATLAB, Python, or SKILL is beneficial.
• Strong problem-solving, documentation, communication, and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a cross-functional engineering environment.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The above statements are intended to describe the work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. The duties and responsibilities of this position are subject to change and other duties may be assigned or removed at any time. This position may require exposure to information subject to US Export Control regulations, i.e.: the International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be US persons within the meaning of US regulations.