Component Engineer - Semiconductor Devices
Cisco SystemsJob Title
Component Engineer - Semiconductor Devices
Role Summary
Work on semiconductor component selection, testing, qualification, and failure analysis for high-speed systems used in Cisco products. Collaborate with design, manufacturing, operations, quality engineering teams, and external vendors to ensure components meet product requirements.
Experience Level
Entry-level / Early career — minimum 2 years of relevant industry experience; 4+ years preferred.
Responsibilities
Accountable for component engineering activities across product development, qualification, and production.
- Select, test, and qualify semiconductor components (ASICs, NPUs, CPUs, switches, FPGAs, PHYs, retimers) to meet product specifications.
- Lead investigations and end-to-end failure analysis for component and system issues; define and verify corrective and preventive actions (e.g., 8D, RCCA).
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams on component selection, risk assessment, and design reviews; drive risk mitigation.
- Analyze vendor technology roadmaps and influence vendor choices to support product requirements.
- Support NPI, mass production, and field return investigations using advanced failure analysis techniques.
- Evaluate and validate high-speed interfaces and control protocols (PCIe, MDIO, SPI, I2C) as they relate to component behavior.
Requirements
Core technical skills and practical experience required; preferred skills listed separately.
- Must-have: 2+ years experience in the semiconductor, networking, server, computer, or embedded industry.
- Must-have: Experience with semiconductor components such as ASICs, XPUs, FPGAs, PHYs, and SerDes/retimers.
- Must-have: Strong understanding of semiconductor design, fabrication, characterization, qualification, testing, reliability, and failure analysis.
- Must-have: Experience collaborating with hardware and software engineering, operations, and manufacturing stakeholders.
- Must-have: Excellent problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills; ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
- Nice-to-have: Experience with high-speed designs and with x86 or ARM CPU-based hardware.
- Nice-to-have: Knowledge of semiconductor reliability tests (HTOL, ELFR, LU, ESD) and sophisticated FA techniques.
- Nice-to-have: Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive technical initiatives.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field is required by the posting.
About the Company
Company: Cisco Systems
Headquarters: San Jose, CA, United States
Cisco Systems is a global technology company that designs and sells networking hardware, telecommunications equipment, software, and services. It provides enterprise and service-provider networking, security, collaboration, and optical communications solutions (including Acacia Communications technologies for high-speed optical interconnects).
