Design for Test (DFT) Engineer

Job Title

Design for Test (DFT) Engineer

Role Summary

Join Draper’s hardware engineering team to develop and implement testability solutions for complex digital ASICs, SoCs, and advanced processors. The role collaborates with design, verification, and test engineering teams to ensure products are designed for test and that test-related issues are addressed through the development cycle.

Experience Level

Mid-level. Typical experience guidance: 5–7 years with a bachelor's, 3–5 years with a master’s, or 0–2 years with a PhD in relevant ASIC/hardware engineering roles.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities focus on DFT architecture, implementation, and verification across chip projects.

• Develop and implement DFT architecture and test strategies for digital ASICs and SoCs.
• Perform testability analysis and generate test patterns.
• Verify DFT insertion and functionality with cross-functional teams.
• Design and simulate circuits at transistor level to meet architecture and requirements.
• Contribute to system-level design and optimize hardware for performance, power, and cost.
• Drive solutions for complex chip architectures and adapt to evolving requirements.
• Document and teach best practices; mentor less experienced engineers.
• Participate in floor-planning and physical-layout guidance; simulate with extracted parasitics.
• Contribute to proposal and business-development activities as needed.

Requirements

Essential technical and professional skills for the role.

• Proven experience implementing DFT and testability solutions for complex digital ASICs or SoCs.
• Ability to design and simulate at transistor level and evaluate hardware feasibility of algorithms and requirements.
• Experience with DFT verification and test-pattern generation workflows.
• Ability to write detailed design specifications and technical documentation.
• Demonstrated ability to lead or manage small technical teams and collaborate across disciplines.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and time-management skills; attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.

Education Requirements

Requires a bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field; master’s degree preferred. A PhD is acceptable with reduced experience expectations. Relevant equivalent practical experience is considered where specified by Draper.

About the Company

Company: Draper

Headquarters: Cambridge, MA, United States

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development organization based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. With over 2,000 employees, Draper develops advanced technologies in defense, space, biomedical engineering, and other national-security and commercial domains through multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists.