Hardware Engineer 5

Job Title

Hardware Engineer 5 — Senior/Staff Reliability Engineer (RF Characterization & Reliability)

Role Summary

Senior/staff reliability engineer responsible for RF characterization and reliability test development of tuner-switch and front-end module products for wireless handset chipsets. Acts as the reliability subject-matter expert partnering with R&D, design, process, manufacturing, and quality teams to define reliability requirements, develop test plans, and drive failure analysis and corrective actions.

Experience Level

Senior-level. Minimum practical RF reliability experience expected is 5+ years; typical candidates have substantially more experience (see Education Requirements for degree-to-experience equivalencies).

Responsibilities

Define and execute reliability assessments and lead lab operations for RF front-end devices across electrical, thermal, and mechanical stress domains.

• Develop, implement, and analyze electrical/thermal/mechanical stress tests for front-end modules (RF CMOS, GaAs PA, SOI filter, new package technologies).
• Design reliability test hardware and software for dynamic life testing of semiconductor RF devices.
• Plan and execute wafer-level RF testing, ESD, power-handling, and thermal IR characterization using appropriate instruments.
• Run environmental chamber qualifications (HTOL, DC HTOL, RF HTOL) and manage daily lab operations, scheduling, and troubleshooting.
• Perform statistical analysis of DOE and reliability data; generate reports and present findings to cross-functional teams.
• Lead failure analysis and root-cause investigations; coordinate with internal and external labs to resolve reliability issues.
• Supervise and coordinate technicians; develop automation scripts and software modules for on-the-fly data analytics, visualization, and reporting.
• Support New Product Introduction and transfer of reliability assessment plans to manufacturing and quality teams.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience for successful performance in this role.

• Minimum 5 years of semiconductor device reliability engineering experience focused on RF or power-conversion components.
• Proven experience designing and executing reliability stress tests including ESD, HTOL, and thermal testing.
• Hands-on experience with wafer-level RF testing, ESD characterization (HBM/MM/CDM), power handling, and thermal IR imaging (e.g., QFI).
• Proficiency with RF test equipment and measurement techniques (VNAs, power meters, spectrum analyzers) and RF measurement best practices.
• Strong data-analysis skills and familiarity with statistical tools (JMP, Minitab, Excel); ability to interpret complex electrical and physical failure data.
• Experience developing test automation, scripting, and data-visualization tools for lab operations and analytics.
• Demonstrated ability to lead troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and coordinate failure-analysis with cross-functional teams.
• Experience managing lab operations and supervising technicians; strong organizational skills for test scheduling and execution.
• Work authorization: must be authorized to work in the United States or possess a valid US work visa.
• Nice-to-have: familiarity with JEDEC reliability specs and prior experience with RF front-end modules used in mobile devices.

Education Requirements

Degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field. Equivalent experience options specified in source: Bachelor's degree +12 years relevant experience, Master's degree +8 years, or PhD +5 years; the posting also cites a minimum of ~5 years RF-related reliability experience in other sections. The source also notes a valid US work visa where applicable.

About the Company

Company: Broadcom

Headquarters: Irvine, California, United States

Broadcom is a global technology leader that designs, develops, and supplies a wide range of semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions. The company is known for its innovations in wireless and broadband communications, enabling a connected world.