Principal Analog Mixed-Signal IC Design Engineer

Job Title

Principal Analog Mixed-Signal IC Design Engineer

Role Summary

Lead design and delivery of high-performance ADCs, DACs, and other analog/mixed-signal blocks for RF payloads and terminals in advanced FinFET CMOS processes. Work as a technical lead across architecture, modeling, circuit design, layout integration, verification, and silicon bring-up.

Report results to system architects and collaborate with validation and product engineers to achieve production-ready circuits that meet system-level requirements for a satellite communications program.

Experience Level

Senior - principal-level role. Posting specifies a Master’s degree plus 10+ years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include ownership of converter and analog block development from architecture through tape-out and production.

• Lead architecture, development, and integration of high-speed ADCs and DACs in advanced FinFET CMOS, balancing performance, power, and trade-offs.
• Create high-level behavioral models (MATLAB, Simulink, SystemVerilog-AMS) to validate system performance before circuit implementation.
• Design and simulate mixed-signal circuits using Spectre and AMS flows; drive circuit-level performance and verification.
• Define block-level performance and interfaces with system architects to ensure integration into RF payloads and terminals.
• Oversee layout, top-level integration, floorplanning, and verification to support tape-out cycles.
• Develop test plans, support silicon bring-up, perform characterization and debugging to optimize yield and reliability.
• Investigate and implement analog building blocks and mentor junior engineers on analog design practices.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience for the role.

• Extensive hands-on experience designing high-speed ADCs and/or DACs in FinFET technologies.
• Familiarity with ADC/DAC architectures and techniques (SAR, pipeline, TDC, delta-sigma, interleaving, RF/sub-sampling).
• Knowledge of digital calibration algorithms for converter impairments.
• Proficiency in mixed-mode and analog/RF modeling, simulation, and verification using MATLAB, Spectre, SystemVerilog, and AMS.
• Deep understanding of electromigration and layout-dependent effects in advanced FinFET processes.
• Extensive experience in silicon characterization, debugging, and production optimization.
• Strong background in analog/RF building blocks: amplifiers, filters, oscillators, reference generation, LDOs.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Nice-to-have:

• RF design metrics and analysis experience (noise figure, intercept points, line-up analysis).
• Device-physics knowledge for process selection and performance optimization.
• Experience with chip-level ESD protection design and verification.
• Familiarity with digital design, digital verification, and SystemVerilog modeling.

Education Requirements

MS in Electrical Engineering is specified as required, with 10+ years of relevant experience. (No alternative degree or equivalent-experience language provided in the posting.)

About the Company

Company: Blue Origin

Headquarters: Kent, Washington, United States

Blue Origin is an American aerospace company developing technologies for spaceflight, including reusable launch vehicles, orbital and suborbital systems, and space infrastructure for commercial and government customers.