Principal Application Engineer

Job Title

Principal Application Engineer

Role Summary

Provide hands-on technical support to strategic customers during the design phase for GlobalFoundries' advanced platforms (including Fotonix®, SiGe, RFSOI, GaN). Deliver solutions for silicon photonics and RF designs, coordinate with internal R&D and product teams, and drive first-time silicon success.

Experience Level

Senior-level. (Title indicates a senior role.)

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities focus on customer-facing technical enablement through design, debug, and cross-team coordination.

• Deliver technical solutions to resolve complex design issues and ensure customer success from design to tape-out and production.
• Develop customized technical presentations, proposals, and evaluation materials to support customer design decisions.
• Manage and resolve technical PDK front-end and back-end issues promptly to meet design-win and MPW objectives.
• Troubleshoot and optimize flows involving LVS, PEX, DRC, density, and reliability tools to achieve first-time silicon success.
• Act as the Voice of the Customer internally, providing real-time feedback to product marketing, design solutions, and technology development teams.
• Collaborate with account and sales managers, and coordinate transitions to Field Application Engineers and Customer Engineering teams after design wins.
• Track competitive design and technology trends and communicate potential risks to internal teams.
• Perform work in a safe and compliant manner and support Environmental Health, Safety & Security programs.

Requirements

Key technical skills and attributes required for success. Education requirements are listed separately below.

• Deep understanding of circuit specifications relevant to system-level performance.
• Proficiency in automation, debugging, and resolving complex PDK front-end and back-end issues.
• Experience troubleshooting and optimizing LVS, PEX, DRC flows and associated density/reliability analyses.
• Strong communication skills for interacting with external customers and internal stakeholders across geographies.
• Ability to collaborate with program and technical design leads on multiple concurrent projects.
• Patents and publications are an advantage.
• Minimum travel: approximately 10% as required.

Nice-to-have / preferred tools and experience:

• Background in silicon photonics device physics and circuit design fundamentals.
• Experience with Ansys Lumerical, Spectre, HSpice, ADEXL or similar simulation platforms for aging, noise, and reliability analysis.
• Familiarity with Cadence Virtuoso or Custom Compiler design frameworks and layout viewers (KLayout, CalibreDRV).
• Experience with LVS/DRC tools (Pegasus, Calibre, ICV), PEX tools (Quantus, StarRC, xRC), EMIR tools (Voltus-fi, Redhawk), and EMX tools (HFSS, Momentum).

Education Requirements

Master's degree (M.S. / M.Tech) in Electronics or Electrical Engineering with specialization in Photonics or related fields (typically with 1–2 years' experience) OR PhD in Photonics or Integrated Optics. Degrees from accredited institutions expected; patents/publications are advantageous.

About the Company

Company: GlobalFoundries

Headquarters: Saratoga Springs, New York, USA

GlobalFoundries is a leading contract manufacturer for the global semiconductor industry, with facilities in multiple countries, including the USA. The company develops a broad portfolio of semiconductor technologies and employs around 13,000 people worldwide. GlobalFoundries focuses on enhancing competitiveness in specialized application solutions and fostering innovation in mobile communications, consumer electronics, and automotive applications.