Principal Device Design & Integration Engineer

Job Title

Principal Device Design & Integration Engineer

Role Summary

Lead development of test vehicles for high-current BCD and low-voltage GaN power process and product portfolios. Own test vehicle definition, circuit and IC-level layout design, and characterization planning from concept through silicon bring-up, collaborating with process integration, product engineering, and applications teams.

Experience Level

Senior level; typically requires 10+ years of hands-on design experience in power semiconductor devices, analog/power ICs, or power electronics.

Responsibilities

Accountable for defining, designing, executing, and documenting test vehicles and their characterization to validate process and device performance.

• Define architectures and specifications for test vehicles: device test structures, scaled power stages, and full-function demonstration circuits.
• Design and simulate power stage circuits (synchronous buck/boost, multiphase, half-bridge/DrMOS, gate drivers) for realistic switching and thermal conditions.
• Select and characterize power devices (LDMOS, trench MOSFETs, LV GaN HEMTs, Schottky/sync rectifiers) and evaluate layout-dependent tradeoffs (RDS(ON), Qg, breakdown).
• Perform IC-level, parasitic-aware layout for high-current switch nodes, current sensing, and gate drive paths.
• Co-design module/package/PCB-level evaluation boards and manage thermal/electrical tradeoffs for system-level test vehicles.
• Develop and execute test and characterization plans for DC parametrics, switching performance, efficiency, transient response, and stress margins.
• Lead or support silicon bring-up, debug, and correlation of measured results with simulation and design targets.
• Document design methodology, test vehicle results, and characterization data to support technology qualification and product decisions.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience.

• 10+ years of hands-on design experience in power semiconductor devices, analog/power ICs, or power electronics.
• Strong working knowledge of power conversion topologies and how topology choices drive device requirements.
• Deep understanding of power device physics and tradeoffs across BCD and low-voltage GaN (RDS(ON), switching loss, Qg, breakdown/avalanche behavior, thermal characteristics).
• Proven experience designing test structures or test chips/vehicles for process technology development.
• IC-level design and parasitic-sensitive layout experience for high-current switching nodes.
• Experience taking designs to module, package, or board level (power module co-design, evaluation board layout, thermal/electrical co-design).
• Proficiency with circuit simulation tools (SPICE) and familiarity with device/TCAD simulation concepts.
• Ability to interpret and specify absolute maximum ratings and protection thresholds (OVP/UVP/OCP/OTP) relevant to power stage reliability.
• Strong lab skills for bring-up, debug, and characterization using oscilloscopes, curve tracers, power analyzers, and thermal imaging.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Microelectronics, or a related technical field.

About the Company

Company: Renesas

Headquarters: Hitachinaka, Japan

Renesas is a global leader in embedded semiconductor solutions, providing high-quality products across automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT sectors. With over 22,000 employees in more than 30 countries, the company focuses on scalable solutions that enhance user experience and drive innovation while committed to sustainability and energy efficiency.