Principal IC Test Development Engineer

Job Title

Principal IC Test Development Engineer

Role Summary

Develop and validate manufacturing test solutions for high-performance mixed-signal integrated circuits. Lead creation of industrial test plans, design ATE interface circuitry, and define characterization and manufacturability requirements from product concept through high-volume production.

Work cross-functionally with Analog & Digital Design, Product Engineering, Quality, and Applications teams to deliver products on schedule while supporting qualification, customer issues, and continuous test-cost and yield improvement.

Experience Level

Senior — Principal-level role. The posting specifies a minimum of 5 years of test development experience on Automated Test Equipment (ATE).

Responsibilities

The principal responsibilities are to define, implement, and support test solutions across characterization, qualification, and mass production.

• Develop complete industrial test plans for high-performance mixed-signal ICs on industry-standard ATE.
• Design custom circuitry for ATE interface boards with attention to layout matching, symmetry, impedance control, bandwidth, noise, linearity, and repeatability.
• Define characterization and validation setups and ensure product manufacturability.
• Specify and advocate Design for Testability (DfT) features from concept to manufacturability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet schedule and budget targets.
• Support production: customer support, data evaluation, report generation, defining test limits, and mass-production troubleshooting.
• Drive test debug, statistical data analysis, designs of experiment, and yield-enhancement activities.
• Perform reliability, failure analysis, and circuit debug as required for product launch and qualification.

Requirements

Must-have qualifications and core skills for the role.

• Must have: Minimum of 5 years of test development experience on ATE for high-performance integrated circuits.
• Proven experience developing industrial test plans for mixed-signal devices on ATE platforms.
• Experience designing ATE interface circuitry with focus on matching, impedance, bandwidth, noise, linearity, and repeatability.
• Thorough understanding of digital, analog, and mixed-signal device testing, PVT characterization, IC qualification, product launch, and RMA support.
• Experience with statistical data processing, DOE, test debug, and problem-solving methodologies to reduce test time and cost and improve yield.
• Skill in reliability assessment, failure analysis, and circuit-level debug.
• Ability to work collaboratively with global cross-functional teams from concept to production.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with Advantest 93K (SmarTest8) and/or Teradyne UltraFlex testers, or willingness to learn those ATE platforms.
• Working knowledge of IC foundries and offshore assembly & test subcontractors (OSATs).
• Familiarity with IC fabrication processes and their effect on test performance.
• Demonstrated innovation in test techniques.

Education Requirements

BSEE or higher (MSEE preferred).

About the Company

Company: NXP Semiconductors

Headquarters: Nijmegen, Netherlands

NXP Semiconductors N.V. is a global semiconductor company that provides High Performance Mixed Signal and Standard Product solutions. With over 45,000 employees and operations in more than 35 countries, NXP is a leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, catering to automotive, industrial IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets. The company is committed to innovation and sustainability, advancing a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world through technology.