Senior Integrated Circuit Wafer Probe Hardware Design & Validation Engineer (Probe Specialist)

Job Title

Senior Integrated Circuit Wafer Probe Hardware Design & Validation Engineer (Probe Specialist)

Role Summary

Serve as the subject matter expert for advanced wafer probe hardware and probe card architectures. Lead end-to-end development from electrical, thermal and mechanical modeling through hardware design, supplier coordination, validation testing and production issue resolution.

The role interfaces with test engineering, product engineering and IC design teams to ensure probe solutions meet signal integrity, power delivery and mechanical reliability requirements for large, high-power reticle-size devices.

Experience Level

Senior level. Requires extensive hands-on experience; the posting specifies 12+ years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include design, validation, lab execution and cross-functional coordination for advanced probing solutions.

• Lead mechanical and electrical architecture of advanced probe cards (vertical probe, MEMS probe, direct dock, probe-on-microbump, sacrificial pad, space transformers, probe card PCBs).
• Perform SI and PI simulation and optimization (impedance, crosstalk control, PDN frequency-domain analysis, decoupling strategies).
• Evaluate mechanical contact force distribution, probe alignment/planarity and thermal warpage across temperature ranges.
• Architect and evaluate probe solutions for wafer probing, 3D IC subassembly probes and singulated-die probing; assess probe performance metrics (contact resistance, continuity, probe mark size, touchdown lifespan).
• Execute lab measurements using VNAs, TDR, oscilloscopes, microscopes and wafer probers to quantify performance.
• Lead failure analysis for probe wear/burn, prober planarity and optical alignment issues; implement corrective design actions.
• Manage external probe and probe-card vendors and oversee supplier testing and qualification.
• Collaborate with Test Engineering, Product Engineering and IC Design to align probe capabilities with product roadmaps and test-floor constraints.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience required to perform the role effectively, followed by concise nice-to-have items.

• 12+ years of hands-on experience focused on probe card design, vertical/MEMS probes, or high-performance test fixture development.
• Hands-on experience using Vector Network Analyzers (VNAs), Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) and oscilloscopes for SI/PI analysis.
• Deep understanding of transmission line theory, RF/microwave principles and signal/power integrity fundamentals.
• High proficiency with 3D CAD (SolidWorks, Inventor or Creo) and FEA modeling techniques.
• Experience diagnosing and debugging production probe issues and performing root-cause failure analysis.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with production wafer probers, singulated-die probers and automated test equipment (ATE) platforms.
• Knowledge of metallurgy, micro-plating or materials relevant to probe-tip wear and contact physics.
• Familiarity with scripting (Python, MATLAB) or AI tools to automate data collection and validation analysis.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's, Master's or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science or a related discipline.

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.