Senior Principal R&D Engineer – Device Physicist

Job Title

Senior Principal R&D Engineer – Device Physicist

Role Summary

You will join the Integrated Circuit Solutions (ICS) Technology Platform Team, Front-End New Product Introduction subgroup. Lead device and technology selection for design teams, evaluate front-end foundry technologies, and act as the FE NPI engineer on New Product Introduction projects.

Experience Level

Senior-level. The role expects approximately 10 years of experience in semiconductor R&D focused on automotive-grade integrated circuits.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include translating circuit requirements into device and technology specifications and managing interactions with front-end foundries.

• Translate circuit requirements into device and technology requirements.
• Benchmark foundry technologies on technical figures of merit and cost.
• Define foundry requests for device modelling, PDK setup, foundation IP, wafer-level reliability, device characterization, and device architecture.
• Lead Front-End New Product Introduction (NPI) engineering activities.
• Conduct root-cause analyses of yield loss related to device or technology issues.
• Analyze reliability failures and device degradation mechanisms.
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary R&D environment and with global design teams.

Requirements

Key technical and professional requirements. Items are grouped as must-have and nice-to-have.

• Must have: Deep knowledge of device architecture for active and passive components in CMOS and HV BCD technologies.
• Must have: Experience with device reliability, wafer-level reliability mechanisms, and product reliability analysis.
• Must have: TCAD device simulation experience (Sentaurus / Medici / Suprem).
• Must have: Familiarity with PDK tools and pcell creation, and ability to specify foundation IP needs.
• Must have: Python programming experience.
• Nice to have: Schematic design experience in Cadence or Synopsys; knowledge of ESD and process technology.
• Nice to have: Prior experience with automotive-grade ICs and working directly with front-end foundries.
• Soft skills: Team player with ability to connect design teams, promote IP reuse, and share lessons learned.

Education Requirements

University-level master’s degree (Master's) in Physics or Electrical Engineering is required (explicitly stated). No equivalent-experience alternative is specified in the source.

About the Company

Company: Nexperia

Headquarters: Cabuyao, Philippines

Nexperia is a global leader in semiconductor development with a focus on in-house production. The company boasts a strong international network and is dedicated to innovation and excellence in the semiconductor industry, providing a dynamic environment for its employees.