Job description

OUR CLIENT

Builds on 30-year legacy of technology advancements and strong IP portfolio but with a new mission— to enhance world-class capabilities with high-performance semiconductors. With a strong foundation in RF integration, their product portfolio now spans power management, connected sensors, optical transceivers, antenna tuning and RF frontends.

These intelligent and efficient semiconductors enable advanced modules for smartphones, base stations, personal computers, electric vehicles, data centers, IoT devices and healthcare. From headquarters in San Diego and offices around the world, team explores new ways to make electronics for the connected world smaller, thinner, faster, and better

JOB SUMMARY

The RF Characterization Manager is responsible for leading a fast-paced engineering team focusing on validating leading edge RF Integrated Circuits, developing of measurement systems of RFICs for mobile wireless and commercial/industrial applications, focusing on test solutions for mobile RF Front End ICs such as RF switches, LNAs, PAs and PA Controllers. The job requires expertise in RF, digital and analog measurements to ensure that projects are accurately characterized prior to release, combined with disciplined project planning to ensure that schedules are met. The RF Characterization Manager will be expected to manage the project schedule, staffing, execution, budget, and schedule along with generating system specifications and create effective measurement solutions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDE

Support Design Validation Efforts at Various Mask Iterations (25%)

• Evaluate existing design variants of mobile RF Front End ICs such as RF switches, PLLs, LNAs, PAs, PA Controllers, Filters, Mixers, and full Transceivers and provide feedback to product designers in their effort to improve the next design iteration
• Adjust measurement techniques to account for changing performance realisations between different design iterations
• Support non-standard measurement needs, not part of product characterization, that may be required to investigate specific issues, often necessitating special customized set-up (hardware and software automation), at short notice
• Present design validation data with analysis referenced to device design

Perform Product Characterization (35%)

• Work closely with product designers to take a new IC from specifications to full validation through developing a compatible automated test platform to ensure that products are accurately characterized prior to release
• Analyse the product’s specifications and each specification’s unique conditions to determine the tests required for assessing conformity to each of those specifications
• Develop and propose a characterization plan, ensuring coverage of specifications and accounting for sample quantities subject to the type of guarantee required in the specification of each parameter. Specify the method of testing for each parameter and how the data will be analysed versus test conditions to extract the required performance limitations for the datasheet specifications. Present to and seek stakeholder’s approval of the characterization plan.
• Plan the characterization effort in terms of time, resources, budget, and risks to ensure that schedules are met
• Set up the required measurements using per-parameter specified conditions and making appropriate choices for instrument selection, measurement class options and PCB design requirements
• Automate the measurements, ensuring an orderly and synchronous control of the test instruments and the Device Under Test
• Perform calibrations and Repeatability/Reproducibility (GR&R) exercises on the measurement platform to ensure accuracy of the measured data and its representation of the device under test

Recruiting (5%)

• Work with the Talent Acquisition and Human Resources to acquire additional talent to the team as and when needed
• Review resumes, hold telephone and face to face interviews, debrief and select the most qualified candidate
• Introduce new employees to the technical aspects of the work environment, including tools, equipment, software, and procedures

Team Management and Supervision (10%)

• Align the characterization team’s strategy with the business line’s product roadmap to plan designating work assignments to team members
• Set Key Performance Indicators for the team
• Perform annual and incentive performance reviews for direct reports, addressing complaints and resolving problems as they happen
• Follow up regularly with team member’s progress, intervene with priority conflicts when they occur and ensure deliveries are being made on time and at the level of quality required

Perform ESD characterization (5%)

• Work with design team and ESD expert on specifying ESD zap pin groups for the product being characterized
• Propose a cut-down test list from the characterization plan for pre- and post-zap measurements and number of devices per each pin group
• Prepare a zap plan specifying stress level, IV curve tracer limits and exact pinning locations for all flavours of ESD characterization (HBM, SDM and MM)
• Analyse pre- and post-zap measurement data, identify failures if any and prepare an ESD report in compliance with JEDEC specifications

Ensure Compliance with Audit Requirements for Equipment (3%)

• Implement techniques in software to automatically and periodically check the validity of equipment’s factory calibration when taking formal characterization data, so that these dates are not missed
• Put in place methodologies to document and record the models and serial numbers of equipment used in automated tests when collecting measurement data at characterization grade
• Align with lab technician on sending equipment out for calibration and plan it in a way that ensures minimum impact on measurements needed for project timelines and progress

Prepare Characterization Reports (10%)

• Perform statistical analysis of measured characterization data versus all variant factors, cover statistical limit setting (including methods for aggregating statistics) and yield prediction tools (Cpk analysis)
• Perform per-parameter comparison between measured samples based on material type (nominal/skew) material Source (lot/wafer) and measurement conditions (voltage/temperature)
• Recommend legally binding nominal performance indicators and limitations and maximum/minimum expected performance based on measured data from statistical analysis

Acquire Improved/Advanced Measurement Capability (7%)

• Forward plan the acquisition of new or upgraded test equipment by aligning the business line’s product road map with the equipment vendor’s road map
• Complete yearly capital expenditure requests based on forecast. Recommend equipment hardware or software feature hire/purchase based on detailed analysis of test requirements and capability of new offerings
• Negotiate purchase/hire agreements with vendors to maximise the cost-benefit outcome for the business line
• File justifications for high value purchases above specified thresholds
• Manage spending within allocated budget in each financial year

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• BS Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Equivalent; MSEE preferred
• 10+ years of experience within RF Engineering (Test, Validation, Characterization, Product Engineering, Apps Engineering)
• 2+ years of Management experience
• Ability to analyze RF systems for accurate measurement of large signal RF Front ends
• Proficient in schematic capture, RF system integration and PCB design experience
• Ability to be a technical leader, mentor and develop junior engineers

COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

• Critical Thinking: Skilled at finding logical flaws in arguments and plans; identifies problems and solutions that others might miss; provides detailed insight and constructive criticism into problems and complex situations
• Working with Ambiguity: Achieves forward progress in the face of poorly defined situations and/or unclear goals; able to work effectively with limited or partial information
• Displaying Technical Expertise: Keeps his/her technical skills current; effectively applies specialized knowledge and skills to perform work tasks; understands and masters the technical skills, knowledge, and tasks associated with his/her job; shares technical expertise with others
• Driving for Results: Aggressively pursues challenging goals and objectives; will put in considerable time and effort to accomplish objectives; takes a highly focused, goal driven approach toward work
• Delivering High Quality Work: Critically reviews work processes to ensure quality; addresses problems that could impact quality; makes sure project deliverables and services meet all requirements and expectations; does not make the same mistakes twice

PREFERED QUALIFICATIONS

• Familiarity with RFFE MIPI, I2C and SPI digital interfaces
• High level of expertise on mmWave 5G Technology

INTERSTED

We are committed to submitting suitable candidates for this vacancy to our client ASAP, for more information please send your CV at [email protected]