Staff Mechanical Engineer presso PDF Solutions

PDF Solutions (NASDAQ: PDFS) is seeking a Senior Analog Circuit Systems Engineer to join the R&D team focusing on developing a cutting-edge electron beam inspection tool (eProbe®). These tools are basically high-speed scanning electron microscopes (SEM) used at 300mm semiconductor wafer fabs to implement PDF’s Design-for-Inspection (DFI) methodology used in yield ramp and manufacturing control.

As an analog circuit systems engineer at PCB assembly (PCBA) level, the candidate will work closely with the PDF internal engineering team and with our customers on a wide range of technical challenges to improve system accuracy and throughput of our inspection tools. He or she must be agile, organized, highly motivated, a team player, with strong initiative, good communication skills, and can work in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary, intensive, and highly productive small team environment. Our R&D team has an outstanding mix of diverse talents with various backgrounds and excellent mentorship opportunities. The focus of this role can be adjusted based on the candidate’s strengths and interest as well as experience level.

• Work with the team to design analog/mixed signal circuit which includes but not limited to, data converter (DAC and/or ADC), low-noise, high bandwidth, and high linearity amplifier circuit, and any relevant circuits for e-beam deflection, alignment, and detection subsystems.
• Co-ordinate with the design team on quick turnaround prototyping, all the way from preliminary feasibility study, schematic, PCB layout to prototype validation on the tool.
• Conduct systematic precision measurements to characterizePCBA and e-beam deflection, alignment, and detection subsystems on the bench and on the tool as well. Analyze measurement data with basic scripting languages (such as Python), generate test result documents and communicate the results effectively across engineering team.
• Working with hardware, firmware, and software systems engineers to derive function/performance specification for e-beam column electronics subsystems from high level requirements.
• Conduct schematic capture, circuit simulation, PCB layout for all types of circuits mentioned above,with strong ability of troubleshooting and problem solving.
• Support various subsystem level and system level integration and troubleshooting

Degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or an equivalent engineering field

• Master with +8 years of hands-on experience or Ph. D. with 3+ years’ experience

· The successful candidate should be a self-motivated team player with initiative, dedication, and strong communication skills.

• Hands-on experience on LNA(low noise amplifier)/TIA/TCA/ADC/DAC circuit design, performance quantification and optimization, including corresponding front-end circuits.
• Familiar with PCB/PCBA design tooling: Altium (preferred), OrCAD/Allegro, and etc.
• Familiar with simulation tooling, such as LTSpice, TINA, Matlab Simnulink ,for circuit performance modeling
• Being able to interpret and qualify circuit through general indicators such as SNR/SFDR, ENOB, PSRR, INL/DNL, Phase noise ...etc
• Familiar with equipment such as DMM, SMU, TDR, signal / function generator, oscilloscope, signal / spectral analyzer, and network analyzer.
• Knowledge and experiences of board level and subsystem level shielding and grounding
• Experienced with high-voltage(>100VDC) signal amplifier circuit design.
• Familiar with electrical element selection based on characteristics, performance, application, and cost.
• Knowledge and experiences of test/measurement automation
• Knowledge and experiences of PCBA / module level thermal management is a plus.
• Knowledge and experiences of signal integrity and power integrity is a plus.