Post Silicon Hardware Validation Staff Engineer at Renesas… · Johns…

Company Description

We are seeking an experienced hardware validation & characterization engineer to characterize and validate next-generation high-speed memory interface silicon. This role is highly hands-on and laboratory focused, requiring extensive experience with electrical measurements, silicon bring-up, signal integrity, and debugging of high-speed mixed-signal devices.

The ideal candidate enjoys solving difficult hardware problems using advanced laboratory equipment and possesses a deep understanding of high-speed electrical interfaces rather than software development.

Job Description

Hardware Validation & Characterization

• Perform bench validation and electrical characterization of high-speed mixed-signal memory interface devices.
• Execute silicon bring-up and hardware debugging from first silicon through production release.
• Measure and characterize critical electrical, timing, jitter, voltage, and signal integrity parameters.
• Utilize advanced laboratory instrumentation including:
  • High-bandwidth oscilloscopes
  • BERTs (Bit Error Rate Testers)
  • High-speed pattern generators
  • Network analyzers
  • Logic analyzers
  • High-precision power supplies
• Apply advanced measurement techniques including:
  • De-embedding
  • High-impedance probing
  • Differential probing
  • Eye diagram analysis
  • Jitter analysis
  • Noise characterization
• Debug complex hardware issues involving signal integrity, timing margins, power delivery, termination networks, PCB effects, and package interactions.
• Correlate bench measurements with simulation and design expectations to improve silicon performance.

Design Collaboration

• Work directly with Analog, Mixed-Signal, Digital, SI/PI, Package, and Product Engineering teams.
• Support root-cause analysis of silicon issues discovered during validation.
• Drive hardware-based debug using systematic electrical measurements rather than software-only analysis.
• Recommend design improvements based on laboratory characterization data.

Data Analysis & Documentation

• Analyze characterization results to identify failure mechanisms and performance trends.
• Develop repeatable validation methodologies and characterization procedures.
• Document test methods, hardware setups, measurement assumptions, and validation results.
• Present technical findings to design, product, and executive engineering teams.

Note: Python or similar scripting languages are used primarily for automating test execution and processing measurement data—not for software development.

Qualifications

​​​​​​​Required Skills

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering.
• 8+ years of hands-on laboratory experience validating high-speed semiconductor devices.
• Strong background in:
  • High-speed analog and mixed-signal circuits
  • Hardware validation
  • Silicon characterization
  • Silicon bring-up
  • Post-silicon validation
• Extensive experience with:
  • Oscilloscopes (20GHz+ preferred)
  • BERT systems
  • High-speed probing
  • Signal integrity measurements
  • Compliance testing
  • Eye diagram analysis
  • Jitter measurements
• Strong understanding of:
  • Signal integrity
  • Transmission lines
  • Reflection and termination
  • Crosstalk
  • Equalization
  • Power integrity
  • High-speed PCB design fundamentals
• Experience debugging hardware at the board, package, and silicon level.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills in a laboratory environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• Experience with DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5, MRDIMM, RDIMM, or memory buffer devices.
• Experience validating:
  • Memory PHYs
  • High-speed SerDes
  • PCIe
  • USB
  • Ethernet
  • Other multi-Gbps interfaces
• Familiarity with:
  • IBIS-AMI
  • HyperLynx
  • ADS
  • HFSS
  • Sigrity
  • Cadence SI tools
• Experience correlating silicon measurements to simulation models.
• Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW for test automation and data processing.

Additional Information

What We’re Looking For

We are specifically seeking engineers with a strong hardware background who spend the majority of their time in the lab performing electrical measurements and debugging silicon.

This role is not a software development, firmware, embedded software, machine learning, or data science position.

Candidates with demonstrated experience in:

• Post-silicon validation
• Component characterization
• Electrical engineering laboratories
• High-speed memory interfaces
• Signal integrity
• Mixed-signal hardware debugging

will be highly preferred.

Renesas is an embedded semiconductor solution provider driven by its Purpose, To Make Our Lives Easier. With a global team of over 21,000 engineers and problem solvers in more than 30 countries, we offer the opportunity to work on world‑leading technology for Automotive, Industrial, Infrastructure, and IoT, shaping a safer, healthier, greener, and smarter future.

At Renesas, TAGIE is our culture, grounded in being Transparent, Agile, Global, Innovative, and Entrepreneurial. It shapes how we work, grow and deliver on our purpose together. This collaborative spirit and mindset drive our semiconductor technology to transform industries and impact millions of lives.

We believe in rewarding our employees with a competitive benefits package alongside their salary. More information will be provided during the hiring process.

Are you ready to join our team and shape the future with us?

Renesas Electronics is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to supporting diversity and fostering a work environment free of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For more information, please read our Diversity & Inclusion Statement.

Renesas Electronics deals with dual-use technology that is subject to U.S. export controls regulations. Under these regulations it may be necessary for Renesas to obtain U.S. government export license prior to release of technology to certain persons. The decision whether or not to file or pursue an export license application is at the sole discretion of Renesas.