Reliability Principal Enigneer

SkyWater Technology Foundry, Inc. • Bloomington, MN

16h

About The Position

Bold Thinking. World Changing. At SkyWater, our ingenuity helps improve lives around the world by manufacturing U.S. made semiconductors that are essential ingredients of modern life. Automotive safety enhancements, life-saving medical devices, consumer electronics and American security require semiconductors. Working in our Minnesota headquarters, Florida, or Texas location — employees join together to improve the world.
Explore what’s possible. Joining our U.S. - based team means contributing to and learning about the commercialization of some of the most exciting technologies the world has ever seen. We are turning “science fiction” into everyday reality through technologies such as superconducting, 3D integrated circuits or computer chips, carbon nanotubes, photonic logic devices, micro electro-mechanical systems and other emerging device topologies. We manufacture products for aerospace and defense, medical, automotive, consumer and industrial markets, to name a few. Our customers include emerging leaders who rely on our intellectual property security and quality manufacturing services.
Step into the future. SkyWater’s values of Integrity, Excellence, Collaboration, Empowerment and Growth Mindset guide us to cultivate an empowered, learning environment. We also invest in developing highly skilled, dedicated employees — and employees who are entering the workforce for the first time, from the military, and a variety of educational backgrounds.
Are you bold thinking? Find your place on our team and help us change the world!
SkyWater is hiring a highly skilled Reliability Principal Engineer with a deep understanding of Front-End-of-Line (FEOL) and Back-End-of-Line (BEOL) CMOS technology. As a Reliability Engineer in our organization, you will be responsible for ensuring the robustness, durability, and long-term performance of our semiconductor products. Your expertise in FEOL and BEOL CMOS technology will play a pivotal role in optimizing the reliability of our technology.

Requirements

• 10+ years experience with BS, 7-10 years of experience with MS, 5+ years of experience with PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science or a related field.
• Demonstrated semiconductor reliability experience (or equivalent), with demonstrated technical leadership across FEOL and BEOL reliability.
• Deep expertise in reliability physics, accelerated testing, statistical analysis, and lifetime modeling, demonstrated ability to establish qualification strategies and POR requirements.
• Hands-on familiarity with reliability test instrumentation and workflows (wafer-level reliability, parametric characterization, stress systems) and with failure analysis methodologies.
• Proficiency in statistical analysis software like JMP, Minitab, R, or Python for data analysis, data visualization, and reliability data modeling.
• Experience with reliability simulation tools, such as RelXpert for modeling and simulating reliability aspects of semiconductor devices and circuits.
• Familiarity with semiconductor design and simulation tools like Cadence Virtuoso, Synopsys HSPICE, or TCAD simulation tools for verifying the reliability of integrated circuits at the design stage.
• Proven cross-functional collaboration and strong written and verbal communication skills, including customer-facing technical discussions.

Responsibilities

• Set and own the reliability strategy, standards, and qualification roadmaps across assigned technology nodes and product families, define and maintain the reliability POR including stress conditions, sample plans, success criteria, and reporting requirements.
• Architect and lead end-to-end reliability characterization and qualification spanning wafer, package, and product-level testing, ensure efficient coverage of operating corners, environmental conditions, and application-driven stress profiles.
• Own FEOL reliability assessment and mitigation, including: BTI (NBTI/PBTI), HCI, TDDB, charge trapping and interface-state generation, oxide integrity, and related device wear-out mechanisms, translate findings into process/ design recommendations and operating limits.
• Own BEOL reliability assessment and mitigation, including: electromigration (EM), stress migration (SM), dielectric integrity, corrosion/contamination-related risks as applicable, and interconnect/via/TSV-related reliability where relevant, translate findings into layout/process guidance and reliability limits.
• Develop, validate, and govern lifetime projection methodologies (e.g., Weibull statistics, acceleration models, temperature/field dependencies), clearly document assumptions, confidence, and limitations for decision-making.
• Lead advanced failure analysis and root-cause investigations, establish hypotheses, design targeted experiments/DOEs, and drive cross-functional corrective and preventive actions to closure.
• Represent reliability in executive program reviews and customer engagements, communicate technical risk, confidence level, and required actions in clear, decision-oriented language.
• Drive organizational capability improvements: mentor senior engineers, standardize test/analysis workflows, champion automation and data quality, and influence lab/tool investments to close capability gaps.

Benefits

• SkyWater offers competitive salary and an opportunity to participate in incentive plans as well other employee financial benefits including 401k match, life insurance and opportunities to purchase SkyWater stock at a discounted rate.
• Additionally, SkyWater offers a comprehensive benefits package which promotes a healthy life. This includes benefit eligibility day one, medical, dental, mental health benefits, vision, legal planning, short- and long-term disability, paid time off, paid holidays, an on-site fitness facility, and an on-site self-serve market.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree