SerDes Circuit Design Engineer

Apple • Waltham, MA

2d

About The Position

Join Apple’s high-speed SerDes team to design next-generation, high-performance wireline transceivers and intellectual property for Apple system-on-chip products. Work with cross-functional Analog Mixed-Signal design teams to create and deliver state-of-the-art IP, with a focus on high quality, innovation, efficiency, and product experience.

Develop high-performance, high-speed Analog Mixed-Signal circuits for SerDes PHYs. Evaluate circuit topologies against product requirements and power, performance, and area goals. Collaborate with architecture, SIPI, packaging, board design, DFT, ESD, and SoC teams to define block specifications, implement transistor-level designs, create behavioral models, drive mask design and layout, and deliver IP views that meet quality standards. Communicate progress and discuss ideas with peers and management throughout development.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Strong fundamentals and a track record of tackling technical challenges.
• Deep understanding of Analog Mixed-Signal design and experience with high-speed serial links.
• Understanding of analog mixed-signal circuit blocks, including bandgap and biasing circuits, LDO regulators, amplifiers, comparators, switched-capacitor circuits, ADCs, DACs, oscillators, and filters.
• Understanding of mismatch mitigation, linearity, stability, low-power, and low-noise techniques.
• Understanding of digitally assisted analog design, such as background calibration and LMS-based adaptive loops.
• Experience with high-speed digital circuits, such as serializers, deserializers, counters, and dividers, and solid understanding of digital design concepts.
• Knowledge of Tx/Rx equalization techniques and circuits, including CTLE, DFE, and de-emphasis, for 64+ Gbps NRZ and PAM applications.
• Knowledge of CDR architectures and implementations.
• Knowledge of lab equipment and testing.
• Experience in Analog Mixed-Signal circuit modeling and performance evaluation using tools such as SystemVerilog, Matlab, Python, or VerilogAMS.
• Hands-on experience with advanced CMOS technologies and FinFET design.
• Hands-on experience in AMS IC development from definition through high-volume production, including layout supervision, bench evaluation, correlation, and characterization.
• Understanding of timing closure and related industry tools, such as Nanotime and Primetime.
• Experience testing high-speed serial I/O in the lab, including debug and data analysis techniques.
• Knowledge of common high-speed SerDes protocols, such as PCIe, USB, DP, and MPHY.
• Passion for learning new skills, improving the value of one’s work, and addressing problems while considering both details and the bigger picture.

Nice To Haves

• Skills in scripting and automation to enhance efficiency are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop high-performance, high-speed Analog Mixed-Signal circuits for SerDes PHYs.
• Evaluate circuit topologies for product requirements and power, performance, and area goals.
• Work on SerDes circuit areas such as Rx, CDR, Tx, bias generators, high-speed clock generation and low-jitter distribution, high-speed analog signal chains, and mixed-signal calibration and algorithms.
• Collaborate with architecture, SIPI, packaging, board design, DFT, and ESD teams to create block-level specifications.
• Execute transistor-level implementation and behavioral modeling.
• Drive mask design to implement design layout views.
• Work with SoC teams to deliver IP views that meet quality standards.
• Communicate progress and discuss ideas with peers and management.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time