Silicon Validation Engineer

Apple • San Diego, CA

2h • $142,300 - $214,300 • Onsite

About The Position

Apple Inc. is hiring a Silicon Validation Engineer in San Diego, California. The role focuses on crafting, developing, and testing cellular SoC implementations to confirm they meet their specifications. The engineer reviews design specifications and schematics and uses specialized test platforms to validate RFIC operation. The role also uses scripting languages and embedded firmware to confirm functionality and evaluate cellular RF SoC performance.

Responsibilities include reviewing chip specifications and working with the design team to develop characterization test plans; defining, developing, and maintaining laboratory test setups; building automation software for silicon-device characterization, data collection, and analysis; debugging and resolving engineering issues with cross-functional teams; and validating and optimizing system performance against specifications. The position is 40 hours per week.

The stated base-pay range is $142,300–$214,300 per year, with pay dependent on skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Apple describes additional compensation and benefits that may include discretionary stock awards, an employee stock purchase plan, medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, discounted products and free services, tuition reimbursement for certain career-related education, discretionary bonuses or commissions, and relocation assistance. Eligibility and applicable plan terms apply.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• At least 3 years of experience in the job offered or a related occupation.
• Experience designing characterization test plans and validation methodologies for RF transceiver SoC validation based on design specifications.
• Experience performing RFIC bring-up, characterization, optimization, and block-level debugging of LNAs, mixers, PLLs, VCOs, ADCs, DACs, and DSP blocks for cellular SoC validation.
• Experience applying LTE/5G RF performance parameters, including phase noise, EVM, ACLR, IIP2, IIP3, and P1dB, for cellular SoC characterization.
• Experience operating RF laboratory instruments, including spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, signal generators, and oscilloscopes, to validate RFIC performance.
• Experience using Python to develop test automation frameworks for RF SoC characterization and data collection.
• Experience using Git or GitLab to manage and maintain RF test automation scripts and equipment driver libraries.
• Experience performing system-level RF performance testing using firmware-based RF control and FPGA-based test platforms.
• Experience using MATLAB, Tableau, or JMP to process, analyze, and visualize RF characterization data for silicon-device performance reporting.
• Experience supporting ATE development and mass-production testing for RF SoC devices.
• Experience in hardware board schematic review and PCB layout evaluation for RF SoC validation board design.

Responsibilities

• Craft, develop, and test cellular SoC implementations to verify that they meet design specifications.
• Review design specifications and schematics and use specialized test platforms to validate RFIC operation.
• Use scripting languages with embedded firmware to confirm functionality and evaluate cellular RF SoC performance.
• Review chip specifications and collaborate with the design team to define and develop comprehensive characterization test plans.
• Define, develop, and maintain laboratory test setups.
• Develop automation software for silicon-device characterization, including data collection and analysis.
• Debug and resolve engineering issues in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Validate and optimize system performance to meet expected behavior according to system specifications.
• Perform RFIC bring-up, characterization, optimization, and block-level debugging for cellular SoCs.
• Support ATE development and mass-production testing for RF SoC devices.
• Review hardware board schematics and evaluate PCB layouts for RF SoC validation board design.

Benefits

• Discretionary restricted stock unit awards
• Employee stock purchase plan with the opportunity to purchase Apple stock at a discount
• Comprehensive medical coverage
• Comprehensive dental coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Discounted products and free services
• Reimbursement for certain educational expenses, including tuition, for formal education related to advancing a career at Apple
• May be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments
• May be eligible for relocation assistance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level