Sr Principal PCB Design Engineer

FormFactor•Livermore, CA

16h•Onsite

About The Position

FormFactor is seeking an experienced Sr Principal PCB Design Engineer to lead the design and development of advanced high-performance probe card printed circuit boards supporting next-generation semiconductor test solutions. This role serves as a technical leader for complex PCB architectures, driving design quality, schedule execution, process improvements, and collaboration across Electrical Design Engineering (EDE), Signal Integrity (SI), Mechanical Engineering (ME), Applications Engineering, Manufacturing, and external suppliers. The Sr Principal PCB Design Engineer will be responsible for the most challenging and strategic PCB designs, including advanced HBM, high-speed digital, RF, and mixed-signal applications. The position requires deep technical expertise, strong leadership skills, and the ability to mentor designers while influencing design methodologies and engineering best practices across a global organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or related technical field.
PCB design experience in high-speed digital, RF, mixed-signal, or semiconductor-related products.
Expert knowledge of PCB layout tools such as Cadence Allegro, Siemens Xpedition, or equivalent.
Strong understanding of high-speed signal routing, powder distribution network design, controlled impedance design, design for manufacturing (DFM), design for assembly (DFA), and PCB fabrication and assembly technologies.
Experience designing complex multilayer boards with high-density interconnects (HDI), BGAs, microvias, and advanced packaging technologies.
Ability to independently drive technically challenging projects with minimal supervision.
Strong problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.
Experience supporting semiconductor test hardware, probe cards, or advanced packaging applications.
Knowledge of signal integrity and power integrity concepts.
Experience working in global engineering organizations.
Experience mentoring PCB designers and leading technical initiatives.
Familiarity with automation, scripting, and PCB design process optimization.
Minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years experience; or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

Expert Knowledge in PCB manufacturing and assembly/test a strong plus

Responsibilities

Lead architecture, layout, and implementation of highly complex multilayer PCB designs for semiconductor test and probe card applications.
Develop innovative design solutions for high-density, high-speed, and high-current products, including HBM and advanced packaging technologies.
Drive design execution from concept through release while ensuring schedule, quality, and manufacturability objectives are achieved.
Partner closely with SI, EDE, Applications, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain teams to optimize product performance and reliability.
Define PCB stackups, routing strategies, impedance requirements, power distribution networks, and manufacturability considerations.
Perform and review constraint management, signal integrity implementation, power integrity requirements, and design rule compliance.
Provide technical leadership and mentoring for PCB designers across multiple regions.
Establish and improve PCB design methodologies, standards, checklists, automation workflows, and best practices.
Lead technical reviews and support root cause analysis of design, manufacturing, and field-related issues.
Evaluate and deploy new design tools, technologies, and automation opportunities to improve engineering efficiency.
Support customer escalations and critical business priorities requiring advanced technical expertise.