Technical Staff Engineer- Validation

Microchip•Chandler, AZ

About The Position

Microchip Technology Inc.’s Mixed-Signal and Linear Division (MSLD) is seeking an experienced Technical Staff Validation Engineer specializing in Delta-Sigma ADCs and precision mixed-signal products. The role requires hands-on expertise in analog and mixed-signal hardware, precision measurement, and system-level validation. The engineer will lead complex validation activities from first silicon through product release, partner with Design and Applications teams to resolve silicon and system-level issues, and develop scalable hardware and automation solutions to improve validation capability and efficiency. The position focuses on developing validation strategies and hardware test solutions for high-resolution ADCs. It requires knowledge of Delta-Sigma architectures, signal integrity, low-noise measurement techniques, clocking, reference design, and dynamic and static ADC performance characterization. The engineer will also provide technical leadership and mentorship, contribute to product documentation and release decisions, and drive reusable improvements across product developments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related discipline.
12 or more years of hands-on experience in semiconductor validation, characterization, mixed-signal test, or a closely related engineering discipline.
Deep understanding of Delta-Sigma ADCs, including oversampling, quantization noise, noise shaping, decimation filters, digital filtering, sampling theory, aliasing, and ADC noise mechanisms.
Strong knowledge of ADC performance characterization, including dynamic FFT analysis, SNR/SINAD, THD/THD+N, SFDR, ENOB, INL/DNL, offset and gain error, noise spectral density, and reference and power-supply sensitivity.
Strong hands-on analog hardware skills, including schematic interpretation, PCB bring-up, signal integrity, grounding, shielding, power integrity, low-noise design, clock distribution, reference circuits, and precision signal conditioning.
Extensive experience using laboratory instrumentation such as precision signal generators, Audio Precision analyzers, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, digital multimeters, power supplies, and NI PXI/PXIe instrumentation.
Strong understanding of measurement-system limitations, including instrument noise floor, harmonic distortion, clock jitter, impedance/loading, cabling, grounding, fixture parasitics, and source/DUT interactions.
Experience developing automated validation systems using LabVIEW, Python, MATLAB, or similar environments.
Experience with digital interfaces such as SPI, I²C, and other device-control interfaces used for silicon configuration and test.
Strong debugging and root-cause analysis skills, including differentiating silicon behavior from test-system, hardware, instrumentation, or software limitations.
Ability to solve complex mixed-signal measurement problems independently and collaborate with Design, Applications, Product, Test, and Validation Engineering teams.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including communicating complex technical findings to engineering teams and technical leadership.
Demonstrated ability to provide technical direction, mentorship, and leadership across validation activities and multiple product developments.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead development and execution of silicon validation and characterization strategies for Delta-Sigma ADCs and precision mixed-signal products.
Define validation requirements and methodologies for ADC performance parameters, including SNR, SINAD, THD, THD+N, SFDR, ENOB, INL, DNL, offset, gain error, noise, linearity, input bandwidth, and reference performance.
Design and develop precision bench-level hardware, evaluation boards, test fixtures, signal-conditioning circuitry, and automated measurement platforms.
Develop measurement methodologies addressing clock integrity, jitter, grounding, shielding, power-supply and reference noise, signal integrity, coherent sampling, FFT analysis, and measurement-system noise floors.
Perform characterization across voltage, temperature, frequency, sampling rate, gain, operating mode, and other applicable operating conditions.
Work with Design Engineering to understand ADC architectures and translate architectural requirements into measurable silicon performance.
Lead first-silicon bring-up and complex hardware and silicon debug, isolating issues among the DUT, test hardware, instrumentation, firmware/software, and silicon design.
Analyze bench data to identify performance limitations, anomalies, and root causes, and collaborate with Design Engineering on corrective actions and design improvements.
Develop automated characterization environments using NI PXI/PXIe instrumentation, LabVIEW, Python, MATLAB, or equivalent platforms.
Correlate bench measurements with design expectations, simulation results, datasheet specifications, and other validation or production data.
Provide characterization data and analysis to support datasheets, application documentation, product qualification, and release decisions.
Participate in architecture, design, and validation reviews, advising on testability, measurement methodology, hardware architecture, validation coverage, and product risk.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to validation engineers in precision measurement, ADC characterization, test hardware development, debugging, and automation practices.
Drive improvements in validation hardware, methodologies, instrumentation, automation, and reusable test platforms across product developments.