Technical Staff Engineer- Validation

Microchip Technology Inc.•Chandler, AZ

About The Position

Microchip Technology Inc.'s Mixed-Signal and Linear Division (MSLD) is seeking a highly experienced Technical Staff Validation Engineer specializing in Delta-Sigma ADCs and precision mixed-signal products. The position requires hands-on expertise in analog and mixed-signal hardware, precision measurement techniques, and system-level validation. The engineer will develop validation strategies and hardware test solutions for high-resolution ADCs, drawing on knowledge of Delta-Sigma architectures, signal integrity, low-noise measurement techniques, clocking, reference design, and dynamic and static ADC performance characterization. As a senior technical contributor, this engineer will lead complex validation from first silicon through product release, work closely 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 role also provides technical leadership and mentorship to validation engineers and contributes to reusable validation platforms and product release decisions.

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 understanding of ADC performance characterization, including SNR/SINAD, THD/THD+N, SFDR, ENOB, FFT-based dynamic analysis, INL/DNL, offset and gain error, noise and 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 with 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 and loading, cabling, grounding, fixture parasitics, and source/device 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 the ability to distinguish silicon behavior from test-system, hardware, instrumentation, or software limitations.
Ability to independently solve complex mixed-signal measurement problems while collaborating with Design, Applications, Product, Test, and Validation Engineering teams.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate 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.

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 hardware, evaluation boards, test fixtures, signal-conditioning circuitry, and automated measurement platforms for high-resolution ADC characterization.
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 conditions.
Work with Design Engineering to understand Delta-Sigma ADC architectures, analog front ends, references, clocking, digital filters, decimation, and device operating modes, and translate architectural requirements into measurable silicon performance.
Lead first-silicon bring-up and complex hardware and silicon debugging, isolating issues among the device under test, test hardware, instrumentation, firmware or 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 available 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, contributing senior-level input 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 best practices.
Drive improvements in validation hardware, methodologies, instrumentation, automation, and reusable test platforms across multiple product developments.