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Staff Engineer - Validation

Austin, Texas, United States

Company Overview 

Ambiq's mission is to enable intelligence everywhere by delivering the lowest power semiconductor solutions. Ambiq is a pioneer and a leading provider of ultra-low-power semiconductor solutions based on our proprietary and patented sub- and near-threshold technologies. With the increasing power requirements of artificial intelligence (AI) computing, our customers are relying on our solutions to deliver AI to edge environments. Our hardware and software innovations fundamentally deliver a multi-fold improvement in power consumption over traditional semiconductor designs without expensive process geometry scaling. We began in 2010 by addressing the power consumption challenges of battery-powered devices at the edge, where they were most pronounced. As of the beginning of 2025, we've shipped more than 280+ million units worldwide. 

Our innovative and fast-moving teams of design, research, development, production, marketing, sales, and operations are spread across several continents, including the US (Austin), Taiwan (Hsinchu), China (Shanghai and Shenzhen), and Singapore. We value relentless technology innovation, a deep commitment to customer success, collaborative problem-solving, and an enthusiastic pursuit of energy efficiency. We embrace candidates who also share these same values. The successful candidate must be self-motivated, creative, and comfortable learning and driving exciting new technologies. We encourage and nurture an environment that fosters growth and opportunities to work on complex, meaningful, and challenging projects, creating a lasting impact and shaping the future of technology. Join us on our quest for enabling billions of intelligent devices. The intelligence everywhere revolution starts here. 

Scope  

The Staff Validation Hardware Design Engineer is responsible for architecting, designing, and managing the fabrication and production of printed circuit board (PCB) hardware to support internal silicon validation and characterization, automated system tools, and application boards. This includes designing the board hardware schematics and PCB layout, creating fabrication files and drawings, and managing the assembly, production, and test of the system. The candidate will develop automated software and test scripts for validating board hardware and microcontroller interoperability, and participate in other aspects of board-level silicon hardware development and silicon validation.

 Responsibilities 

  • Lead the architecture and system design of custom ultra-low power PCB hardware used for silicon validation, automation tools, application and system evaluation, and demonstration systems
  • Review board technical specifications and design details with internal engineering teams
  • Create hardware system guidelines, user manuals, and other documentation
  • Identify and evaluate specific board components needed to meet hardware system specifications
  • PCB schematic design entry and simulation using Cadence Orcad schematic capture tools
  • PCB layout design, editing, and optimization using Cadence Allegro PCB layout tools
  • Create PCB bill-of-materials and manage component database content and synchronization
  • Create PCB fabrication files and drawings, and review for cost and manufacturability
  • Work with board fabrication and assembly manufacturers throughout the board build process
  • Create test plans for board hardware system bring-up and performance characterization
  • Develop software test scripts using TCL and/or Python and embedded C/C++ for automated board hardware testing 
  • Internal engineering team and external customer board hardware system support
  • Work with the silicon design and SOC layout team to optimize BGA and CSP package ball maps and package substrate routing to ensure best performance and lowest PCB manufacturing cost
  • Verify board hardware meets compliance standards (USB, MIPI display, Bluetooth LE, and other wireless protocols)
  • Perform PCB test routes for high-density BGA and CSP SOCs with integrated power converters, high-performance analog, RF, and high-speed digital interfaces
  • Support internal engineering teams and application engineers with MCU hardware system integration
  • Assist with silicon hardware validation and characterization efforts

Qualifications 

  • BS or MS in EE with 7+ years of experience designing printed circuit board hardware to support silicon validation, evaluation/demonstration systems, factory automation, ultra-low power battery powered devices, and/or related hardware equipment
  • 2+ years of embedded microcontroller software coding experience in C/C++
  • 2+ years of software scripting experience using TCL, shell, and/or Python in a Linux OS environment
  • Analog, digital, power supply, and FPGA custom board hardware design and development experience for microcontroller/SOC automated validation equipment
  • FPGA board-level hardware design and Verilog code development
  • Experience working with ARM microcontrollers or DSPs with complex analog, digital, and RF integration
  • Working knowledge of analog audio hardware interfaces, filters, amplifiers, and power supplies
  • Experience working in the lab directly with digital, analog audio, and RF electrical test and performance measurement equipment 
  • Experience using Cadence Orcad for schematic capture and Cadence Allegro for PCB layout to design and simulate multilayer HDI interconnect PCBs
  • In-depth understanding of PCB layout, fabrication, and material requirements to meet design goals for trace impedance and loading, signal integrity, power loss, shielding, cost, and manufacturability
  • Ability to debug and resolve complex board hardware issues related to analog and RF performance, power management behavior, power consumption, ESD, and radiated emissions
  • Experience using IBIS, PSPICE, and Allegro PCB simulation tools a plus
  • Experience designing ultra-low power measurement equipment a plus

What You Need 

We're seeking passionate technologists who thrive on pushing boundaries, solving complex challenges, and driving transformative solutions. 

At Ambiq, you'll collaborate with a dynamic team that values relentless innovation, customer-centric thinking, and continuous learning. If you're a self-motivated, creative problem-solver eager to push technological limits and make a meaningful impact in energy efficiency, this is your opportunity to grow, excel, and turn groundbreaking ideas into reality. 

Most importantly, the successful candidate will be able to live the Ambiq Shared Values: 

  • Innovate: We tenaciously find ways to break down the barriers to possible solutions 
  • Collaborate: We proactively communicate and encourage each other to be better. 
  • Focus: We keep the voice of the customer at the center of everything we do. 
  • Learn: We strive for continuous improvement and are always curious. 
  • Achieve: We execute on quality and follow through on our commitments. 

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