Principal Engineer, Failure Analysis Engineering

Responsibilities

• Support root cause failure investigations arising from reliability testing, manufacturing, and field returns.
• Develop and execute detailed failure analysis plans.
• Coordinate / conduct hands-on physical and electrical failure analysis (FA) using a variety of tools in-house and at outside labs (e.g., SEM, EDS, CSAM, X-ray, bench characterization).
• Perform material and defect characterization to identify failure modes in semiconductors, packages, and assemblies.
• Prepare clear and technically sound failure analysis reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Execute product qualification and reliability stress testing on semiconductor products (e.g., HTOL, TC, HAST).
• Collaborate with design, manufacturing, test, and quality engineering teams to ensure robust failure resolution.
• Support corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) based on FA findings. Generate 8D corrective action reports.
• Assist with customer communications to resolve quality issues and provide technical insights.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in product reliability, analysis methodologies, and lab capability development.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related STEM discipline.
• 5 years of industry experience in semiconductor reliability or failure analysis.
• Hands-on experience with FA techniques such as:
  • Material analysis: SEM, EDS, optical profiler.
  • Electrical testing: Oscilloscopes, curve tracers, thermal imaging.
  • Fault isolation: Photon emission, OBIRCH, X-ray, CSAM.
• Understanding of semiconductor device physics, packaging technologies, and common failure mechanisms (physics of failure).
• Experience analyzing failures caused by thermal, electrical, and mechanical stress.
• Familiar with JEDEC reliability standards and procedures.
• Project management experience with external reliability and FA labs.
• Strong statistical data analysis capability. Experience with data analysis packages (JMP, Python, etc.).
• Strong technical writing skills and ability to create detailed FA documentation, reliability reports, and qualification reports.
• Good verbal communication skills and ability to work in cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, with the ability to handle and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously in a timely manner in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph. D. degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or Materials Science.
• Experience with power and/or analog/mixed-signal ICs, or power IC failure modes.
• Experience with SiP architecture Reliability/FA and packaging failure mechanisms (e.g., electromigration, delamination).
• Experience supporting customer quality investigations and field return analysis.
• Prior reliability test and FA engagements with OSAT suppliers a plus.
• Exposure to reliability modeling and risk assessment methods such as FMEA, DOE, and Weibull analysis.
• HTOL and HAST board layout and schematic interpretation.

Pay

The expected wage range for a new hire into this position is $160,276 to $232,087. Actual wage offered may vary depending on work location, experience, education, training, external market data, internal pay equity, or other bona fide factors. This position qualifies for a discretionary performance-based bonus which is based on personal and company factors.

Benefits

• Medical, vision and dental coverage
• 401k
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick time
• Other benefits