Principal Product Definition Engineer

About the Role

Semtech is a leading supplier of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors powering high-speed optical interconnects for hyperscale and AI data center networks, enterprise networking, wireless infrastructure, and passive optical access networks. The successful product definition engineer plays a critical leadership role as an interface between product marketing and engineering teams, defining technical requirements, performance targets, and features for next-generation IC products.

Responsibilities

• Product Definition for Next-generation High-Speed IC Products (40%)
  • Interface with customers and component partners to understand system and interconnect technical requirements, distilling these into IC-level specs via detailed product requirements documents.
  • Collaborate with analog, digital, and mechanical engineering teams and product management to work through design tradeoffs and feasibility analysis.
  • Refine and iterate with engineering to improve designs and optimize requirements throughout development and NPI based on measured data, simulations, and customer feedback.
  • Perform optical link analysis and simulation to support requirements definition and inform key parameter targets and tradeoffs.
• Optical Component and System Ecosystem Engagement (25%)
  • Drive Semtech’s technical engagement with the broader optical component and system equipment vendor ecosystem.
  • Build and maintain strategic relationships with PIC vendors, laser and photodiode suppliers, and host silicon providers to ensure technical compatibility, interoperability, and roadmap alignment.
  • Work with optical module and system architects, platform SI engineers, and other key network hardware partners to align on requirements and roadmap.
• Customer Technical Evangelism (15%)
  • Engage directly with customer engineers and end users as a subject matter expert to communicate Semtech’s technology, product performance, and technical value proposition.
  • Compare notes on industry technical direction with customers and partners.
• Industry Standards and MSA Engagement (15%)
  • Lead Semtech’s active participation in industry standards bodies defining next-generation high-speed interconnect applications.
  • Drive technical contributions to optical and electrical standards, MSA groups, and related forums to influence specification direction and build external credibility.
  • Translate standards activity into actionable product roadmap and NPI guidance.
• Represent Semtech at Conferences & Customer Events (5%)
  • Engage with key strategic customers and ecosystem partners at major industry conferences (DesignCon, OFC, CIOE, ECOC, OCP, and similar).
  • Give technical papers or presentations to promote Semtech technology and market position.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, or other relevant field.
• 8+ years of progressive hands-on technical experience in high-speed analog and mixed-signal circuit design and validation, optical components and transceivers, and/or physical layer networking.
• Deep expertise in signal integrity, signal equalization techniques, optical link budgets, and analog/mixed-signal system requirements for high-speed broadband communications (direct-detect and coherent optical transmission).
• Appreciation of IC layout concepts, device models, and the effects of parasitics and non-idealities on high-speed circuit performance.
• Experience engaging with optical component vendors (PIC, photodiode, or module suppliers) in design, system-level integration, co-development, or ecosystem partnership.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills; able to engage credibly with IC design engineers, customer technical teams, and industry peers.
• Team player able to collaborate across functional teams, build trust and influence without direct authority, and support areas outside direct responsibility.
• Comfortable working across global time zones in a dynamic, sometimes ambiguous environment.
• Self-starter able to make key decisions based on partial data and manage risks.

Qualifications (Preferred)

• Advanced degree (MSc, MEng, PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Direct prior experience in analog and mixed-signal circuit design and IC development for high-speed communications systems.
• Direct prior experience designing and developing active optical components (lasers, PICs, PDs), optical transceivers, or high-speed networking systems (switches, routers, NICs).
• Experience with coherent optical component, transceiver, or system development highly desired.
• Understanding of linear and non-linear channel simulation techniques; experience with ADS, HFSS, Matlab, or similar tools.
• Demonstrated participation in industry standards activities (IEEE 802.3, OIF, MSA groups, or equivalent).
• Understanding of analog building blocks (bias circuits, opamps, analog filters, CML logic, ADC/DACs, VCOs, PLLs, clock and data recovery circuits) using CMOS and/or BiCMOS technologies.
• Experience with semiconductor and optical packaging technologies, and manufacturing processes for ICs, PCBs, optical transceivers, or high-speed copper cables.
• Hands-on experience with lab equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers, optical power meters, sampling and real-time oscilloscopes.

Travel Requirements

This role requires a minimum of once-per-quarter travel, with frequency varying based on business priorities. Travel may include customer visits, industry tradeshows and conferences (DesignCon, OFC, CIOE, ECOC, OCP, and similar), and visits to Semtech sites across the US, Canada, and UK. Candidates should be comfortable with both domestic and international travel.