Hardware Evaluation Engineer

Client:

Our client a leading Multinational Semiconductor Company requires Contract Lab Test Engineer – PMIC Validation, Python & FPGA Hardware Evaluation Enginee r for 6 month daily rate position based in Cork City, Ireland.

Do to the nature of the work you will be required to be onsite 5 days per week.

Role:

We are seeking a hands-on Lab Test Engineer to support the validation, characterization, and benchmarking of Power Management ICs (PMICs) . The role involves laboratory evaluation of PMICs and associated evaluation boards, development of Python-based test automation, FPGA-based hardware control and evaluation, and detailed electrical characterization using oscilloscopes and other laboratory instrumentation.

The successful candidate will work closely with Analog Design, Digital Design, Applications, Verification, Firmware, and Product Engineering teams to validate PMIC functionality and performance across operating conditions.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute PMIC validation and characterization test plans .
• Perform laboratory evaluation and benchmarking of PMIC evaluation boards and silicon.
• Characterize DC/DC converters, LDOs, power rails, and power-management functions .
• Perform electrical measurements using oscilloscopes, electronic loads, power supplies, multimeters, signal generators, and other laboratory equipment.
• Measure and analyze:
• Output voltage regulation
• Load regulation
• Line regulation
• Power-up and power-down behavior
• Startup and shutdown sequences
• Power sequencing
• Load transient response
• Line transient response
• Output ripple and noise
• Switching frequency
• Efficiency
• Quiescent current
• Shutdown current
• Over-voltage/under-voltage protection
• Current limiting and short-circuit behavior
• Thermal and operating-condition performance
• Use high-bandwidth oscilloscopes to evaluate switching waveforms, transient response, ringing, overshoot/undershoot, noise, ripple, and timing .
• Develop Python scripts and automated test frameworks for PMIC characterization and laboratory benchmarking.
• Automate test equipment using interfaces such as SCPI, VISA, USB, Ethernet, or GPIB .
• Develop automated test sequences for repeatable PMIC measurements and regression testing.
• Use FPGA hardware for device control, digital interface evaluation, sequencing, and system-level PMIC testing where applicable.
• Evaluate PMIC digital interfaces such as I²C, SPI, PMBus, GPIO, and other control interfaces .
• Collect, process, and analyze characterization data using Python.
• Compare silicon measurements against datasheet specifications, design targets, simulations, and previous silicon revisions .
• Support silicon bring-up, post-silicon validation, characterization, and product qualification .
• Investigate unexpected behavior and perform systematic hardware/test-setup troubleshooting.
• Work with design and applications teams to identify root causes of performance deviations.
• Develop laboratory benchmarks and reusable test procedures.
• Maintain test scripts, laboratory setups, evaluation boards, fixtures, and test documentation.
• Prepare detailed characterization reports, measurement plots, and technical presentations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Power Electronics, or a related field .

Experience:

You will have at least 5 years of experience in the following:

• Experience in semiconductor validation, hardware testing, or laboratory characterization .
• Hands-on experience with oscilloscopes and electronic measurement equipment .
• Strong Python scripting/programming skills.
• Experience with automated laboratory testing and data acquisition.
• Understanding of power electronics and power-management circuits .
• Experience evaluating electronic boards and semiconductor devices.
• Ability to interpret schematics, datasheets, application notes, and electrical specifications.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with PMIC validation and characterization .
• Experience testing:
• Buck converters
• Boost converters
• Buck-boost converters
• LDOs
• Battery-management functions
• Power sequencing/control circuits
• Understanding of switching regulator behavior and control loops.
• Experience measuring load transient response, efficiency, ripple, noise, and stability .
• Familiarity with compensation and loop-response measurements is advantageous.
• Experience with FPGA-based test and evaluation platforms .
• Experience with I²C, SPI, PMBus, GPIO, UART, or similar interfaces.
• Experience with Python libraries such as PyVISA, NumPy, Pandas, SciPy, and Matplotlib .
• Experience with automated testing frameworks such as pytest .
• Familiarity with Linux and Git.
• Experience with semiconductor silicon bring-up and post-silicon validation .

Laboratory Equipment

Hands-on experience with:

• High-bandwidth digital oscilloscopes
• Differential and current probes
• Electronic loads
• Programmable DC power supplies
• Digital multimeters
• Function/signal generators
• Power analyzers
• Spectrum analyzers
• Logic/protocol analyzers
• Frequency counters
• Thermal measurement equipment

Core Technical Skills:

PMIC & Power

• PMIC characterization
• DC/DC converters
• LDOs
• Power sequencing
• Load/line regulation
• Transient response
• Efficiency measurements
• Ripple and noise
• Protection functions

Automation

• Python
• PyVISA
• SCPI
• NumPy / Pandas / SciPy
• Matplotlib
• Pytest
• Automated test equipment

Digital & FPGA

• FPGA evaluation
• I²C
• SPI
• PMBus
• GPIO
• JTAG
• Digital hardware debugging

Laboratory

• Oscilloscope-based characterization
• Electronic loads
• Power supplies
• Signal generators
• Power analyzers
• Automated data acquisition

Key Deliverables

• PMIC validation and characterization test plans.
• Automated Python-based laboratory test suites.
• PMIC electrical performance benchmarks.
• Oscilloscope-based transient, ripple, noise, and switching measurements.
• FPGA-based evaluation and control solutions.
• Silicon characterization datasets and analysis.
• Automated test reports and performance plots.
• Root-cause analysis of device and system-level issues.
• Comprehensive validation and characterization documentation.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

The ideal candidate is a hands-on PMIC Lab/Validation Engineer who can take a new PMIC from silicon bring-up through laboratory characterization and benchmarking . They should be comfortable working at the bench with oscilloscopes and power equipment, writing Python automation, controlling evaluation hardware/FPGA platforms, analyzing power waveforms, and collaborating with analog, digital, firmware, and applications engineers.

Contact:

For further information please contact Mícheál at Software Placements Ltd on 00353 1 5254642 or email [email protected]