Senior RFIC Design Engineer

Company Overview

Novomorphic is a new semiconductor design venture backed by Cadence Design Systems, Welsh Government, and CSA Catapult. We have been established to build critical semiconductor design capability in the UK.

Our focus is advanced integrated circuit and electronic system design, with particular strength in low-power intelligent hardware, edge AI, digital design, analogue and mixed-signal systems, and compound semiconductor technologies.

We are building Novomorphic from the ground up. That means every person who joins us will help shape the company, its technical capability, and its culture. We value technical excellence, ownership, curiosity, collaboration, and practical delivery.

The Opportunity

Novomorphic is looking for a Senior RFIC Design Engineer to lead the development of high-performance RF and microwave front-ends, transceivers, RF system-in-package designs, and multi-chip module solutions for advanced communications and sensing applications.

This is a senior technical role for an engineer who can take ownership of complex RF and mixed-technology designs from concept through simulation, layout supervision, evaluation, characterisation, and validation. The role combines deep RFIC design, system-level thinking, practical delivery, and close collaboration with package, layout, test, and wider engineering teams.

Role Overview

As a Senior RFIC Design Engineer, you will be responsible for product development of RF system-in-package and multi-chip module designs across a range of target markets.

You will design RF receive and transmit signal chains, RF cores, signal interfaces, and co-packaged mixed-technology systems using modern RF, microwave, analogue, electromagnetic, and thermal design workflows. You will also help define technical direction, guide layout activity, support technology selection, and contribute to the delivery of robust communication systems.

What You Will Do

RFIC and Microwave Design

• Lead the design and development of RFICs, RF receive and transmit signal chains, RF cores, and the signal interfaces that support those chains.
• Develop high-performance RF and microwave front-ends and transceivers for complex communication systems.
• Design low-noise amplifiers and signal chain blocks such as quadrature mixers, low phase-noise PLLs, TX blocks, PA driver stages, switches, attenuators, VCOs, and amplifiers.
• Apply strong analogue, mixed-signal, and RF design judgement across architecture, circuit design, simulation, verification, and implementation.

Co-Packaged and Mixed-Technology Systems

• Develop co-packaged mixed-technology designs using current tools and methodologies.
• Design RF signal chains using multiple RF and analogue components across different semiconductor technologies within a single package.
• Support package-level design decisions, including RF and microwave package requirements, package modelling, and thermal management.
• Contribute to technology node and PDK selection and evaluation for RF, microwave, analogue, and mixed-signal applications.

Simulation, Verification and Validation

• Use best-practice design and verification techniques, tools, and flows to produce efficient designs that meet specification.
• Simulate RF signal chains and package models using advanced circuit, system, electromagnetic, and thermal simulation tools.
• Verify system performance at behavioural, architectural, circuit, and signal-chain level.
• Perform design evaluation, characterisation, validation, and detailed analysis of IC performance.

Layout, Technical Leadership and Delivery

• Supervise RF and microwave layout activity and provide clear technical direction to layout engineers.
• Undertake layout work where needed, particularly for sensitive RF, microwave, and high-frequency blocks.
• Lead high-calibre teams in the design and layout of RF and microwave integrated circuits.
• Document design decisions, raise risks early, communicate trade-offs clearly, and support delivery against project commitments.

What You Will Develop

• Advanced RF and microwave IC blocks for high-performance communication and sensing systems.
• RF receive and transmit signal chains, front-ends, transceivers, and signal interfaces.
• Co-packaged mixed-technology RF and analogue systems in system-in-package and multi-chip module formats.
• Package-aware RF designs using circuit, electromagnetic, package, and thermal simulation insight.
• Practical design flows and reusable engineering approaches that improve delivery quality across Novomorphic projects.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a senior engineer with strong RF fundamentals, proven RF and microwave IC delivery experience, and the confidence to lead complex technical work in a commercial semiconductor environment.

You should be comfortable moving between architecture, circuit design, simulation, package-aware design, layout supervision, lab evaluation, and technical communication.

Essential Requirements

• Master's degree in electronics engineering, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 10+ years' experience as an analogue and RF circuit designer.
• Strong fundamentals in analogue, mixed-signal, RF, and microwave design, including relevant tools and flows.
• A track record of successful RF and microwave IC development.
• Ability to innovate, design, simulate, and verify system performance at behavioural and architectural level, supported by strong RF understanding.
• Experience leading high-calibre teams in the design and layout of RF and microwave integrated circuits.
• Experience selecting and evaluating technology nodes and PDKs.
• Solid understanding of S-parameters, transmission-line theory, RF networks, and RF circuit blocks such as switches, attenuators, LNAs, mixers, PLLs, VCOs, and amplifiers.
• Good understanding of high-frequency and high-speed layout best practice.
• Knowledge of, and design experience with, circuits such as OTAs, DACs, ADCs, bandgaps, bias circuits, and LDOs.
• Understanding of RF and microwave package requirements and thermal management.
• Strong written, presentation, and general communication skills.

Desirable Experience

• Set-up and use of RF test equipment and strong lab best practice.
• Use of electromagnetic simulators for RF, microwave, and package-aware design.
• Proficiency in SystemVerilog, real-number modelling, and Verilog-A.
• Experience working across RFIC, analogue IC, package, PCB, test, and systems engineering boundaries.
• Experience contributing to customer-facing or product-focused semiconductor development programmes.

Tools and Environments

Relevant tools will depend on the project and technology platform. Experience with RFIC design, analogue simulation, electromagnetic simulation, package modelling, behavioural modelling, and lab characterisation environments will be valuable.

• RF and analogue IC design and simulation tools.
• Electromagnetic simulation and package modelling tools.
• Behavioural modelling using Verilog-A, SystemVerilog, and real-number modelling where useful.
• RF laboratory test equipment and measurement workflows.

We Value Engineers Who

• Take ownership and follow through.
• Enjoy solving difficult technical problems.
• Are curious, practical, and willing to learn quickly.
• Can work independently without disappearing into a silo.
• Collaborate well with people from different disciplines.
• Communicate clearly, especially when raising risks or blockers.
• Are comfortable in a start-up environment where priorities can move quickly.
• Want to build real semiconductor capability, not just write papers.

What Success Looks Like

• You take clear technical ownership of RFIC and RF signal-chain design work.
• You produce well-structured simulations, design reviews, trade-off analysis, and documentation that help the team make strong engineering decisions.
• You guide layout activity effectively and identify RF, microwave, package, and thermal risks early.
• You contribute to measurable progress on RF system-in-package, multi-chip module, and transceiver development.
• You help build Novomorphic's RF and microwave design capability through practical delivery, mentoring, and strong engineering judgement.

Why Join Novomorphic?

This is an opportunity to help build a serious UK semiconductor design company from the ground up. You will work on technically demanding RF, microwave, analogue, and mixed-technology systems with clear commercial relevance.

You will have the chance to shape design flows, influence technical direction, mentor engineers, and deliver real semiconductor products rather than working only on isolated research activity.

Benefits

Novomorphic's benefits package includes:

• 28 days' annual leave plus bank holidays
• Salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• Life assurance
• Private medical insurance
• Additional benefits tailored to employee needs

Location and Working Model

Location and working model are TBC.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK or be eligible for sponsorship, where applicable.