Senior Test Engineer — High-Speed Mixed-Signal/RF (V93000, 200Gbps+)

Location:

Bristol, UK — Semtech Bristol Design Centre

Hybrid Working – Monday – Thursday (Friday Flexible)

Our Team:

When a 200Gbps+ SerDes or a cutting-edge RF SiGe device needs to prove it's production-ready, our Global Test Engineering team is the reason it gets there.

We're the technical backbone behind every product in Semtech's semiconductor portfolio — a world-class, multi-site organisation trusted as the centre of excellence for test innovation across every business unit. We don't just run tests; we architect the methodologies, the IP, and the standards the rest of the engineering organisation builds on.

If you want your fingerprints on how next-generation high-speed communications products get proven — not just execute somebody else's test plan — keep reading.

Job Summary:

This is a rare one: the chance to become the technical authority for test development across Semtech's entire mixed-signal and RF portfolio.

We need someone who can look at a 200Gbps+ SerDes or CDR architecture and know exactly how to prove it works — at wafer level, at package level, and at volume.

You'll architect comprehensive test strategies from first silicon through to mass production, set the DFT and testability standards the wider organisation adopts, and lead the methodologies behind some of the most demanding high-speed communication products in the industry.

If your background spans Advantest V93000 architecture, SiGe BiCMOS test challenges, and the kind of signal integrity, jitter and BER analysis most engineers only read about in papers — this is the seat where that expertise finally gets to lead, not just support.

Responsibilities:

Here's where your expertise takes the lead:

Technical Leadership & Architecture

• Architect and define test strategies for complex mixed-signal / RF SiGe products from concept through production maturity

• Lead development of innovative test methodologies for high-speed SerDes, CDRs, and signal conditioning products

• Drive DFT/testability requirements into IC architecture, establishing company-wide standards and best practices

• Develop and implement advanced test techniques for products operating at >200Gbps data rates

• Create reusable test IP, libraries, and frameworks that accelerate NPI cycles across product families

• Perform technical risk assessment and mitigation strategies for test coverage and quality

Cross-functional NPI Support

• Serve as test engineering authority in product architecture reviews and gate meetings

• Partner with IC design teams from concept phase to ensure optimal test coverage and manufacturability

• Lead test readiness reviews with stakeholders, providing strategic recommendations

• Collaborate with Product Engineering to define characterization strategies and correlation methodologies

• Interface with customer quality teams on test specifications and coverage requirements

• Architect and launch test solutions that achieve test time targets for complex mixed-signal / RF devices

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce NPI cycle time by 10–20%

Production Excellence & Scale

• Ensure seamless transfer of test solutions to high-volume OSATs with >99% first-pass success

• Drive test cost reduction initiatives delivering year-over-year improvements

• Establish and monitor KPIs for test effectiveness, efficiency, and quality

Mentorship & Knowledge Management

• Mentor junior engineers, developing the next generation of test engineering contributors

• Create and maintain comprehensive test methodology documentation and training materials

• Build strategic relationships with test partners to influence platform development

• Foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning within the test organisation

Minimum Qualifications:

What you'll need to hit the ground running:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field

• 8+ years of progressive experience in semiconductor test engineering, including 4+ years specifically in mixed-signal/RF test development

• Proven track record leading NPI programs for high-speed communication ICs

• Expert-level proficiency with the Advantest V93000 platform (SmarTest 7/8)

• Advanced programming skills in C/C++, Python, and TCL

• Deep understanding of high-speed signal integrity, jitter analysis, and BER testing

• Expertise in analog/mixed-signal DFT techniques (BIST, scan, boundary scan)

• Proficiency in RF/microwave test techniques beyond 40GHz

• Strong foundation in statistical process control and quality methodologies

• Experience with PCB design tools (Cadence, Altium) and signal integrity simulation

• Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority across organisations

• Track record of delivering complex projects on aggressive schedules

• Strong presentation skills to executive leadership and customers

Desired Qualifications:

The extra depth that sets a standout candidate apart:

• Master's degree or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline

• 8+ years in semiconductor test with a focus on SerDes/high-speed I/O

• Experience with SiGe BiCMOS process technology and its test challenges

• Knowledge of automotive quality standards (AEC-Q100) and qualification flows

• Familiarity with 93000 PS1600/PS5000 digital channels and Wave Scale RF

• Experience with wafer-level testing and probe card design

• Experience with test data analytics and machine learning applications

Why Join Us?

• Be the name people associate with test architecture for mixed-signal/RF products company-wide — a reputation, not just a function

• Shape test capability that opens entirely new markets — your work becomes the reason new product categories are even possible

• Operate at the genuine bleeding edge — 200Gbps+ data rates — inside a global centre of excellence, not a regional side project

• Build something that outlives the project: reusable test IP, frameworks and standards the next five product generations will run on

• Join a team with the scale and ambition to match your expertise, not one that will under-use it

Career Growth Philosophy:

At Semtech, we believe innovation starts with people. We're committed to developing engineers who combine deep technical expertise with real organisational influence — this role is a direct route into test architecture leadership, with the scope to shape standards that the wider engineering organisation adopts.

Ready to Apply?

Engineers with this exact combination — V93000 depth, mixed-signal/RF test architecture, and NPI leadership at 200Gbps+ — are genuinely rare. If that's you, we'd rather hear from you now than lose you to someone who moved faster.

Apply today and let's talk about what you'd architect first.

Additional Notes:

The intent of this job description is to describe the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be required to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically included in this description.

All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.