Principal Engineer, RF Power Amplifier Architect

pSemi Corporation is a Murata company driving semiconductor integration. pSemi builds on Peregrine Semiconductor’s 30-year legacy of technology advancements and strong IP portfolio but with a new mission—to enhance Murata’s world-class capabilities with high-performance semiconductors. With a strong foundation in RF integration, pSemi’s product portfolio now spans power management, connected sensors, optical transceivers, antenna tuning and RF frontends. These intelligent and efficient semiconductors enable advanced modules for smartphones, base stations, personal computers, electric vehicles, data centers, IoT devices and healthcare. From headquarters in San Diego and offices around the world, pSemi’s team explores new ways to make electronics for the connected world smaller, thinner, faster and better.

Job Summary

This position is responsible for the leadership and design of advanced RF power amplifier platforms for cellular and Wifi front end applications. The individual will focus on the research and development of power amplifiers in various frequency bands using multiple semiconductor processes including SOI and GaAs.

The individual will work both independently and with the team to develop power amplifier techniques and architectures that demonstrate high performance, low cost APT and ET front end solutions. This role will work closely with pSemi and Murata management to further our front-end power amplifier capabilities and expertise.

The individual will work in a highly focused research team, to determine novel architectures, circuits, devices and methods for implementation of high-performance RF Power Amplifiers and transmit chains.

The successful individual will have strong understanding of advanced RF/mmWave power amplifiers for next generation cellular and 5G NR applications and must have a strong understanding of RFIC circuit design and the ability to coordinate activities necessary to complete major projects, requiring a wide variety of technical skills. The individual must have demonstrated experience in developing novel RF PA products, RFIC design, test and mass production product releases.

The individual will join a team of senior technologists responsible for driving our long-term architectural roadmap, building proof-of-concept prototypes, and ultimately developing successful technologies into high-volume products.

Roles & Responsibilities

This position has responsibility for:

• Develop novel architectures, circuits, devices and methods for implementation of high-performance RF Power Amplifiers and transmit chains using co-design and co-simulation of active and passive circuitry.
• Be company-wide technical authority on RF Power Amplifiers.
• Drive company-level R&D investment strategy, portfolio prioritization, and executive technical decision support for RF Power Amplifiers.
• Technical leadership of advanced RF power amplifier platforms for cellular and Wifi front end applications.
• Driving advanced power amplifier design using multiple process technologies and supply modulations including envelope tracking.
• Collaborate with multiple technical teams across pSemi and Murata on PA technologies.
• Participate with other key stakeholders and suppliers to drive our long-term architectural roadmap for PA platforms.
• Technically execute PA research, building proof-of-concept prototypes, and developing successful technologies into high-volume products.
• Demonstrate technical leadership and provide guidance to push the boundaries of pSemi and Murata existing technology, directing future efforts regarding tools, technology, performance, and cost optimization.
• Mentoring Senior Staff and Staff Engineers.
• Product Documentation: Document all relevant product and design information to educate others on novel design techniques and provide guidance on product usage.
• Product Characterization: Work with Characterization and Test Engineers to define, conduct and analyze data from product performance characterization.
• Production ATE Development: Work with Test Engineers to define, develop and ramp production ATE solutions.
• Product Support: Work with Product, Test and Manufacturing Engineers to help assess field failures, support yield improvements, failure analysis, etc.

Minimum Qualifications (Experience and Skills)

• Typically 15+ years of RF FEM product development with strong technical skills including:
  • More than 5 years of direct experience with GaAs-based power amplifier product development.
  • At least 5 years of advanced development or research experience directly related to mobile power amplifier and/or transmitters.
  • Detailed knowledge and experience with design of envelope tracking (ET) PA for mobile applications.
  • Direct hands-on experience with the design of highly efficient and linear power amplifiers operating between 600 MHz and 20 GHz.
  • Deep understanding of technical principles of power amplifier operation and design.
  • Experience with transistor level IC design and layout in at least multiple technology nodes including:
    • GaAs HBT, CMOS-SOI, SiGe, GaN
    • Understanding of the comparative advantage and tradeoffs between the different processes
  • Good WIFI and/or cellular standard system knowledge and key performance metrics.
  • Knowledge of IC fabrication and how it impacts circuit performance.
  • Good understanding of non-linear effects in transistors.
  • Knowledge of basic analog bias and control circuits and their impact on overall RF system
  • Experience with EM (Electromagnetic) modelling of high frequency RFIC’s and PCB’s
  • Familiarity with analog & RF IC layout techniques
  • Extensive IC Tape-out experience
  • Strong experience in design, debug and optimization of RFICs in the lab using standard lab equipment
  • Hands on use of RF measurement equipment to validate and correlate performance metrics such as ACP/ACLR, EVM, IP3, NF and gain
  • Software tools: Virtuoso, Cadence Spectre, Keysight ADS, EM software, Matlab, JMP
  • Strength in documentation clarity and completeness
  • Ability to clearly assess and manage risk
  • Strong ability to collaborate in a group and cross-functional team environment with a strong sense of urgency to meet product requirements on schedule

Minimum Education Requirements

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent field); Ph. D. (or equivalent field) preferred

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to 20 pounds.

USD 220,516.00 - 286,686.68 per year

pSemi Corporation supports a diverse workforce and is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for applicants and employees. pSemi does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex/gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions or breastfeeding), gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin (including language use restrictions and possession of a driver’s license issued under Vehicle Code section 12801.9), ancestry, physical or mental disability, legally-protected medical condition, military or veteran status (including “protected veterans” under applicable affirmative action laws), marital status, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal laws applicable to the Company. pSemi also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that an employee or applicant has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.


Note: The Peregrine Semiconductor name, Peregrine Semiconductor logo and UltraCMOS are registered trademarks and the pSemi name, pSemi logo, HaRP and DuNE are trademarks of pSemi Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. pSemi products are protected under one or more of the following U.S. Patents: