Applications Engineer

Cambridge GaN Devices; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job description

Applications Engineer

Team – Applications Engineering

Location – Cambridge, UK

Contract – Full-Time, Permanent

About CGD

Making Sustainable Power Electronics Possible

A spin-out of the Cambridge University, Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) is a fabless semiconductor company that develops a range of energy-efficient GaN-based power devices to make greener electronics possible.

The global power semiconductor market is expected to exceed $50BN. In addition to the multi-million seed fund and Series A and now B private investments, CGD has so far successfully secured four projects funded by iUK, BEIS and EU (Penta). The technical and commercial expertise of the CGD team combined with an extensive track record in the power electronics market has been fundamental in early market traction of our proprietary technology.

Bringing Innovation into Everyday Life

The environmental need for solutions to resolve the world’s most significant challenges (energy consumption and CO2 emissions) inspires us to contribute to society by preserving nature with energy-efficient power solutions.

With a mindset on pushing the limits of semiconductor (GaN) properties and an outstanding team of worldwide experts leveraging knowledge, IP, and decades of research, we demonstrate technological advancement by developing green solutions for everyday electronics, respecting our planet’s natural resources, and creating a more sustainable future for the generations to come.

Why Work for CGD

We Champion Commitment, Celebrate Empowerment, and Reward the Brave.

We are interested in change-makers with a passion for power semiconductors who are willing to explore unconventional ways to meet the company’s green agenda.

At CGD, we pride ourselves on putting empowerment and commitment at the core of our company culture. We offer a relaxed yet productive working environment where everybody is valued and respected and becomes part of commercial success while experiencing professional growth.

If your heart beats for innovation, challenge, and growth, and if the prospect of joining a friendly and game-changing company is for you, we want to hear from you.

The Opportunity

This is an amazing opportunity to join CGD at an early stage and work within the applications engineering team as they grow in both size and capability. The applications engineering team are responsible for the introduction of leading edge GaN products into various sectors including power supplies, mobile chargers and adapters, and many other consumer, industrial and automotive applications.

Main Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the Director of Application Engineering, you will work in close collaboration with sales, business development, marketing, system engineering and product development as well as with our regional teams to:

1. Support the development of state-of-the-art, high efficiency power converter demonstrators and reference designs using our GaN products for consumer, industrial and automotive applications.
2. Work with our customers to understand their platforms, trends and how our GaN devices will help them deliver a performance step change.
3. Understand the strengths & weaknesses of competitor solutions and together with our world-class device designers ensure we maintain our advantage.
4. Support technical applications training to internal teams, external partners and customers.
5. Spread the word by creating high quality application notes, whitepapers, design guides and other technical documents.
6. Contribute to our product development strategy & roadmap, exploring & identifying tomorrow’s super high efficiency products.

Skills and Experience

The suitable applicant will complete their role with real passion and proactiveness, driving engagement with the wider group and with other members of the applications engineering team.

You are motivated to make the world greener by enabling more sustainable use of energy. You are enthusiastic and are eager to challenge the status quo and to drive new technical fields.

You are personally committed to the customer’s concerns and award them a high priority.

Your strong communication skills and team player mindset will help you to work within interdisciplinary and multicultural teams.

You are also interested in driving new requirements in CGD target markets and in sharing your knowledge and experience within the team.

Essential

1. A degree or above in Electrical/Electronic Engineering or similar.
2. Solid switching power supply experience for consumer or industrial products.
3. Familiar with the commonly used switching power supply topology structures – Flyback, PFC/LLC, etc – including power and control circuit design.
4. Solid analogue, digital and power electronics design expertise, strong hands-on skills and familiar with the specifications and applications of various electronic components.
5. Possess good power debugging capabilities and be familiar with power supply performance test specifications, reliability test specifications, and EMI related knowledge.
6. Good logical thinking, strong communication skills and good team player.
7. Fluent English language.

Desirable

1. Experience of GaN-based applications.
2. Demonstrable switching power supply development experience as factory/agent FAE or Application Engineer in adapter/charger related business/industry.
3. Track record providing technical solutions for customers, working with them to develop/improve products.
4. Able to troubleshoot EMI issues independently and have a good understanding of EMI theory.
5. Capable of using ECAD SW Altium, PSPICE circuit simulation and Mathcad.
6. R&D background in at least one of the following areas: mobile phone charger, laptop adapter, Gaming power supply, PC power supply, TV power, LED drive and Solar inverter.
7. Fluent Mandarin or Cantonese language.

Benefits

1. Excellent salary.
2. Share options scheme available (so you own a piece of the company!).
3. Pension scheme (6% Company contribution).
4. Life Assurance (3x Salary).
5. BUPA Private Medical Insurance.
6. BUPA Cash Plan (Level 3).
7. Flexible working options (both location and times).
8. Annual leave allowance of 33 days (including bank holidays).
9. Training and development.
10. Electric Car Scheme.
11. Cycle to work scheme.
12. IP bonus scheme.
13. Involvement in collaborative projects and grants with University of Cambridge and other partners.
14. Recruitment referral bonus.
15. Regular social events including frequent company lunches, annual summer party, Christmas party, team building and wellbeing activities.

We believe in equal opportunities

It takes a diverse and inclusive community of passionate, talented and committed people to build a system to shape the future of power electronics.

We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all current and prospective employees regardless of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We believe that a more inclusive workplace, where people of different backgrounds work together, ensures better outcomes for all employees. We aspire to have a diverse workforce because, in our view, diversity enables better business outcomes. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

We are well set up for collaborative hybrid working, with some members of the team working in the UK office and some from home in the UK and other cities in Europe and Asia.