Graduate - CAD Engineer

Microchip Technology Inc.; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Microchip Technology Inc. is seeking a Graduate CAD Engineer to join the Belfast engineering team. You will work on RF and microwave electronic products, using industry-standard CAD tools to create designs and support PCB layouts, packaging, and modules.

You will collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to develop concepts into prototypes and production-ready solutions, contributing to DfM/DfA initiatives and ensuring manufacturability and reliability throughout the process.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related discipline.
• Strong interest in electronic product development, PCB design, or semiconductor packaging.
• Understanding of engineering design principles and technical drawing practices.

Responsibilities

• Design evaluation assemblies, test fixtures and PCB layouts for RF/microwave modules.
• Assist from concept through prototype, qualification and production release.
• Ensure designs meet manufacturing standards and external fabrication requirements.
• Apply design optimisation to improve performance, reliability and manufacturability.
• Produce manufacturing docs and design outputs for prototype and production builds.
• Collaborate with RF, Mechanical, Process, Manufacturing and Quality teams.

Skills

CAD software

PCB design

RF/microwave awareness

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electronic/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Cadence

Altium Designer

SolidWorks

Creo

AutoCAD

Job description

Are you looking for a unique opportunity to be a part of something great? Want to join a 17,000-member team that works on the technology that powers the world around us? Looking for an atmosphere of trust, empowerment, respect, diversity, and communication? How about an opportunity to own a piece of a multi-billion dollar (with a B!) global organization? We offer all that and more at Microchip Technology Inc. People come to work at Microchip because we help design the technology that runs the world. They stay because our culture supports their growth and stability. They are challenged and driven by an incredible array of products and solutions with unlimited career potential. Microchip’s nationally-recognized Leadership Passage Programs support career growth where we proudly enroll over a thousand people annually. We take pride in our commitment to employee development, values-based decision making, and strong sense of community, driven by our Vision, Mission, and 11 Guiding Values; we affectionately refer to it as the Aggregate System and it’s won us countless awards for diversity and workplace excellence. Our company is built by dedicated team players who love to challenge the status quo; we did not achieve record revenue and over 30 years of quarterly profitability without a great team dedicated to empowering innovation. People like you.

Job Description

Microchip is a leading designer and manufacturer of advanced semiconductors supplying innovative solutions to customers across defence, aerospace, telecommunications, industrial, and next-generation communications markets worldwide. Our products enable some of the world's most demanding applications, from advanced radar systems and satellite communications to next-generation wireless infrastructure. Through continuous investment in technology, engineering excellence, and talent development, we are committed to shaping the future of high-performance electronics. As we continue to expand our Gallium Nitride (GaN) product portfolio, we are seeking a talented and motivated Graduate CAD Engineer to join our Belfast-based engineering team.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity for a recent graduate or early-career engineer to develop specialist expertise in the design of advanced RF and microwave electronic products. Working alongside experienced engineers within our GaN MMIC development team, you will gain hands-on experience using industry-leading CAD tools to create innovative designs that support cutting-edge semiconductor and electronic solutions. You will contribute to the development of mechanical evaluation assemblies, test fixtures and production tooling, printed circuit board (PCB) layouts, semiconductor packaging and RF modules where electrical performance, thermal management, manufacturability, and reliability are critical to success. This role offers an excellent platform for technical development, providing exposure to advanced product development processes, cross-functional engineering teams, and world-class manufacturing environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design evaluation assemblies, test fixtures and production tooling, printed circuit board (PCB) layouts, semiconductor packaging and RF modules, and mechanical components using industry-standard CAD software.
• Support the development of new products from concept through to prototype, qualification, and production release.
• Ensure designs comply with internal manufacturing standards, external fabrication requirements, and industry best practices.
• Apply innovative design approaches to improve performance, reliability, manufacturability, and miniaturisation.
• Generate and maintain manufacturing documentation and design outputs required for prototype and production builds.
• Collaborate closely with RF, Mechanical, Process, Manufacturing, Quality, and Product Engineers within multidisciplinary project teams.
• Support product development activities using Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) methodologies.
• Contribute to Design for Manufacture (DfM), Design for Assembly (DfA), and value engineering initiatives.
• Participate in design reviews, continuous improvement activities, and problem-solving exercises.
• Help identify opportunities to optimise designs, reduce cost, improve yield, and enhance product performance.

Requirements / Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Mechanical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Product Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Strong interest in electronic product development, PCB design, mechanical design, or semiconductor packaging.
• Understanding of engineering design principles and technical drawing practices.
• Knowledge of electronic circuits, schematics, and PCB technologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
• A structured and methodical approach with strong attention to detail.
• Self-motivated with a willingness to learn and develop new technical skills.
• Desirable Experience Placement, internship, project, or industry experience within an electronics, semiconductor, manufacturing, or engineering environment.
• Experience using CAD tools such as Cadence, Altium Designer, SolidWorks, Creo, AutoCAD, or similar platforms.
• Exposure to PCB design, RF/microwave products, semiconductor packaging, or precision mechanical design.
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes and Design for Manufacture principles.

Travel Time: 0% - 25%.