Senior ATE Engineer

Graphcore; Cambridge, Bristol; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI compute company in Cambridge is seeking a skilled Silicon Test Engineer to implement the silicon test flow for next generation AI Processors. The ideal candidate should have a solid background in ATE Test Engineering and an understanding of DFT components. Responsibilities include defining test solutions, writing test programs on ATE platforms, and enhancing yield learning. Benefits include flexible working, private medical insurance, and a supportive environment for all backgrounds.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Flexible working

Private medical insurance

Dental plan

Pension (matched up to 5%)

Life assurance

Income protection

Generous parental leave policy

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of digital integrated circuits and advanced test techniques.
• Proven competence with Advantest A93K testers.
• Experience in transferring to volume manufacture in OSATs.

Responsibilities

• Define manufacturing test solutions with the Silicon and DFT teams.
• Write Production and Engineering Test Programs on Advanced ATE platforms.
• Collaborate with engineering teams for silicon bring-up.

Skills

Digital integrated circuits knowledge

Scripting skills (Python, TCL, Perl, Shell)

DFT components understanding

Ability to work under pressure

Mentoring skills

Education

Degree in electronics or related field

Tools

Advantest A93K testers

Job description

At Graphcore, we’re building the future of AI compute. We’re a team of semiconductor, software and AI experts, with deep experience in creating the complete AI compute stack – from silicon and software to infrastructure at datacenter scale. As part of the SoftBank Group, backed by significant long-term investment, we are delivering key technology into the fast-growing SoftBank AI ecosystem. To meet the vast and exciting AI opportunity, Graphcore is expanding its teams around the world. We are bringing together the brightest minds to solve the toughest problems, in a place where everyone has the opportunity to make an impact on the company, our products and the future of artificial intelligence.

Job Summary

We are looking for an experienced Silicon Test Engineer to join our Product Test and Diagnosis Department. The role involves implementation of all stages of the silicon test flow for next generation AI Processors.

Working closely with a cross-functional team you will play a key role in developing ATE test capability in the UK.

The ideal candidate should have a focus on quality and demonstrate a good understanding of the importance of production test on the success of a product. They will have a proven ATE Test Engineering background, and will have a pragmatic, hands‑on and flexible approach to a fast‑changing environment.

The Team

The Product Test and Diagnostics team’s role is to detect and manage hardware defects that arise from the manufacture and use of our products. This covers chips, boards and finished systems and takes place both in the manufacturing sites and in the field.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Working with the Silicon and DFT teams to define manufacturing test solutions.
• Understanding of top level DFT strategies within multi‑die product.
• Defining test fixtures; for ATE Test Solutions: Load boards, probe cards, sockets, cooling systems.
• Writing Production, Engineering and Characterisation Test Programs on Advanced ATE platforms.
• Producing tests for other stages in the test flow; board, blade, and in‑field test.
• Correlation to bench measurements.
• Transferring test solutions to the far east.
• Work collaboratively with other engineering teams to ensure successful silicon bring‑up and help identify any silicon failures to enhance yield learning and improvement.

Candidate Profile

• A pragmatic approach, the ability to improvise, pitch in, and get the job done.
• Strong knowledge of digital integrated circuits and advanced test techniques.
• Very good understanding of DFT components such as JTAG (IEEE 1149.x), IJTAG (IEEE P1687), Core Test (IEEE P1500), Die Stack Test (IEEE‑1838), SSN (Streaming Scan Network), Test Compression, BIST, MBIST, etc.
• Understanding of the latest scan test fault models.
• Experience in transferring to volume manufacture in far eastern OSATs.
• Ability to work within high pressure cross‑department and cross‑company teams.
• Ability to mentor junior members of the team.
• Strong scripting and debugging skills using programming languages like Python, TCL, Perl, Shell, etc.
• Degree level qualifications in electronics or a related field.
• Good communications skills.
• Proven competence on Advantest A93K testers.
• Experience of SSN and multi‑core parallel testing.
• Experience of thermal control of high‑power devices in a production environment.
• Experience of high voltage stress testing.

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working, a generous annual leave policy, private medical insurance and health cash plan, a dental plan, pension (matched up to 5%), life assurance and income protection. We have a generous parental leave policy and an employee assistance programme (which includes health, mental wellbeing, and bereavement support). We offer a range of healthy food and snacks at our central Bristol office and have our own barista bar! We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we’re committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments.

Applicants for this position must hold the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately at this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or support for visa applications.