Senior High-Speed IC & Optical Product Definition Engineer

Semtech; Bentfield; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Semtech is a leading supplier of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors powering high-speed optical interconnects for hyperscale and AI data center networks, enterprise networking, wireless infrastructure, and passive optical access networks.

The successful product definition engineer has deep technical credibility both inside and outside of Semtech, as well as good analytical and communication skills; and plays a critical leadership role as an interface between product

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, or other relevant field.
• 8+ years of progressive hands-on technical experience in relevant engineering disciplines including high-speed analog and mixed signal circuit design and validation, optical components and transceivers, and/or physical layer networking.
• Deep expertise in signal integrity, signal equalization techniques, optical link budgets, and analog/mixed-signal system requirements for high-speed broadband communications applications, including both direct-detect and coherent optical transmission.
• Experience engaging with optical component vendors (PIC, photodiode, or module suppliers) in a design, system-level integration, co-development, and/or ecosystem partnership capacity.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills; able to engage credibly with IC design engineers, customer technical teams, and industry peers. Good judgment when communicating externally with customers.
• Team player able to work smoothly across functional teams, build trust, credibility and influence with key internal stakeholders, and work collaboratively to achieve goals without needing direct positional authority to do it.
• Comfortable working across global time zones; experience collaborating cross-functionally in a global team environment.
• Self-starter able to operate in a dynamic, sometimes ambiguous environment, make key decisions based on partial data when needed, and manage risks and unknowns.

Responsibilities

• Product Definition for Next-generation High-Speed IC Products
• Interface with customers and component partners to understand system and interconnect technical requirements, and distill these down to IC-level specs, in the form of detailed product requirements documents. Collaborate with analog, digital, and mechanical engineering teams and product management to work through design tradeoffs and feasibility analysis.
• Optical Component and System Ecosystem Engagement
• Drive Semtech’s technical engagement with the broader optical component and system equipment vendor ecosystem. Build and maintain strategic relationships with PIC vendors, laser and photodiode suppliers, host silicon providers to ensure technical compatibility, interoperability, and roadmap alignment.
• Customer Technical Evangelism
• Engage directly with customer engineers and end users as a subject matter expert to communicate key aspects of Semtech technology, product performance, and technical value proposition, and compare notes on industry technical direction.
• Industry Standards and MSA Engagement
• Lead Semtech’s active participation in the industry standards bodies that define the next generation of high-speed interconnect applications. Work with product definition peers and applications engineering teams to drive technical contributions to optical and electrical standards, MSA groups, and related forums to influence specification direction, build external credibility with peer companies, and translate standards activity into actionable product roadmap and NPI guidance.
• Represent Semtech at Conferences & Customer Events
• Engage with key strategic customers and ecosystem partners at major industry conferences (DesignCon, OFC, CIOE, ECOC, OCP, and/or similar), and give technical papers or presentations as appropriate to promote Semtech technology and market position.

Skills

High-speed analog

Mixed-signal design

Optical components

Transceivers

Signal integrity

Communication

Team collaboration

Global time zones

Self-starter

Education

BSc in EE/Physics/Optical Eng

Tools

ADS

HFSS

Matlab

Spectrum analyzers

Vector network analyzers

Job description

Semtech is a leading supplier of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors powering high-speed optical interconnects for hyperscale and AI data center networks, enterprise networking, wireless infrastructure, and passive optical access networks.

The successful product definition engineer has deep technical credibility both inside and outside of Semtech, as well as good analytical and communication skills; and plays a critical leadership role as an interface between product