Sr. Silicon Validation Engineer

European Tech Recruit; Delft; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee equity

Well-being support

Relocation support

Pension contributions

Modern workspace

Scale-up culture

Job summary

European Tech Recruit is assisting a pioneering semiconductor scale-up in Delft. We seek a Senior Silicon Validation Engineer to lead the validation strategy for complex SoCs integrating digital, analogue and RF tech.

You’ll drive bring-up, debugging, characterization and automated validation in close collaboration with digital, firmware and software teams. The role emphasizes hands-on lab work, developing Python/C++ scripts, and delivering robust validation plans and test environments across

Qualifications

• BSc or MSc in Electrical Engineering, Embedded Systems or a related discipline.
• Strong understanding of digital circuits, including memory, MCU architectures and digital interfaces.
• Experience with low-power IoT systems.
• Hands-on experience with bus protocols such as AHB and APB.
• Experience with peripheral interfaces including SPI, I2C and UART.
• Working knowledge of FPGA systems for pre-silicon debugging, particularly Zynq.
• Strong firmware debugging and real-time troubleshooting skills.
• Experience developing small firmware applications to test and exercise hardware.
• Experience with automated silicon validation and test setups.
• Ability to conduct and manage concurrent laboratory testing across multiple products.
• Strong practical experience with laboratory equipment, including
• Logic analyzers
• Digital multimeters
• Signal generators
• Programmable power supplies
• Strong Python programming skills for test automation and data analysis
• Familiarity with Git, Excel and database management

Responsibilities

• Define digital test requirements and validation strategies in collaboration with design, firmware and software teams.
• Develop and execute comprehensive test plans covering digital functionality.
• Lead SoC-level validation and silicon bring-up, from component-level testing through to full system operation.
• Develop Python and C/C++ scripts to automate testing and data collection.
• Build and maintain automated test setups using digital laboratory equipment.
• Collect, organise and analyse validation data across multiple devices and operating conditions.
• Characterise SoC performance and identify potential hardware or firmware issues.
• Debug and troubleshoot hardware, firmware and digital interface problems.
• Work cross-functionally with design, applications and software teams to identify root causes and implement solutions.
• Develop firmware or mini-firmware where required to exercise and validate hardware.
• Document validation procedures, results, specifications and technical findings.
• Support the continuous improvement of automated validation processes and methodologies.

Skills

Digital validation

Embedded systems

Python scripting

C/C++ programming

FPGA debugging

Lab test automation

SoC bring-up

Test equipment

Git

Automation

Education

BSc/MSc Electrical Engineering

Tools

Zynq FPGA

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Digital multimeters

Signal generators

Power supplies

Job description

Building the Future of GNSS & IoT Connectivity

Our client is a pioneering semiconductor scale-up developing innovative technology for the next generation of connected devices.

The company is transforming how devices connect, communicate and operate through advanced Digital RF technology, with a particular focus on ultra-low-power GNSS and intelligent IoT connectivity.

Founded from deep-tech research at a leading European technical university, the team brings together highly experienced engineers, researchers and technology specialists working on some of the most challenging problems in GNSS, IoT and low-power semiconductor design.

The company's ambition is to develop highly efficient, adaptive and scalable connectivity solutions capable of powering billions of connected devices across a wide range of applications.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Senior Silicon Validation Engineer to join the team and take responsibility for developing, implementing and executing validation strategies for complex SoCs integrating digital, analogue and RF technologies.

This is a highly hands-on role focused on SoC bring-up, debugging, characterisation and automated validation.

You will work closely with digital design, firmware and software teams to develop comprehensive validation plans, build automated test environments and investigate issues across hardware, firmware and digital interfaces.

Key Responsibilities

• Define digital test requirements and validation strategies in collaboration with design, firmware and software teams
• Develop and execute comprehensive test plans covering digital functionality
• Lead SoC-level validation and silicon bring-up, from component-level testing through to full system operation
• Develop Python and C/C++ scripts to automate testing and data collection
• Build and maintain automated test setups using digital laboratory equipment
• Collect, organise and analyse validation data across multiple devices and operating conditions
• Characterise SoC performance and identify potential hardware or firmware issues
• Debug and troubleshoot hardware, firmware and digital interface problems
• Work cross-functionally with design, applications and software teams to identify root causes and implement solutions
• Develop firmware or mini-firmware where required to exercise and validate hardware
• Document validation procedures, results, specifications and technical findings
• Support the continuous improvement of automated validation processes and methodologies

Technical Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in digital silicon validation and embedded systems, with hands-on laboratory experience.

You should have:

• BSc or MSc in Electrical Engineering, Embedded Systems or a related discipline
• Strong understanding of digital circuits, including memory, MCU architectures and digital interfaces
• Experience with low-power IoT systems
• Hands-on experience with bus protocols such as AHB and APB
• Experience with peripheral interfaces including SPI, I2C and UART
• Working knowledge of FPGA systems for pre-silicon debugging, particularly Zynq
• Strong firmware debugging and real-time troubleshooting skills
• Experience developing small firmware applications to test and exercise hardware
• Experience with automated silicon validation and test setups
• Ability to conduct and manage concurrent laboratory testing across multiple products
• Strong practical experience with laboratory equipment, including
• Logic analysers
• Digital multimeters
• Signal generators
• Programmable power supplies
• Strong Python programming skills for test automation and data analysis
• Familiarity with Git, Excel and database management

Nice to Have

The following experience would be advantageous:

• Knowledge of GNSS technologies
• Experience working on location-based IoT products
• Power, Voltage and Temperature (PVT) characterisation
• Experience with analogue hardware testing
• Broader experience across mixed-signal SoC validation

What You’ll Bring

We're looking for someone who is hands-on, analytical and proactive, with a genuine interest in understanding how silicon behaves in real-world conditions.

You’ll be comfortable moving between the lab, software and hardware, investigating unexpected behaviour and working with multidisciplinary engineering teams to find practical solutions.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical fundamentals with a can-do attitude, attention to detail and a methodical approach to debugging and validation.

What’s on Offer

• Employee equity – share in the success of the company as it grows
• Well-being support – access to wellness resources and mental health support
• Relocation support – assistance with the visa process for international hires
• Pension contributions – support for your long-term financial planning
• Modern workspace – a vibrant, well-equipped engineering environment
• Scale-up culture – a collaborative team environment with regular company events and celebrations

This is an opportunity to join an ambitious deep-tech semiconductor scale-up and play a key role in validating the silicon behind the next generation of connected and low-power IoT devices.

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