Design Engineer for RF Heterogeneous Integration

Imec; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

imec USA’s Kissimmee, Florida R&D Center is advancing RF heterogeneous integration, interposer tech, and chiplet co-design for >100 GHz signals and >100 Gbps speeds.

You will contribute to co-design, simulation, and characterization of CMOS/III-V devices on silicon interposers with low-dielectric-loss redistribution layers, collaborating across sites.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree with at least 3 years of relevant experience in electrical engineering, microelectronics, RF engineering, or related field.
• Proficient in Cadence Virtuoso and associated tools for CMOS chiplet design and tapeout.
• Experience using Keysight ADS and Ansys HFSS or comparable RF/EM simulation tools.
• Strong understanding of high-frequency (>100 GHz) and high-speed (>100 Gbps) chiplet design.

Responsibilities

• Design RF building blocks: phase shifters, frequency multipliers, power amplifiers, PLLs for heterogeneous integration.
• Apply EM simulations to extract parasitics and inform co-design of interposer and chiplets.
• Design and tape out CMOS circuits using Cadence Virtuoso and tools.
• Design and tape out III-V circuits using RF tools and HFSS for EM simulations.
• Co-design interconnects between chiplets and interposers.
• Evaluate tradeoffs: RF performance, signal integrity, packaging, manufacturability.
• Participate in design reviews and document analyses and reports.
• Collaborate with US/Belgian imec teams and external partners.
• Contribute to technical publications and conference papers.

Skills

Cadence Virtuoso

Keysight ADS

Ansys HFSS

RF design basics

Education

PhD or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Microelectronics

Tools

Cadence Virtuoso

Keysight ADS

Ansys HFSS

Job description

Design Engineer – RF Heterogeneous Integration

Research & Development – Kissimmee, Florida, USA

Help develop next-generation RF heterogeneous integration technologies for applications ranging from AI data centers to space-based communications.

About the role

imec USA’s Florida-based R&D Center is developing innovative packaging solutions for next-generation RF (>100 GHz) and ultra-high-speed (>100 Gbps) systems. Applications for these technologies range from AI data centers to space-based communications.

A key area of innovation is the heterogeneous integration of silicon and III-V chiplets on a common interconnect platform. In this role, you will develop building blocks and prototypes that advance imec’s RF interposer technologies, balancing demanding high-frequency performance requirements with manufacturability across a variety of use cases.

As a Design Engineer, you will contribute to the co-design, simulation, and characterization of advanced CMOS and III-V devices heterogeneously integrated on silicon interposers with low-dielectric-loss redistribution layers.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary, cross-site development team spanning Kissimmee, Florida, and Leuven, Belgium. You will also collaborate closely with external customers and partners on test vehicles and prototypes that help advance cutting-edge RF heterogeneous integration technologies toward real-world applications.

We foster a collaborative, hands-on environment where initiative, technical curiosity, and innovation are encouraged.

What you will do

• Design circuits and layouts for RF building blocks such as phase shifters, frequency multipliers, power amplifiers, and phase-locked loops that benefit from heterogeneous integration.
• Use electromagnetic simulation to extract parasitic effects and apply those insights to RF interposer-chiplet co-design.
• Design and tape out advanced CMOS circuits using Cadence Virtuoso and associated tools.
• Design and tape out III-V circuits using RF circuit design tools such as Keysight ADS together with electromagnetic simulation tools such as Ansys HFSS.
• Co-design interconnect structures between active chiplets and RF interposers.
• Evaluate tradeoffs between RF performance, signal integrity, packaging, and manufacturability.
• Participate in design reviews and create clear technical documentation, analyses, and reports.
• Collaborate with imec teams in the United States and Belgium as well as external customers and technology partners.
• Contribute to technical publications for international journals and conferences.

Who you are

• You hold a PhD or a Master’s degree with at least 3 years of relevant professional experience in electrical engineering, microelectronics, RF engineering, or a related technical field.
• You are proficient in Cadence Virtuoso and associated tools used for CMOS chiplet design and tapeout.
• You have experience using Keysight ADS and Ansys HFSS or comparable RF and electromagnetic simulation tools.
• You have a strong understanding of state-of-the-art high-frequency (>100 GHz) and/or high-speed (>100 Gbps) chiplet and integrated-circuit design.
• You have strong written and verbal communication skills and can collaborate effectively with internal teams, customers, and external partners.
• You have very good written and spoken English-language skills.
• You are self-driven, hands-on, pragmatic, and comfortable taking initiative in a multidisciplinary R&D environment.
• Experience with heterogeneous integration is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience taking a chip from tapeout through RF measurement and characterization is highly desirable.
• Experience with semiconductor interconnect and packaging processes such as wafer bumping and flip-chip bonding is desirable.
• U.S. person status is preferred.

What we do for you

At imec, you will work in an international and multidisciplinary environment alongside some of the world’s leading researchers, engineers, and technology partners.

We offer an environment where you can take initiative, grow in responsibility, and contribute directly to technologies that help shape the future of semiconductor and electronic-system innovation. You will have opportunities to collaborate across imec’s global organization, develop your technical expertise, and work on challenging R&D programs with both internal teams and external industry partners.

We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package designed to support the health, well-being, and long-term development of our employees.

About imec

imec is a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. We leverage our world-class infrastructure and global ecosystem of partners across diverse industries to enable groundbreaking innovation in application domains including healthcare, smart cities, mobility, logistics, manufacturing, communications, and energy.

This opportunity is based at imec USA’s R&D Center in Kissimmee, Florida, where our teams develop advanced semiconductor, packaging, RF, and heterogeneous-integration technologies in close collaboration with imec colleagues in the United States and Belgium.

At imec, we believe that talent grows technology, and technology grows talent. Our informal and progressive working environment offers opportunities to take initiative, collaborate internationally, and grow in responsibility.