MEMS Design Engineer - Staff

RPMGlobal; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

InvenSense, a TDK group company, is seeking a Staff MEMS Design Engineer in San Jose to lead MEMS accelerometer development from architecture through mass production. The role emphasizes mechanical modeling, device characterization, and cross‑functional technical leadership across teams in the United States, Taiwan, Italy, and beyond.

The candidate will perform system‑level modeling with MATLAB, contribute to invention disclosures, and mentor junior staff while driving improvements to workflows

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field (or MS with relevant industry experience).
• 3+ years in MEMS design, modeling, characterization, or debugging of MEMS motion sensors.
• Experience with electrostatic MEMS devices (accelerometers, resonators, gyroscopes).
• Strong understanding of electrostatic actuation and capacitive sensing; multi-DOF mechanical modeling.

Responsibilities

• Lead MEMS accelerometer development from architecture to mass production.
• Develop next‑gen MEMS architectures using FEA (e.g., ANSYS).
• Perform bench testing and debugging with oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers.
• Collaborate with test engineers on test methods and models.
• Interface with CMOS designers to optimize MEMS-device interfaces.

Skills

MEMS design

Cross-functional leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Mentoring

Python scripting

Education

Ph.D. in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering/Physics or related

M.S. with MEMS experience

Tools

ANSYS

L-Edit

MATLAB

Oscilloscopes

Spectrum analyzers

MEMS fabrication processes

Job description

Role summary:

The Staff MEMS Design Engineer will lead the development of MEMS accelerometers from sensor architecture through product release, qualification, and mass production. This role focuses on mechanical modeling and design, device characterization, occasional hands‑on debugging, test development support, and cross‑functional technical leadership. The successful candidate is detail‑oriented, experienced in MEMS design, and comfortable working across teams and geographies.

Key responsibilities

• Drive MEMS accelerometer development from architecture and initial design through product release, qualification, and mass production in collaboration with cross‑functional teams
• Develop next‑generation MEMS accelerometer architectures and specifications using FEA and other design tools (e.g., ANSYS)
• Perform occasional hands‑on bench‑level testing and debugging of MEMS devices during critical development, characterization, and root‑cause investigations using spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, and related instrumentation
• Support sensor characterization and test development by collaborating with test engineers to define test methods, limits, and underlying models for test routines
• Interface with CMOS designers to define and optimize the MEMS device and its interface‑electronics requirements
• Perform system‑level modeling and simulation of the MEMS device and its interaction with CMOS interface electronics using MATLAB or equivalent tools
• Prepare invention disclosures and contribute to patent filings
• Support customer requests, technical reviews, product definition discussions, and root‑cause investigations as needed
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams across the United States, Taiwan, Italy, and other global locations to drive designs to production
• Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and training as a senior individual contributor
• Identify and implement improvements to MEMS design, modeling, characterization, and development workflows
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum qualifications

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field; or an M.S. degree with relevant industry experience
• 3+ years of industry experience designing, modeling, characterizing, or debugging MEMS motion sensors
• Demonstrated experience designing, modeling, characterizing, or debugging electrostatic MEMS devices, such as accelerometers, resonators, gyroscopes, or related devices
• Strong theoretical understanding of electrostatic actuation, capacitive sensing, and multi‑degree‑of‑freedom mechanical modeling
• Experience with finite element modeling of MEMS using tools such as ANSYS
• Experience laying out MEMS devices using L-Edit or similar layout tools
• Hands‑on experience characterizing and debugging MEMS sensors using oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and related instrumentation
• Demonstrated problem‑solving ability, technical leadership, mentoring experience, and a track record of influencing cross‑functional teams and driving technically complex projects to completion
• Excellent interpersonal, collaboration, written, and verbal communication skills

Preferred qualifications

• Direct experience designing, modeling, characterizing, or debugging MEMS accelerometers
• Proficiency in data analysis with Python or equivalent scripting languages
• Familiarity with electronics and integrated circuits
• Experience with MEMS fabrication processes and wafer‑level and package‑level considerations
• Experience with package modeling or package‑induced effects in MEMS sensors

InvenSense, a TDK group company, is a world‑leading provider of MEMS and magnetic sensor solutions found in mobile, wearable, smart home, AR/VR, and other consumer and IoT applications. We are innovators with a 20+ year history of patented sensor technologies. As experts in our field, we lead industry breakthroughs in consumer, industrial and automotive technology and reliably deliver high‑quality solutions to our partners across global markets. Learn more about us at invensense.tdk.com.

The starting annual base pay for this role is between USD 132,000 and 170,000 for San Jose, CA. The actual base is dependent upon many factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs, location, and market demands. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. The role is also eligible for variable bonus programs and benefits.

For remote positions, the range may be lower dependent on location. This will be addressed during the recruitment conversation with the recruiter.